Pázmány Péter Catholic University (PPCU) and Khachatur Abovyan Armenian State Pedagogical University (ASPU) has signed a groundbreaking cooperation agreement on the 26th of March to commemorate our decade of cultural, educational and research relations.
The seven concluded documents add further areas to the fields of cooperation and regulate the circumstances of diploma issuing regarding the double degree of History and Armenology.
Both Rectors expressed their appreciation about this long-standing and constantly developing partnership between two outstanding institutions.

In his festive speech Prof. Ruben Mirzakhanyan (Rector of ASPU) regarded the rapidly evolving professional activities of both parties as incomparable and exemplary to the Armenian - Hungarian relations; and identified the creation of a broader range of master programs and dual degrees as the next step in the cooperation's future.
Prof. Szabolcs Szuromi, Rector of PPCU has also regarded the event as historical, which offers students and researchers at both universities a unique opportunity.

As a direct result of the cooperation network established over the last four years, PPCU's Armenology training has become unique in content, quality and possibilities in Europe, thus creating a solid ground for PPCU's Department of Armenian and Southeastern European / Regional History Studies, originally inaugurated by Prof. Ruben Mirzakhanyan and Prof. György Fodor, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, to be elevated to the rank of Institute within PPCU's organization system as of spring, 2018.

At the closing ceremony the Rector of PPCU has awarded Prof. Ruben Mirzakhanyan, Rector of ASPU the diploma 'Pro Universitate', acknowledging the outstanding work of developing international positioning of Armenian culture and the building of inter-university relation.

On the very same day as the result of preparatory negotiations the number of Armenian partners of PPCU has further expanded with the conclusion of a framework agreement with the Artsakh State University and with the signature of the bilateral agreement with the National Library of Armenia (Yerevan).

Prof. Manush Minasyan, Rector of Artsakh State University has labeled the agreement with PPCU as of strategic importance, which opens wide-ranging opportunities for the institute already outstanding in the fields of Natural Sciences, Economics, History and Linguistics.

The Director of the National Library of Armenia, Tigran Zargaryan and Prof. Szuromi agreed that the common values established in the inter-institutional cooperation greatly contribute to the conduct of Armeniological studies, the coordination of research and mutual exchange of results, and the organization of exhibitions, which also involve the National Széchényi Library of Hungary as a partner.

On the 27th of March Prof. Szuromi has also responded to the invitation of Catholicos Karekin II and has attended a private audience of the current Catholicos of All Armenians, the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the company of PPCU's students and professors, as well as Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisyan, the Head of the Department of External Relations and Protocol at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
In a cordial tone and a meeting far beyond the protocol time frame both Catholicos Karekin II and Prof. Szuromi expressed their joy over the constantly growing relations; and over the important factor the cooperation represents in the relationship between the two Christian churches.

A prominent announcement of the meeting was that PPCU intends to sign a cooperation agreement with the Gevorkian Theological Seminary and the related papacy seminary within a few months. This agreement would enable the deacons and priest of the Armenian party to receive doctoral training from PPCU in the future. Similarly the Gevorkian Theological Seminary would also welcome priests and seminarists from PPCU's Faculty of Theology with the goal of obtaining scientific degrees or participation in linguistic or cultural studies.
Detailed reconciliation of the content of the agreement was conducted by Prof. Szuromi and Garegin Hambardzumyan, Inspector of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary. The cooperation was given a strong emphasis by the seminar held for the ordinands by the Rector of PPCU at the Gevorkian Theological Seminary, titled 'Idoneity for Holy Services in the New Testament and until the end of the Roman period'.

The delegation of PPCU was also welcomed by the United Nations Office in Armenia led by Shombi Sharp on the 27th of March, and attended the seminars of Richard Giragosian, the Founding Director of the Regional Studies Center (RSC), Harutyun Marutyan, leading researcher at the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia and Anahit Simonyan, Head of Operations at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization Desk (UNIDO) about issues related to modern Armenian history and society.
Part of his official program the Rector of PPCU has also visited the Khor Virap monastery and has paid a tribute to the memory of Saint Gregory the Illuminator who is credited with converting Armenia from paganism to Christianity in 301. Armenia thus became the first nation to adopt Christianity as its official religion.