Chair of History of Neighboring Countries of Armenia

The origins of the Chair of History of Armenia's Neighboring Countries date back to the founding of Yerevan State University: it was created in 1998, based on the chairs of the history of the USSR and the CPSU, which existed earlier at the university. The chair with its current name has a history of almost two decades. For decades, the professors of the chair have been and are conducting many general and narrow professional courses representing different stages of the history of the USSR.

In 2011, the "Caucasian Studies" Undergraduate educational program was introduced in the faculty. Professor Hayrapet Margaryan, the head of the Chair of History of the neighboring countries of Armenia, famous Caucasian studies specialists, professors Paruyr Muradyan, Pavel Chobanyan, and others played a decisive role in the founding of the Chair, the creation of Caucasian studies educational programs, and in the development of courses.

The purpose of the establishment of the Caucasian Studies Chair was to prepare specialists with basic Armenian and Caucasian studies education who would be competitive both in the Armenian and international scientific arenas. In the "Caucasian Studies" Chair, both general and narrow professional courses in Caucasian studies are taught, foreign languages (a European language, German, Azerbaijani with advanced training), specialists with a narrow specialization (history of Georgia, Azerbaijan, the North Caucasus or specific historical periods) are trained.

The Chair of Caucasian Studies has trained hundreds of specialists: specialists in Azerbaijani and Georgian studies, who are active in various spheres of the republic's social and political life.

Currently, the chair is conducting the evaluation and strategic research of the ancient, medieval, new and modern ethnopolitical, religious, and cultural developments of the countries and peoples of the region, interrelationships, and the historical heritage of the Caucasian peoples.

Recognized and leading specialists of the republic work in the Chair of the history of neighboring countries of Armenia, who regularly undergo training, are involved in international and local grant programs, and actively participate in international conferences giving presentations. The work of the chair includes the scientists-researchers of the Institutes of Oriental Studies and the History of the National Academy of Sciences of RA, which makes the activity of the chair more effective.

The scientist-pedagogues of the Chair are the authors of educational manuals, monographs, school textbooks, and scientific articles, which are also published in periodicals with a high impact factor.