Yerevan State University is Armenia's oldest, largest and most prestigious university. It turns one hundred years this year and was thus founded during the short time, 1918-20, when the country was independent before it was sovietized. Today, YSU has 19 faculties with about 20,000 students.

In April this year, Svante Lundgren gave two lecture series at the Faculty of Oriental Studies. The background was that in November the faculty organized an international conference in connection with its 50th anniversary. Svante spoke at the conference within an Assyrian theme and since the faculty was interested in strengthening the research on the Assyrians, he was invited to return to lecture for students.

The Oriental Faculty has huge prestige in Armenia.

- I noticed that in November when the country's president participated in the 50th anniversary. The event got great publicity, which surprised me. But I got the explanation: one third of Armenia's diplomatic corps are alumni from the faculty. It therefore has a great significance in the country's foreign administration, which explains the great mass media interest, Svante Lundgren says.