PCC Superintendent-President in Talks With Armenian Consul-General to Establish Cooperative Projects

Ambassador Armen Baibourtian, Consul General of Armenia in Los Angeles conferred earlier this month with PCC Superintendent-President Erika Endrijonas on plans for cooperation programs between PCC and Yerevan State University, the oldest continuously operating public university in Armenia, as well as other colleges and universities in that country. 

Ambassador Baibourtian highlighted the feasibility of developing an exchange program for students of both PCC and colleges and universities in Armenia, starting with Yerevan State. Within such a framework, PCC students can have the opportunity to study for an academic semester at a partner institution in Armenia. 

Dr. Endrijonas said she is interested in establishing bonds of partnership with Yerevan State University, and proposed initially to organize a PCC academic semester at the university, taught by PCC faculty, for its students in Yerevan. Such a setting would enable PCC to address university accreditation issues in the U.S. in terms of eligibility of credits transfer through study abroad, she explained. 

Dr. Endrijonas mentioned that PCC has similar successful practices applied at other foreign universities.

“So wonderful to meet with Ambassador Armen Baibourtian, Ph.D., Consul General of Armenia in Los Angeles!” Dr. Endrijonas posted on Twitter on July 2. “So many possibilities to partner and provide educational opportunities for our students and community!”   

Ambassador Baibourtian invited Dr. Endrijonas and her team to visit Armenia in the fall in order to get acquainted with educational cooperation opportunities on the spot and the perspective of launching the study-abroad program in Yerevan. 

Founded in 1924, Pasadena City College has established itself as one of the nation’s leading two-year colleges. Each semester, PCC serves over 29,000 students, including international students from 76 different countries. 

Yerevan State University, in the city of Yerevan, has agreements with about 270 universities, international organizations and research centers in 50 countries. Some of these partner universities are in California.