The second day of the workshop entitled “Development of Concept of 3rd Level Education and Legal Frameworks” within the framework of the Erasmus + ARMDOCT capacity building program is taking place.
During the workshop, we hosted the founder of Firo Company scientist Aram Jivanyan, who is a member of the Science Initiative. He presented a report on “Avoiding the Collapse of Science and its Reformation in Armenia” while talking about the Scientific Initiative.
Mr. Jivanyan also spoke about the success of the Firo Science-Based Company, which already has accumulated capitalization of 60 million dollars. As Mr. Jivanyan mentioned, the creation of Firo company (which is a cryptocurrency) is based on one main scientific article: According to the speaker, it is necessary to promote the creation of a high-quality scientific result by providing sufficient financial means, creating laboratories, as well as mechanisms and incentives to use the potential of Armenian scientists in the Diaspora.
The members of the ARMDOCT program (representatives of RA universities and research institutes) shared the vision and concerns of the Scientific Initiative, asked questions, and came into agreements on further cooperation.
The working group of Erasmus + Armdoct “Dissertation Defense and Awarding Academic Degree” Working Group (speaker: Atom Mkhitaryan, Dean of ISEC NAS of RA) gave a brief historical overview on degree-awarding in Europe, Russia, and the former USSR, as well as the current procedures in Armenia during the three-day workshop.
The issues which were raised by the partners and the solutions proposed by the working group were thoroughly presented in detail. In particular, they referred to the format and volume of the dissertation, reviewing process, the academic ethics as well as the number of published scientific works, the principles of forming a professional council, the role of the scientific supervisor, the appeal procedure, and finally, the funding and internationalization.
During the workshop, “Development of Concept of 3rd Level Education and Legal Frameworks”, which was carried out within the framework of the Erasmus + Armdoct program, four research groups presented the results of the study on the organization of postgraduate education as well as made suggestions for reform. During the workshop “Development of Concept of 3rd Level Education and Legal Frameworks”, which was carried out within the framework of the Erasmus + Armdoct program, four research groups presented the results of the study on the organization of postgraduate education and reform proposals. A separate research group managed by Armine Avetisyan, Head of the Research and Innovation Center of the Polytechnic University, presented the summary of proposals by the WORKING GROUP studying the SCIENCE-ECONOMY.
It should be noted that the above-stated working group presented the results of the research also to the Minister of Economy of RA. During the meeting, the taxation issues for the equipments and materials acquired for scientific researches were presented, raising the importance of tax incentives provision (including exemption from value-added tax), which will significantly stimulate investments in the sector and increase the efficiency of the process.
To launch financial incentives by the state to the organizations conducting joint research to train scientific staff in a specific science field, including tax incentives were also suggested. Emphasizing the proposals, the Minister of Economy of RA Vahan Kerobyan mentioned that the issue will be studied in more detail and a corresponding project will be circulated shortly.
While responding to the proposal of the working group, the Minister expressed readiness to link resources and provide financial support to the academic “spin-offs”.
To raise awareness, disseminate information, promote cooperation between scientists and the business sector, the representatives of the Ministry expressed their readiness to organize a joint conference shortly with the working group of the ARMDOCT project.