Opponents of University Politicization Said One Thing, Did the Exact Opposite: Mkrtchyan on the Current Government's Practices

Education expert Atom Mkrtchyan addressed the model of university governance councils and the discussions surrounding it. According to Mkrtchyan, the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport or the ruling political force initiated the process of amending the "Law on Higher Education and Science," discussions about which had started long ago. Representatives from professional and expert circles had already pointed out a year ago that a key point related to the governance model of universities and the formation process of governance councils.

"Universities in our country have a pyramidal structure, which is managed by an executive body represented by the rector, and therefore their powers are quite extensive. However, since he is elected by a body called the governance council, where the majority are appointed by the authorized body, it turns out that the entire university is directly under the authority of the political majority or the power that forms the government at that time, because 5 out of the 9 members of the council who elect the rector are appointed by the authorized body - the government or the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport," said the expert during a radio interview with Sputnik Armenia.

Mkrtchyan believes that placing the current political authority's interests at the center of the new law aimed to quickly activate its levers of influence and maintain control over all universities, which accumulate a significant part of intellectuals as well as progressive youth.

"Back in February 2018, when the draft law was being discussed, I, along with my allies and many in the current political authority, were fighting against the politicization of universities, and during parliamentary hearings, we opposed such a provision, proposing a 50/50 composition for the council to ensure that the political influence of the authorized body would not be felt. But my former allies, coming to power, tightened this provision, which we had opposed previously," noted the expert.

According to Mkrtchyan, this issue has become a subject of serious discussion because, according to the current government's practices, one thing is said in advance, but the exact opposite is done later.