LEAD (Learning Experience for Academic Development) is a travel and study in Armenia program hosted by Eurasia Partnership Foundation
Are you an ambitious university student, a professor or a well-seasoned traveler who needs an outstanding spring or summer learning break or a hands-on internship, combined with an abundant experience and knowledge? Are you in search of unique ways to advance your career goals? Travelling to Armenia is exactly what you need.
One of the biggest advantages of this type of international experience is the living experiences in a dynamic environment which reflects your own academic interest and learning objectives. We in Armenia have the entire palette of political, economic, and social processes in development: transitioned political systems, public to private economies of all types, vibrant IT industry, social welfare in development, migration and reintegration, challenging regional and territorial conflicts, reforms in education, justice and human rights work, state building and democratization in progress, and much more.
Why Armenia
Armenia is a post-soviet country, independent since 1991, a great facility for studying the socialist era and post-socialism developments, how democracy emerged, including private sector and civil society development, human rights, anticorruption, rapidly developing IT industry, international agreements emerging and developing.
Armenia is at the cross-section of Europe and Asia, its rich history, diverse culture and turbulent politics impacted by and impacting upon Europe’s and Asia’s developments.
Armenia is situated in the Caucasus – a vibrant region in terms of political and cultural developments, both positive and negative, such as amazingly diverse nature, rich historical and cultural heritage on one hand, and unresolved conflicts among former autonomous states and republics, on the other. At the same time, despite the conflicts, most of it is relatively safe for travel and learning.
Armenia’s progressive civil society organizations, educated scholars and multi-profile experts, think tanks, universities, and other organizations offer tons of experience which no libraries can compete with.
Armenia offers access to geopolitics of the entire region, including Iran, Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Black Sea and the Middle East.
Armenia is a crossroads of cultures and history and at the same is a hub of innovation and IT industry.
Armenia offers relatively cheap accommodation and amazingly tasty food, and you’ll spend less on in-country travel and program fees.
You will be hosted by a state-of-the art civil society organization Eurasia Partnership Foundation (EPF). We provide pre-and-post departure support and accompaniment on the ground. You will feel safe, protected, accompanied and, if needed, mentored throughout the program. And we will be happy to learn from your experience and ideas you will share with us.
Perhaps it is a limited amount of time you can spend here, but it doesn’t mean this new experience can’t have a major impact on your life.
What we offer?
EPF is experienced in being the contact point between the students and their internship placement, identify suitable placements with universities, businesses, State and/or NGOs, resolve any issues that may arise and facilitate the effectiveness of internships. EPF will be in daily contact with interns as well as their internship placement sites in order to assess intern’s level of involvement and satisfaction with their internship.
In addition to an internship placement, EPF will provide a safe and welcoming environment for students and fascinating cultural trips all over Armenia. For the convenience of the interns, EPF will also provide them with housing, health insurance, orientation and help them with any of their daily needs.
What you gain
- A program tailored to your needs, experience and objectives.
- The LEAD program will teach you to adapt to and strive in a new cultural environment. Adapting to a new culture is not an easy task, but EPF will support the students and professors through providing them with the knowledge necessary to understand the cultural differences between Armenia and your original location.
- Our internship program allows you to get hands-on experience in solving real world intercultural problems and daily intercultural challenges, in addition to developing practical skills that will pave the way for your future professional success. At the end of the internship, you will have gained intercultural skills as well as valuable insights on the future steps of your career.
- Close-to-work experience in business, academic, state or civil society sector. You will learn how organizations work, are financed, managed, governed, and how they cooperate with each other. The interns have access to high-level administration of organizations and are free to participate in idea generation, program design, staff development and decision making processes during the period of the assignment.
- Exposure to human rights, state reforms, political systems, civil society, justice, media, urban, rural, private sector, social welfare, charity, elections, transparency, conflict resolution, peacebuilding, international development, culture and arts, education, science, IT technologies and/or other topics.
- Knowledge of the region, networking with experts and practitioners.
- Recognition of your contribution, your name and profile on EPF’s website, international development experience, which will be helpful in your future career and life.
What is the program?
The LEAD internship program is a rewarding and challenging program, perfect for people who want to combine their academic interests with practical, hands-on work. EPF takes the responsibility of suggesting organizations that are suitable to the interests of the students. With our vast and strong connections with different organizations, we can guarantee an internship that will help the applicants develop professionally in the sphere of their interests.
Whom would this interest?
EPF is ready to work with the students, university department coordinators, professors etc. to find placements that match their interests. Students who are not afraid to overcome academic and professional challenges, who are ready to work in a new cultural environment will find our program to be exactly what they need. Yerevan, Armenia, is a perfect spot for students studying processes of democratization, environmental studies, security and peace, international relations, post-Soviet relations, etc. EPF will consider working with individuals and groups, will design short (1 week and more) and longer term (1-3 months) programs tailored to the needs of the client.
Please visit here to learn the stories from our interns.
Contact our certified facilitators Lilit Arzoyan, e-mail: [email protected], or Marina Ayvazyan, e-mail: [email protected] for more information.
Short about EPF
Eurasia Partnership Foundation’s (EPF) guiding vision is a South Caucasus that is peaceful, conflict-free and cooperative with civically engaged citizens, socially responsible businesses, and sustainable, accountable and effective third sector organizations. To these ends, EPF administers numerous programs aimed at strengthening civil society in Armenia and cooperation in the South Caucasus. Because our operating landscape is one of political unrest, military confrontation, economic crisis and limited regional cooperation, we must harness the potential of community activism and local philanthropy to make an advance in achieving our aims.