Association for innovation and sustainable development

  Elena Simciuc has a robust educational background in Law and Project Management. Her educational background, reinforced by the work experience, has granted her the opportunity to advance in her career. Previously, she occupied the position of the Head of the Policies and International Relations Department at the Agency for Innovation and Technology Transfer of Moldova (hereinafter referred to as AITT). She was involved (Project Manager) in the writing and implementation of EU funded international projects (TEMPUS, FP7, cross-border cooperation projects, etc.). As a representative of AITT, she was the responsible person for the activities in the Enterprise Europe Network in the Republic of Moldova. Elena Simciuc is currently the Head of the International Projects Office, Department for International Relations, Moldova State University coordinator of 2 projects within Jean Monnet action (ERASMUS+). Her teaching is characterized by innovative teaching methods that put a strong emphasis on the use of modern information technologies and teamwork. She has valuable experience in the design and implementation of the EU projects, organization of international events (seminars, roundtables, conferences, etc.). Elena Simciuc also coordinates and implements the project SMART-Fostering university-enterprise cooperation and entrepreneurship of students via SMART Caffes” co-financed by Erasmus+ Programme, KA2, CBHE as regional co-coordinator on behalf of the non-governmental organization. From 2013, Elena Simciuc began to work as a scientific researcher and is responsible for International Relations at the Scientific-Technological Park "Academica" and Incubator "Innovatorul." After a couple of years, she became the President of the non-governmental organization "Association for supporting innovation and sustainable development "Impuls." Elena Simciuc has been involved in various projects as coordinator and co-coordinator:

• Coordinator of the project. ERASMUS+ EUAGRO – Full Project Name: Fostering European Integration of the Republic of Moldova with a specific accent on the agriculture sector. Project Number 610667-EPP-1-20191-MD-EPPJMO-PROJECT
• Coordinator of the project. ERASMUS+ EUSHARE – Full Project Name: European economic integration of the Republic of Moldova through EU shared values: education-research-innovation. Project Number 610666-EPP-1-20191-MD-EPPJMO-PROJECT
• Co-coordinator of the project. ERASMUS+ SMART – Full Project Name: Fostering University-Enterprise Cooperation and Entrepreneurship of Students via SMART Cafes. Project Number 585620-EPP-1- 2017-1-ELEPPKA2-CBHE-JP https://www.smartcaffe.eu/
• Coordinator on behalf of Scientific Technological Park "ACADEMICA" of Moldova. Tempus FKTBUM – Full Project Name: Fostering Knowledge Triangle in Belarus, Moldova, and Ukraine" (2013-2016). Project Number 543853-TEMPUS-1-2013-1-DE-TEMPUS-SMHES

  https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-simciuc-96463b5b/    

Ani Hovsepyan has 10 years of experience career guidance and management, acts as career adviser/counsellor, trainer, youth worker and projects manager within the frame of various projects, initiatives locally and internationally. At present she holds the position of Career Center Specialist at the Brusov State University (BSU). She provides various trainings and seminars for the students and graduates, youth in general (How to apply for a job, How to be competitive in the labour market, How to write a competitive CV, Cover Letters, Entrepreneurial Skills, Problem-Based Learning, professional orientation, etc.). She has a great experience of organizing career and job fairs, as well as workshops, meetings with the employers, the business sector, entrepreneurs and companies. From 2017 she has been delivering course “Career Management” for the BA 2nd year students and “Managerial Competences” for the MA students at the BSU Chair on Education Management and Planning. She has participated in a number of national and international forums, workshops and seminars on different issues of education management, career guidance and management, education policies, entrepreneurship and innovation, labour market and employability. She participated in a number of mobility projects in various higher educational institutions, non-governmental organizations throughout Europe. With advanced academic and professional background, she has a great experience in managing different mobility projects, educational programs, as well as national and international projects (Erasmus Mundus, European Voluntary Service, Youth in Action, TEMPUS, Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility, Erasmus + Capacity Building in the Field of Higher Education, European Solidarity Corps, etc.). Ani Hovsepyan is involved in the development of various strategies and procedures related to the youth work, formal and non-formal education, employability, career guidance and professional orientation, university-labour market-business triangle, etc. She is actively involved in research activities on current educational trends, youth issues, career guidance and management tendencies, professional orientation issues, etc. She is a founding member at the Network for Innovation in Career Guidance and Counselling in Europe, board member of the Youth Affairs Council under the Mayor of Yerevan City. Ani Hovsepyan is a PhD researcher at BSU, Chair on Education Planning and Management. Her educational background was reinforced by PhD research project at the City College, the University of Sheffield International Faculty for the period of two years.   https://www.linkedin.com/in/ani-hovsepyan-71828128/

  Andres Abad Pacheco is an International Project Manager, Expert of the European Commission, Youth Worker. He is an expert with considerable experience in carrying out, implementing, and evaluating international projects within various international programs in education, research, innovation, etc. Andres Abad Pacheco has been external expert of several European Commission Agencies and national agencies for European Programs in the field of citizenship, education, and youth, evaluator of European projects since 2004. Since 2016 he is an International Project Manager at Fundacion Universitaria San Antonio, Murcia (Spain), responsible for ERASMUS+ Projects, ERAMUS+ SPORT Projects and EEA Grants Projects. His professional experience started in the region of Murcia within the frame of various projects and initiatives for NGOs on youth issues between 1989 and 2007. From 2008 to 2012 he worked for the Government of the Region of Murcia as technical assistance for the European Social Fund, Axis Women's Employment. For around five years had hold the position of the Head of the European Programs at the Intercultural Association at the Gallery NGO, located in Murcia (Spain). From 1989 to 2007 Andres Abad Pacheco has been acting as a trainer on youth issues (in the fields of project management cycle of project management, public policies, organizational development, human resources, strategic planning, mediation, negotiation) and mediator, an expert in conflict management at a non-governmental organization (NGO) in the Region of Murcia (Spain).  

Levon Babamyan has been 15 years involved in international projects and institutional initiatives management and administration. Since 2010 he has been coordinating projects by UNDP, OSCE, FIDH, Norwegian Grants. Mr. Babamyan has been involved 10 years in the European Voluntary Service, Youth in Action and Erasmus Mundus as institutional coordinator, as well as TEMPUS SuToMa project placements coordinator, Erasmus + International Credit Mobility Coordinator, European Solidarity Corps and Erasmus+ Capacity Building in the Field of Higher Education SMART project local coordinator (Fostering University-Enterprise Cooperation and Entrepreneurship of Students via SMART Caffes). Mr. Babamyan is also engaged at Brusov State University in the capacity of the Head of Career Center and Executive Director of BSU Graduates Association. Levon Babamyan has great experience preparing reports, final conclusions, recommendations, as well as development of various quality assessment tools (quality-check surveys and questionnaires, evaluations, etc.). He has been actively involved in the projects organized by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of the Republic of Armenia as an expert of education, the student career management services. Levon Babamyan has 10-year experience in research and assessment of the labour market, its problems, conducting various surveys, round-table discussions with the representatives of the business sector, entrepreneurs and companies. He has participated in a number of national and international forums, workshops and seminars on different issues of education management, internationalization, education policies, entrepreneurship and innovation, labour market and employability. He participated in a number of mobility projects in various higher educational institutions, non-governmental organizations throughout Europe. With advanced academic and professional background, he has a great experience in managing different mobility projects, educational programs, as well as national and international projects. Levon Babamyan has 5-year experience delivering “Career Management” course at the Brusov State University. He has been conducting trainings and seminars on the topics covered by the course for other Armenian HEIs students and graduates, as well as high school pupils. Levon Babamyan is a member of the Education and Science Committee of the Public Council of the Republic of Armenia.    

Robert Khachatryan, PhD, Associate Professor is currently chairing the Centre for Quality Assurance and Reforms at Brusov State University (BSU), as well as he is Head of the Chair on Education Management and Planning. With advanced academic and research background, he has a great experience in managing different research projects, educational programs, as well as national and international projects. He has been extensively engaged in the quality assurance and accreditation processes. Dr. Robert Khachatryan is involved in the Scientific Council of BSU as the Head of the Center for QA and Reforms and he also deals with the development and approval of different regulations and procedures for the effective assessment of educational and research activities and for the quality control processes at BSU. He is engaged as the Head of the expert panels to seven Armenian state and non-state university accreditations carried out by National Center for Professional Education Quality Assurance Foundation. He has also participated in a number of national and international forums, workshops and seminars on different issues of European Studies, European Integration aspects, entrepreneurship & technology transfer, quality assurance, strategic management, research management, education policies and innovations. He constantly carries out extensive research on current educational trends, reforms, student-centered learning opportunities and developments as well as conducts benchmarking with leading universities both on the national and international levels. Mr. Khachatryan is proficient in carrying out research, demonstrating professional skills and competences. He has 11 years of experience as a lecturer, research manager, education administrator and QA expert. The frame of his expertise involves European education policy analysis, education innovations, system-wide higher education reforms that are targeted at research management; expert knowledge on entrepreneurial education and its interplay with entrepreneurship, education innovations and technological solutions within the European Economic Integration; advanced knowledge on the business models (Cirque de Soleil, and Shave Club), business model canvas, start-ups support, marketing and branding basics, IPR, corporate management issues for early-stage innovators; advanced experience in project management and collaborative initiatives on higher education system development and education reforms at the European, international and national levels, ensuring teamwork and supervision to produce strategic outputs and outcome; advanced experience in organization and delivery of trainings and in-person workshops for different stakeholders and target groups, etc. Dr. Khachatryan has been actively involved in different projects implemented at BSU within TEMPUS and ERASMUS+ Programmes: TEMPUS ALIGN, TEMPUS GOVERN, TEMPUS VERITAS, TEMPUS ARMENQA, TEMPUS SSRULLI, ERASMUS+ MINERVA, ERASMUS+ LNSS, ERASMUS+ SMART acting as the Academic Coordinator.  

Samvel Hovhannisyan holds a Ph.D. in Economics, has a wide range of interests, and is involved in various national and international projects that support entrepreneurship development and innovation in the European Union and Armenia. Dr. Samvel is an Associate Professor at the Chair on Education Management and Planning within Brusov State University. He has researched and adopted innovative teaching methods that highlight the importance of students' active participation during the class, usage of modern information technologies, a combination of students' individual activities, and teamwork that foster their creative thinking and entrepreneurial mindset. He works as an Analyst at the Central Bank of Armenia. Throughout the last decade, he has consulted several European and US start-ups on IT Project Management. Dr. Samvel Hovhannisyan has researched EU Eastern Partnership policies towards entrepreneurship development while working at the European Investment Bank in Operations Department for Central Asia and Eastern Partnership countries; on projects that fostered SME development and Innovation in Eastern partnership countries, on EU policies on innovativeness and European Integration Process. Samvel Hovhannisyan has managed to work in retail banking and at the European Investment Bank in Luxembourg and has been a consultant for the World Bank, where he has studied and researched the different aspects of entrepreneurship development policies and support in European Union and abroad. He has a clear understanding of the economics and operations behind the implementation of such policies with a focus on innovation management and research management. Samvel Hovhannisyan has also consulted the World Bank for the creation and implementation of the Educational Research and Assessment MA Program and has the expertise in connecting education, research, and innovation. This Master Program is the first in its nature in Armenia and the region.