We Call on University Lecturers to Respect Student Interests and Return to Classrooms: LHK Youth Union

The Youth Union of the "Enlightened Armenia" party issued a statement regarding the events taking place at the Yerevan State University of Economics (HPTU).

“Yesterday we learned that HPTU staff announced a strike demanding the appointment of Diana Galoyan as the rector of the university. Without delving into the legitimacy and grounds of the demands expressed by administrative staff and some lecturers regarding their preferred candidate for the rector position, we express our concern about the disruption of the educational process for students.

Already deprived of the opportunity to participate in traditional educational processes due to the pandemic, students are exercising their right to education under extraordinary conditions, sometimes through remote participation and at other times by attending the university in person. In this challenging situation, the demand for a preferred candidate for the rector position, expressed through disruption of the educational process, severely harms the students who are the primary stakeholders of the university, the vast majority of whom study on a paid basis.

We respectfully call upon the administrative staff and lecturers who announced the strike at HPTU to respect the interests of the students, not to hinder the ongoing educational process, and to return to the classrooms. We believe that administrative staff and lecturers can express their wishes and demands after fulfilling their duties to the students diligently, outside of working hours.”