Majority of young Armenians would like to study in an EU country rather than in Russia

YEREVAN, October 24. / ARKA /. A survey conducted by the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) revealed that the majority of young Armenians would like to get higher education at a Western university rather than at a Russian one. 

The findings of the survey were presented today by Aram Navasardyan, head of the Armenian Marketing Association, commissioned by the EDB to conduct the survey in Armenia.

According to the study, more than 45% of respondents in Armenia said they would like to study in an EU member country and only 17 % in a former Soviet republic, more precisely in Russia.

The survey was conducted in 2012 and 2013, involving more than 14 thousand people in 11 former Soviet republics and Georgia.  The survey includes a series of questions aimed at identifying the views of citizens and their preferences regarding cooperation with other countries, particularly, with members of the Russian-led Customs Union and the EU.

Navasardyan said a comparison of the results of the surveys conducted in 2012 and 2013 reveals minor changes. Thus, the majority of respondents in Armenia (67 % in 2013 and 62 % in 2012) were in favor of Armenia's joining the Customs Union and more than 90 % of those surveyed said Russia was a friendly country, highlighting Armenia’s economic, cultural and interpersonal connections with it.

Navasardayn said the findings were not a surprise, except for Georgia, where 59 % of respondents this year expressed positive views on the Customs Union. 

"We expected Georgia's position to change, but did not expect such a dramatic change, because in the 2012 survey only 30 % of respondents in Georgia spoke positively about the Customs Union,’ he said.

Navasardian also emphasized that the surveys were conducted in Armenia before the official announcement that Armenia would join the Customs Union. He said the Armenian Marketing Association is conducting a new study to determine the attitudes of citizens to this foreign policy change.  He added that the findings could be presented in a week.

Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) is an international financial organization established by Russia and Kazakhstan in 2006 to help develop market economies and boost mutual trade ties in member states. The bank’s authorized stock is over 1.5bln US dollars. The member-states are Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. -0-