Vardan Urutyan’s Visit to BOKU
Mr. Vardan Urutyan, former Rector of ANAU, visited BOKU University in Vienna, reconnecting with friends and partners. Although he initiated the partnership in 2017, this was his first visit to BOKU, proving the adage, “better late than never.” He engaged with colleagues from various departments and institutes, discussing opportunities for deeper cooperation. Accompanied by Professor Reinhard Neugschwandtner, Mr. Urutyan toured the BOKU experimental station in Gross-Enzersdorf, where he explored extensive field trials and experiments, some dating back over a century. This is particularly noteworthy as ANAU has also established the Akunk Organic Agriculture Educational Experimental Farm. Serving as a dynamic platform, the farm provides students of the OAMP program with the opportunity to conduct their master's thesis trials, while also facilitating the exchange of organic agriculture knowledge between farmers and other interested stakeholders.He was particularly impressed by the long-term wheat seed trials, ongoing since 1877, and the high level of scientific dedication displayed by BOKU researchers.
Training on Education Quality
From 30 September 2 October 2024, ANAU hosted Thomas Gugenberger, Head of the Quality Management Department at BOKU University. He provided a training focused on enhancing education quality standards, reinforcing best practices in academic programme management, and ensuring continuous improvement in agriculture education.
A Memorable Visit to Chir’s House Company
A unique combination of a workshop, excursion, and a master class on sujukh-making took place at Chir’s House on 3 October 2024, offering a full immersion into Armenia’s organic and traditional food culture. Participants had the opportunity to explore the beautifully maintained garden and greenhouse, a small mushroom production workshop, an obsidian fruit dryer, and a dried fruit production facility. The experience was complemented by a selection of traditional Armenian dishes, creating a rich and immersive culinary experience.
The primary goal of the workshop was to bring together organic agriculture specialists, lecturers from the Organic Agriculture Master’s Program, representatives of ANAU and BOKU, and members of SOAA steering committee. Discussions focused on students’ experiential learning practices, existing challenges, solutions, and strategies to maintain active communication between stakeholders—an essential objective of the SOAA program.
Visit to Yellow Bee Company
The SOAA project team, along with lecturers from the Master’s Program in Organic Agriculture, visited Yellow Bee Company on 3 October, a pioneer in organic honey wine production and agrotourism development in Armenia. The Yellow Bee brand is deeply connected to the Armenian Highlands' endemic yellow bee, symbolizing its commitment to sustainable beekeeping and organic production. This visit provided valuable insights into innovative honey-based product development, agrotourism strategies, and sustainable business models, further enriching the academic and practical knowledge of the program participants.
Looking Ahead
Through these initiatives, the SOAA Project continues to strengthen academic-industry collaboration, enhance education quality, and foster innovation in organic agriculture. We move forward in building a more resilient and sustainable agricultural sector in Armenia.
