Armenia

This is an Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility project of Leiden University’s Faculty of Science with two Armenian universities, Yerevan State University and Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory.

Project summary

The European Regional Office of Astronomy for Development (E-ROAD) at the Faculty of Science, Leiden University regards collaboration and exchange with the ROAD office in Armenia as an important strategic goal. Both offices are part of a global network, the International Astronomical Union (IAU), and one of the aims is to strengthen bonds with sister offices by sharing the research and management expertise available in each region. This will equip astronomers in low-income countries with the necessary technical and soft skills and therefore stimulate capacity building. The project will thus contribute to sustainable development.

Collaboration and exchange between the E-ROAD in Leiden and the South West and Central Asia ROAD in Armenia will increase Armenian research capacity in astronomy and related technological fields, including project management, and will build capacity in skills that can be applied both within and outside academia. The E-ROAD, in return, can learn from the track record of “astronomy for development” activities at the ROAD in Armenia, which has more experience in this field. The connection with the ROAD office in Armenia is particularly interesting for the European ROAD office because they cover neighboring regions (in Eastern Europe) and can therefore collaborate on tackling specific development needs there.

The 2022 project builds on previous successful collaboration between Leiden and Armenia through the ICM programme. For more information about the previous project, take a look at the 2020 project page.