International astrophysics center to open in Armenia

The Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory’s has unveiled a plan for launching an international astrophysics center in Armenia.

At a news conference on Saturday, Hayk Harutyunyan said that they are opening the institution under an earlier agreement with the International Network for Relativistic Astrophysics.

“The agreement signed means that the center, which is being created by state efforts, will use the Burakan observatory as its main working area. The center’s objective is to organize scientific conferences and promote joint work among scientists from different states,” he said, considering the idea the most successful plan aimed at establishing regional centers.

“We step by step succeed in our efforts to lay the foundations of a regional center in Armenia. And a regional center, if created, emphasizes the given country’s significance,” he noted.

Sahakyan said the plan is also a good opportunity to train specialists abroad. “Although we have had money for academic missions in the recent years, we had over 30 business trips. I am hopeful the situation will improve in the near future,” he added.