On April 29, 54 students from various higher educational institutions participated in a working discussion on how to use the RA FOI law, organized by FOI Center.

The NA and FOI Center’s expert Marine Hakobyan informed the students about provisions of the FOI law and explained what information is subject to mandatory disclosure, what information requests may be denied and on what grounds.

“In order for you to choose your profession well today, so that you don’t think about changing it tomorrow, you have to be informed as much as possible and you have to have initiative,” M. Hakobyan emphasized. She also informed the students that their educational institution is required to share with them any document related to the education process.

The president of Yerevan State University’s student council said that the lack of information among students has to do more with their (the students’) indifference, “because if a student wants to, he/she will be informed, there are enough opportunities for that today.”

Another student, who came to study in Armenia from abroad, complained of having faced lots of difficulties during the admission process because of being insufficiently informed. “You have to be persistent so that the educational institution’s administration publishes all the information it is required to make public, because it will help you overcome all sorts of obstacles in the future.”

The expert Marine Hakobyan urged students to be informed and to claim their rights. “An informed individual is better protected.”

The event was conducted with financial assistance of USAID within the framework of “ACCESS TO INFORMATION FOR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT” project.