Awards ceremony for  winners of  "Armenia in the EAEU" competition   held at RAU

ArmInfo.On October 29, the Russian-Armenian University (RAU) held an awards ceremony for the winners of the student paper competition on the theme "Armenia in the EAEU. Prospects for the Republic of Armenia's Participation in the EAEU in Modern Conditions."

The competition aims to develop students' research skills and  stimulate interest in studying integration processes within the  Eurasian Economic Union. Vadim Fefilov, head of the  Rossotrudnichestvo office in Armenia, clarified that the competition  dedicated to the EAEU has been held among students of Armenian  universities for the third year in a row. "We have received dozens of  submissions that demonstrate students' interest in understanding the  EAEU: its strengths and weaknesses. This is precisely what makes the  competition so interesting," Fefilov noted.

The head of the Rossotrudnichestvo office also noted the significance  of holding such a competition in the context of promoting the EAEU.  In this regard, he noted the criticism from various quarters and the  country's choice-the EAEU or the European Union-noting that Armenia  currently  is in the middle of these processes. "Although I am  convinced that Armenia will remain in the EAEU," Fefilov added.

Anastasia Ivanova, representative of the Russian Ministry of Economic  Development in Armenia, pointed out that the competition is an  example of how young people's interest in integration and economic  cooperation is being translated into a serious research project. "The  works were prepared at a high level and demonstrate the students'  commitment to the future of their country and the EAEU as a whole. I  would also like to note that RAU is not just a university, but a  platform where the potential for cooperation between Russia and  Armenia is fully realized. Therefore, the victory of the RAU students  is symbolic and reflects the idea of the EAEU as a unification of  opportunities for common development," Ivanova emphasized.

In turn, Russia's Trade Representative in Armenia, Sergey Solomin,  noted that the competition theme itself and the ideas expressed in  the students' works highlight the relevance of the processes  occurring in the two countries. "This year, 12 works were submitted,  all of which demonstrated a good understanding of the topic. Many  ideas have the potential for further development. The students are  looking forward and proposing ideas for developing integration at a  deeper level than is currently the case," Solomin noted. The  competition winners included Elen Santrosyan, a fourth-year student  majoring in Economics at RAU, Anushavan Yeranosyan and Elena  Baghramyan, first-year Master's students majoring in International  Economics, and Vahe Asatryan, a student at Yerevan State University.

Elen Santrosyan stated that her analysis has concluded that Russia is  Armenia's main partner within the EAEU. "We also decided to conduct  an econometric analysis as part of the competition,  identifying the  main factors influencing Armenia's exports. These include Russia's  GDP, the exchange rate, and institutional factors, such as Armenia's  accession to the EAEU in 2018," Santrosyan said.

As part of the awards ceremony, Vadim Fefilov, head of the  Rossotrudnichestvo office in Armenia, also presented a letter of  gratitude to Victoria Hayrapetyan, Associate Professor of the RAU  Department of Economics and Finance, for her contribution to  developing the research potential of young people and her successful  academic mentorship. The authors of the best works received prizes  and diplomas from the Rossotrudnichestvo office in Yerevan, as well  as additional points for participating in Rossotrudnichestvo's quota  campaign for admission to master's or doctoral programs.  Additionally, the winning work, if it meets the scientific  requirements, will be published in a journal included in the list of  the Higher Attestation Commission (HAC) of Russia.