Haigazian University facts for kids
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جامعة هايكازيان
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Haigazian University logo
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| Motto | Truth Freedom Service. |
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| Type | Private |
| Established | 1955 |
| President | Rev. Paul Haidostian, Ph.D. |
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Administrative staff
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| Location | , |
| Campus | Urban |
| Website | www.haigazian.edu.lb |
Haigazian University (Arabic: جامعة هايكازيان; Armenian: Հայկազեան Համալսարան) is a university in Beirut, Lebanon. It was started in 1955 as Haigazian College. Later, its name changed a couple of times before becoming Haigazian University in 1996.
The university offers many different study programs. You can earn Bachelor's degrees in subjects like Arts, Sciences, Business, and Economics. They also offer Master's degrees in Arts, Sciences, and Business. Most classes are taught in English, but some are in Armenian and Arabic. The degrees from Haigazian University are officially recognized by the Lebanese government.
Haigazian University was first supported by the Armenian Evangelical community. It was created to help the large Lebanese-Armenian population. However, the university welcomes all students, no matter their background or beliefs. Its teachers and students come from all parts of Lebanese society.
Contents
History of Haigazian University
How it Started
Haigazian University is named after Dr. Armenag Haigazian. He was a respected educator who studied at Yale University. He chose to serve his Armenian community in Turkey. Sadly, he died in 1921 during a difficult time for Armenians.
After many Armenian schools were destroyed, the dream of education lived on. The Mehagian family, who were relatives of Dr. Haigazian, helped make this dream come true. They donated money through the Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA).
The university officially opened on October 17, 1955. It was started by two groups: the Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East (UAECNE) and the AMAA. It began as a college for liberal arts. Its goal was to help train teachers and pastors.
Before Haigazian College, there were other smaller educational programs in Beirut. These programs helped prepare students for higher education. They eventually joined together to form Haigazian College.
From College to University
When Haigazian College first opened in 1955, it had 43 students. It was meant to be a junior college, offering two years of university-level studies. But soon, more students wanted to continue their education there. So, the college grew to offer four-year programs.
Student numbers grew to 740 before the civil unrest in Lebanon began in 1975. The university operated as "Haigazian College" until 1991. In 1992, its name changed to Haigazian University College. Then, on December 28, 1996, the Lebanese government officially allowed it to become "Haigazian University."
The first president of the university was Dr. John Markarian. The current president, Rev. Dr. Paul Haidostian, started his role in 2002. Today, the university has about 750 students and 150 teachers and staff. Over 2,700 students have graduated from Haigazian University.
Since 1995, the university has also started offering Master's programs. These include studies in Educational Administration, Psychology, and Business Administration.
University Buildings
The university first started in a ten-room house called the Webb Building. Later, a seven-story building was added. This building was named the Mehagian Academic Centre. It honored the Mehagian family, who helped pay for its construction.
Another important building is the Mugar Building. It's a beautiful old building that was bought with money from Mr. Stephen P. Mugar. It was named after his parents.
In 1987, due to the war in Lebanon, the university moved to a different location. But on October 6, 1997, classes returned to the original campus. The campus was renovated and looked new again.
In 2001, a fourth building was built on the Mugar property. It has a media center, meeting rooms, and offices for teachers. Another new building on May Ziadeh street was ready for use in 2010.
What You Can Study
Haigazian University offers many different areas of study. These are grouped into different faculties:
- Faculty of Humanities:
* Arabic language and literature * English language and literature * History * Music and Art * Armenian language and culture * Religion and Christian Education
- Faculty of Applied Sciences:
* Biology * Chemistry * Computer Science * Mathematics * Physics * Medical Laboratory Sciences
- Faculty of Social Sciences:
* Education (Early childhood, Elementary/Intermediate) * Political Science * Psychology * Sociology * Social Work
- Faculty of Business Administration:
* Management * Finance * Accounting * Economics * Hospitality Management * Management Information Systems * Advertising and Communication
Degrees You Can Get
Haigazian University offers different types of degrees:
- Bachelor of Arts: This usually takes 3 years to complete.
- Master of Arts: This usually takes 2 years to complete after a Bachelor's degree.
- Bachelor of Science: This usually takes 3 years to complete.
- Master of Science: This usually takes 2 years to complete after a Bachelor's degree.
The Rocketry Project
Did you know that Haigazian University students once built rockets? In November 1960, a group of students formed the Haigazian College Rocket Society (HCRS). They were led by their Math and Physics teacher, Manoug Manougian.
The students worked hard to build rockets even without much special equipment. They had to test their rockets by launching them without first testing the fuel in labs. After some tries, they succeeded!
In April 1961, their first rocket, powered by solid fuel, flew about one kilometer high. With improvements, another rocket, HCRS-3, reached 2,000 meters!
The President of Lebanon, Fouad Chehab, was very impressed. He met with the students and gave them money to continue their project.
In 1961-1962, the students worked on two-stage rockets. These rockets had two parts that would separate during flight. On May 25, 1962, a rocket called HCRS-7 Cedar flew an amazing 11,500 meters high! The Lebanese Army even helped with the launch. Later that summer, two more rockets, Cedar II B and Cedar II C, flew about 20 kilometers.
Because of these successes, more students joined. In 1962, a new group was formed called the Lebanese Rocket Society (LRS). This society aimed to build even more advanced rockets.
On November 21, 1962, they launched Cedar-3, a three-stage rocket. It was 6.8 meters long and weighed 1,250 kilograms.
The rocket launches stopped after an accident in 1964, where two students were hurt but recovered. Even though no Haigazian student walked on the Moon, this project was a big deal. In the 1960s, when countries like the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. were racing to space, Haigazian College was also making its mark!
See also
- Haigazian Armenological Review
- Armenag Haigazian
- Hagop Barsoumian
Images for kids
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Haigazian University logo
