APPEAR in Practice 22 | Strengthening Higher Education Cooperation between Armenia and Austria

As part of the “APPEAR in Practice” series, this event will showcase collaborative projects between Armenian higher education institutions and BOKU University. The Austrian Partnership Programme in Higher Education and Research for Development (APPEAR) supports long-term academic partnerships that contribute to sustainable development through capacity building, knowledge exchange, and institutional cooperation. This event highlights the outcomes and experiences of three APPEAR projects implemented in Armenia in partnership with BOKU.

• Ecosystem Services Assessment through a Participatory Approach for Sustainable Water Resources Management in Armenia | EcoServ
• Strengthening Organic Agriculture in Armenia: Participatory Higher Education and Knowledge Exchange for Development | SOAA
• Strengthening Genetic Biocontrol Capacities under Climate Change in Armenia | ArmBioClimate

Despite their different thematic focuses, organic agriculture, ecosystem services and water management, and biocontrol under climate change, all three projects share common approaches and goals. They emphasize: 

• Participatory methods and stakeholder engagement
• Strengthening higher education and research capacities
• Addressing environmental sustainability and climate change challenges
• Institutional transformation and integration in the European Higher Education Area
• Promoting long-term institutional cooperation and knowledge exchange 

Building on the project presentations, a panel discussion will provide space for critical reflection on challenges, success factors, and lessons learned. Using the Armenian context as a starting point, the discussion will explore broader questions related to international academic cooperation for development. 
 

Event Programme 

Accompanying music: Traditional Armenian Music - Nareg Ensemble

Moderation: Stella Asiimwe 

17:00 Opening
Univ.Prof. Dr. Christoph Pfeifer, Vice rector for Research and Innovation, BOKU University

Welcome Remarks by the Armenian Ambassador to Austria (t.b.c.)  

17:15 Project Presentations by Team Members

18:00 Panel Discussion

• Dr. Vardan Asatryan, Armenian National Academy of Sciences
• Dr. Milena Klimek, Institute of Development Research, BOKU University
• Assoc. Prof. Priv.Doz.Dr. Gábor Mészáros, Institute of Livestock Sciences, BOKU University
• Univ.Prof. Dr. Christoph Pfeifer, Vice rector for Research and Innovation, BOKU University
• Dr. Verena Radinger-Peer, Institute of Landscape Development, Recreation and Conservation Planning, BOKU University

19:00 Networking over Food and Drinks

Speakers

Vardan Asatryan is aquatic biologist and ecologist at the Armenian National Academy of Sciences with over 15 years of experience in hydroecology and aquatic ecosystem research. He heads the Scientific Group for Aquatic Ecosystem Services and has been involved in more than 50 research projects. His work focuses on ecosystem services assessment, citizen science, and environmental education. He also teaches geography and is actively engaged in developing methodologies for mapping ecological status of surface waters in Armenia.

Marine Dallakyan, PhD in Biology, is Head of the Laboratory of Hydrobiology and an Associate Professor at the Armenian State Pedagogical University. She specializes in assessment of aquatic ecosystems' health and biomonitoring, applying best practices aligned with the EU Water Framework Directive. Her work also focuses on biodiversity assessment and management using molecular methods. She has received international training at the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries in Berlin in water quality monitoring, and at the Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig in Bonn in biobanking and DNA barcoding analyses. 

Tigran Keryan is a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute for Landscape Development, Recreation, and Conservation Planning, BOKU University. His work focuses on transdisciplinary research approaches, citizen science, and ecosystem services, with a strong emphasis on nature-based solutions and biodiversity in higher education. He previously held a postdoc position at the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (Portugal). His research aims to bridge science, practice, and policy for sustainability transformations.

Karlen Khachatryan, PhD in Economics, is Associate Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Management at Yerevan State University. He specializes in management and economic policy, with over 20 years of teaching and research experience. He has authored 50+ scholarly publications and served as Principal Investigator on multiple grants funded by Armenia’s Science Committee, as well as co-lead on international projects. His research focuses on human capital, institutional capacity, university–industry collaboration, innovation, and ecosystem services. In addition to his academic work, he is a licensed auditor with over a decade of business consulting experience.

Nonna Khachatryan is Associate Professor at Yerevan State University with a PhD in Economics and over 20 years of academic experience. Her work focuses on ecosystem management, sustainable development, and green entrepreneurship, combining economic, environmental, and educational perspectives. She has extensive experience in teaching, academic management, and international research collaboration. She has authored numerous publications on ecosystem services and sustainable development.

Milena Klimek is a Senior Scientist at BOKU University, Institute for Development Research, focusing on curriculum development in higher education and sustainable food systems. She works with participatory and qualitative methods to co-create sustainable solutions and has led and contributed to multiple international APPEAR projects. Her research includes agroecology, governance of natural resources, and stakeholder collaboration in development contexts. She holds a PhD on values in farmers markets in Vienna and Minneapolis.

Gábor Mészáros is an Associate Professor of Population Genomics and Animal Breeding at the Institute of Livestock Sciences, BOKU University, Vienna. His research centers on understanding population diversity and the genetic architecture of complex traits using livestock genomic data. He is actively involved in numerous national and international research and education projects. He is the main coordinator of the European Master in Animal Biodiversity and Genomics (EMABG) Erasmus Mundus Joint Master program, a consortium of six European universities and multiple associated partners.

Verena Radinger-Peer is an Assistant Professor at BOKU University specializing in sustainable regional development, sustainability transitions, and university-society collaboration. She has extensive experience in leading interdisciplinary research projects and focuses on knowledge co-creation and regional innovation. Her work integrates research, teaching, and supervision with a strong emphasis on societal transformation. She holds a doctoral degree in Regional Planning and Development.

Astghik Sahakyan is a PhD candidate at the Insitute of Social Ecology at BOKU University researching the transformative potential of circular alternative food networks in Austria and Armenia. She holds degrees in economics and has experience in agribusiness research and development projects. Her work focuses on sustainability transitions in food systems. She has been involved in APPEAR-funded projects through the ICARE Foundation.