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VERONIKA ZONABEND: "WE WILL RAISE "AMBASSADORS" OF ARMENIA ALL OVER THE WORLD"
Monday 10 March 2014 10:16
Photo: IDeA
Veronika Zonabend
On March 7, the Second Armenian TV Channel broadcasted the interview
of Chairman of Board of Directors of UWC Dilijan International
School Veronika Zonabend. Below we present the brief transcript of
the interview.
- February 17 was the deadline for submission of applications for UWC
Dilijan International School and other colleges of UWC network. Are
you happy with the quantity and quality of the applications?
- It should be recalled that applications were submitted to the
National Committee of Armenia which selects students from Armenia
for all the 14 UWC colleges in various countries.
According to the data provided by National Committee, overall there
were applications from 266 people and 159 of them passed to the next
round. We are happy that the program piqued great interest this year
as last year; only 35 applications were submitted for UWC network
in Armenia.
- As far as I know, the selection process will be held in several
stages. Please, tell me about it in more detail.
- At the next stage, 159 people who passed to the 2nd stage will
be interviewed via Skype by the selection commission members -
many of them live outside Armenia, particularly representatives of
the international office and UWC colleges. The 2nd round will end
in nearly 2 weeks and about 80 candidates will get invitations to
face-to-face interview in Yerevan as a result.
This round will last a whole day during which candidates will talk to
a psychologist and hold group classes. Selection commission members
are going to find out how well the children adapt, whether they are
ready to leave their homes for the school and how well they realize
why they do it. Of course, their knowledge will also be tested but
that won't be the main component of the process.
The round of personal interviews will be held within the last week
of April. The candidates for studying in all 14 UWC colleges will be
announced by the National Committee of Armenia in mid May. Afterwards,
the colleges including Dilijan School should approve candidacy of the
students. Then the contenders who did well in the three selection
rounds will get a notification saying which UWC college approved
their candidacy.
- As is known, tuition fees of 90% of pupils of UWC Dilijan School
will be covered with scholarships granted by donors. Does that mean
that 9 out of 10 citizens of Armenia who entered UWC Dilijan will
get scholarships? What criteria will the donors be guided with while
making a decision on granting scholarships?
- Selecting students and granting scholarships are 2 different
processes. The selection is conducted by the National Committee while
donors of the School aren't involved in the process in any way.
As for the scholarships, I can answer this question only after
selection of students and assessment of the financial status of their
parents. Maybe, all 10 Armenian pupils selected to the UWC Dilijan
will need scholarships or maybe not. If a child's parents can afford
it, of course, donors won't pay for their child's education thus
depriving a student from a low-income family of potential scholarship.
For instance, our 16-year-old daughter is now being considered for
selection by National UWC Committee of Russia and if she does well
in all the rounds we will undoubtedly pay for her education on our own.
Money of the scholarship fund should be allocated to support the
children who have the potential of studying but whose parents can't
afford to pay tuition fees.
- Less than half-year is left till opening of the School in September
2014. How does the process of recruitment of the staff and particularly
teachers go on?
- The process goes on very well: we've already selected almost all
the teachers except for a few subjects. Director of the School John
Puddefoot has been living in Armenia since the beginning of the year
and has actively engaged in organization of the education process.
- UWC Dilijan School is an international project and English is the
teaching language. Will history of Armenia, Armenian language and
literature be taught at the School?
- Armenian citizens will study these subjects in accord with the
requirements set by the Ministry of Education of Armenia and foreigners
will study Armenian as a foreign language. We want our teachers to
inspire children to learn the language and Armenian culture.
We were quite surprised to get a large number of applications from
countries of Latin America located far away from Armenia. People are
ready to go to the country they have only a vague notion about. We
want Armenia to become part of their lives within these 2 years. In
fact, we will raise "ambassadors" of Armenia all over the world.
- I know you have many plans concerning development of the town
of Dilijan.
- Engaging local population is one of the 7 principles of our IDeA
Charity Foundation. A project shouldn't become "a citadel" walled
with high fence if you want to make it sustainable and last for years.
We particularly have plans concerning development and support of
children's infrastructure in Dilijan. We are going to open a center
for children's development. We sponsored the elaboration of the
concept of Dilijan town which is not being considered by the Armenian
government. The concept is aimed at making Dilijan a comfortable place
for locals and foreigners so as people will strive to live and work
and children would like to study there.
http://www.mediamax.am/en/news/interviews/9419
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Monday 10 March 2014 10:16
Photo: IDeA
Veronika Zonabend
On March 7, the Second Armenian TV Channel broadcasted the interview
of Chairman of Board of Directors of UWC Dilijan International
School Veronika Zonabend. Below we present the brief transcript of
the interview.
- February 17 was the deadline for submission of applications for UWC
Dilijan International School and other colleges of UWC network. Are
you happy with the quantity and quality of the applications?
- It should be recalled that applications were submitted to the
National Committee of Armenia which selects students from Armenia
for all the 14 UWC colleges in various countries.
According to the data provided by National Committee, overall there
were applications from 266 people and 159 of them passed to the next
round. We are happy that the program piqued great interest this year
as last year; only 35 applications were submitted for UWC network
in Armenia.
- As far as I know, the selection process will be held in several
stages. Please, tell me about it in more detail.
- At the next stage, 159 people who passed to the 2nd stage will
be interviewed via Skype by the selection commission members -
many of them live outside Armenia, particularly representatives of
the international office and UWC colleges. The 2nd round will end
in nearly 2 weeks and about 80 candidates will get invitations to
face-to-face interview in Yerevan as a result.
This round will last a whole day during which candidates will talk to
a psychologist and hold group classes. Selection commission members
are going to find out how well the children adapt, whether they are
ready to leave their homes for the school and how well they realize
why they do it. Of course, their knowledge will also be tested but
that won't be the main component of the process.
The round of personal interviews will be held within the last week
of April. The candidates for studying in all 14 UWC colleges will be
announced by the National Committee of Armenia in mid May. Afterwards,
the colleges including Dilijan School should approve candidacy of the
students. Then the contenders who did well in the three selection
rounds will get a notification saying which UWC college approved
their candidacy.
- As is known, tuition fees of 90% of pupils of UWC Dilijan School
will be covered with scholarships granted by donors. Does that mean
that 9 out of 10 citizens of Armenia who entered UWC Dilijan will
get scholarships? What criteria will the donors be guided with while
making a decision on granting scholarships?
- Selecting students and granting scholarships are 2 different
processes. The selection is conducted by the National Committee while
donors of the School aren't involved in the process in any way.
As for the scholarships, I can answer this question only after
selection of students and assessment of the financial status of their
parents. Maybe, all 10 Armenian pupils selected to the UWC Dilijan
will need scholarships or maybe not. If a child's parents can afford
it, of course, donors won't pay for their child's education thus
depriving a student from a low-income family of potential scholarship.
For instance, our 16-year-old daughter is now being considered for
selection by National UWC Committee of Russia and if she does well
in all the rounds we will undoubtedly pay for her education on our own.
Money of the scholarship fund should be allocated to support the
children who have the potential of studying but whose parents can't
afford to pay tuition fees.
- Less than half-year is left till opening of the School in September
2014. How does the process of recruitment of the staff and particularly
teachers go on?
- The process goes on very well: we've already selected almost all
the teachers except for a few subjects. Director of the School John
Puddefoot has been living in Armenia since the beginning of the year
and has actively engaged in organization of the education process.
- UWC Dilijan School is an international project and English is the
teaching language. Will history of Armenia, Armenian language and
literature be taught at the School?
- Armenian citizens will study these subjects in accord with the
requirements set by the Ministry of Education of Armenia and foreigners
will study Armenian as a foreign language. We want our teachers to
inspire children to learn the language and Armenian culture.
We were quite surprised to get a large number of applications from
countries of Latin America located far away from Armenia. People are
ready to go to the country they have only a vague notion about. We
want Armenia to become part of their lives within these 2 years. In
fact, we will raise "ambassadors" of Armenia all over the world.
- I know you have many plans concerning development of the town
of Dilijan.
- Engaging local population is one of the 7 principles of our IDeA
Charity Foundation. A project shouldn't become "a citadel" walled
with high fence if you want to make it sustainable and last for years.
We particularly have plans concerning development and support of
children's infrastructure in Dilijan. We are going to open a center
for children's development. We sponsored the elaboration of the
concept of Dilijan town which is not being considered by the Armenian
government. The concept is aimed at making Dilijan a comfortable place
for locals and foreigners so as people will strive to live and work
and children would like to study there.
http://www.mediamax.am/en/news/interviews/9419
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress