OVERVIEW
Strategic Plan 2023–2027
Five target areas guiding the Academy’s development, alongside the
Rector’s Development Programme adopted in 2024.
VISION
SAFAA aspires to become a leading and competitive arts institution in its field, as well as a centre contributing to the development of national culture and the national economy.
MISSION
To deliver Bachelor’s, Master’s and Researcher degree programmes responsive to contemporary requirements in fine arts, design, decorative and applied arts, and the history and theory of art — placing student-centred approaches and an inclusive environment at the forefront, and training specialists who are competitive at national and international levels.
Target Areas
The Plan organises the Academy’s work into five target areas, supported by eleven goals with defined objectives, implementation approaches and key performance indicators.
01
Competitive educational programmes
Elevate teaching quality through innovative pedagogy, interdisciplinary curricula, and research-driven learning.
02
Research and creative activity
Foster cutting-edge artistic practice by integrating new technologies and supporting experimental work.
03
Engagement with society
Expand international partnerships, exchange programs, and collaborative research initiatives worldwide.
04
Students and alumni
Build a diverse, equitable, and welcoming community for students, faculty, and staff of all backgrounds.
05
Leadership and governance
Integrate environmental responsibility into campus operations, curriculum, and artistic practice.
The full Plan sets out all eleven goals, their objectives and implementation approaches, together with the vision, core values and the consultation process behind them. Download the Strategic Plan 2023–2027 (PDF)
The Rector’s Development Programme
The Academy is the principal forge of Armenian professional art.
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME, 2024
Adopted in 2024, the Development Programme of Rector Vardan Azatyan sets the direction in which the Strategic Plan is pursued. It begins from purpose rather than obligation: standards are met because they serve real needs, and those needs have first to be identified and understood. From there it argues for an Academy that deepens its academic foundation — drawing, and the study of the visible world — while extending it into animation, photography, digital art, video, performance and installation.
01
Knowledge-based governance
Decisions grounded in evidence of what is actually happening, with quality assurance understood as the work of the whole institution rather than of one office.
02
Self-sufficiency
Fuller use of the Academy’s own resources — student internships earning academic credit, an open university offering public classes, and multifunctional use of limited space.
03
Mutual support
Durable structures around the Academy: an alumni association, a Friends of the Academy network, and named scholarships supported by donors.
The Supporting Friends of SAFAA NGO and the student internship model have since been established. Read the Development Programme in full
Planning the next cycle
The current Strategic Plan runs to 2027. Preparation for the next planning cycle is under way, drawing on the evaluation of the present plan, the Academy’s institutional accreditation, and consultation with students, academic and administrative staff, employers, alumni and partner institutions.