On September 21, the Caucasus Stage of Media Dialogue 2025 began, marking ten years since the project’s launch. Participants from Ukraine, Germany, Moldova, and Belarus arrived in Yerevan, Armenia, to foster connections between countries and gain a deeper understanding of the media’s work. This year’s theme is media freedom and pluralism against propaganda.
During the first meeting, young journalists, students, and their tutors got to know one another and learned about the project’s assignments. Over the next 10 days, members will practise creating articles, videos, and podcasts. They will also visit local media outlets to learn about how journalism operates in Armenia and explore differences from other countries.
The participants of Media Dialogue 2025 started their work in Armenia with a visit to Yerevan State University. The place offers a variety of educational programmes, including journalism.
One of the university students took a tour around the main building, which includes their museum and library. The YSU is the oldest continuously operating public university in Armenia. Established in 1919, it is the largest and oldest public university in Armenia.
Firstly, participants spoke with Dr Mikayel Hovhannisyan, the vice-Rector, about the student possibilities at the Yerevan State University.
Dr Hovhannisyan noted that Yerevan University welcomes a diverse range of international students. While most students are local, the university annually attracts individuals from countries such as Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Russia, and Georgia, as well as from other nations with significant Armenian diaspora communities. According to the Vice President, approximately 30-40 percent of the university’s international students have Armenian heritage, even though they hold citizenship in different countries.
Moreover, the university offers several educational programs in both English and Russian.
“During the past several years, the number of international students has been growing, although not to the extent we are willing to… Just a week ago, the new law on higher education was adopted, which gives us better opportunities for providing services to international students”, the Vice President informed.
Also, the university keeps pace with global collaborations, enabling students to participate in summer and winter semesters, internships, and exchange programs. Currently, there are eight active Erasmus projects.
“We are very open and ready to cooperate. So I think the more cases of collaboration and cooperation we have, the better it is for all of us,” said Dr Mikayel Hovhannisyan.
