Northern University was founded in 1996 through the initiative of Boris Makichyan and Raya Janinyan. From its inception, the university adopted the mission of organizing higher education in the homeland for young Armenians repatriating from former Soviet republics. Having been educated abroad, these youth were often unprepared to pass Armenian language entrance exams required by state universities in Armenia, leaving them in a state of uncertainty. At the newly established Northern University, they were provided with a year-long free course in the Armenian language. After completing this course, they successfully continued their education across various university faculties. In 2000, they participated in a pilot state accreditation process initiated by Northern University, after which the university became the only institution in the republic whose first-year graduates received state-recognized diplomas.
In 2001, the Ministry of Education and Science of Armenia granted Northern University its first accreditation, certificate N013.
In 2015, the National Center for Professional Education Quality Assurance (ANQA) granted the university institutional accreditation for two years on a conditional basis.
In 2018, the university was reaccredited by ANQA for a four-year term, and in 2022, it received another four-year accreditation.
The primary goal of state accreditation is to assure educational institutions, students, their parents, employers, and the public that the quality of professional education is recognized by the state. Accreditation acknowledges the performance and quality of educational institutions and programs, fostering trust in the quality of educational services among stakeholders and the public. It is granted for a specific period, confirming that institutions or programs possess the necessary capacity to provide education at a guaranteed level of quality during that time. Accreditation ensures that institutions adhere to standards enabling graduates to gain the qualifications necessary for professional advancement or further education at other institutions. Northern University exclusively awards state-recognized diplomas to its students, including undergraduates and postgraduate students.
The past 28 years have been a time of growth for the university, during which it has strengthened its position as a leader among private universities in the republic and played a vital role in the educational system. Northern University has achieved notable success in a dozen fields.
In the academic and educational sphere of the republic, Northern University stands as a leader in Tumanyan studies. Particularly noteworthy is the series of events dedicated to the great poet Hovhannes Tumanyan’s jubilees.
These include establishing the “Vernatun” Tumanyan Studies Center, organizing the “My Tumanyan” essay competition with the participation of thousands of schoolchildren, holding free concerts on Tumanyan-related themes in various cultural venues, hosting the “Tumanyan and the 21st Century” academic conference and publishing its proceedings, and organizing inter-university competitions on Tumanyan-related topics. Additionally, the university has published Tumanyan-themed editions of the “Northern University” periodical and hosted events involving Tumanyan’s relatives from various countries. Other activities include visits by university delegations to Tumanyan’s birthplace in Dsegh village and Alaverdi city and hosting Tumanyan-related celebrations on February 19 (his birthday) and March 23 (his death anniversary) every year since 2000. Notable publications include the conference proceedings Tumanyan and Modernity (2013) and Tumanyan-145 (2014). A commemorative “Tumanyan-145” medal was also created in 2014 and awarded to prominent national figures contributing to Tumanyan studies.
The 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide was marked at Northern University through a special program titled “100 Days of Events Dedicated to the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide at Northern University”.
In 2016, the university undertook significant efforts to celebrate the 1050th anniversary of Sanahin University internationally. A conference titled “The Valuation of the 1050th Anniversary of Sanahin University as a Priority in the Strategic Programs of Northern University” was organized, and with the approval of the then Minister of Education and Science, Levon Mkrtchyan, the university initiated the international celebration of the anniversary.
Northern University has produced over 10,000 graduates who have occupied various responsible positions and contributed their professional knowledge to the development of the homeland.
Throughout its history, the university has organized numerous international conferences, hosting representatives of the education sector from various countries. These guests have maintained close ties with the university and have been recognized with the title of “Best Friend” by Northern University.
Boris Makichyan, the university’s founder, has published analytical articles on education in various periodicals, and these compilations remain a guide for transforming Armenia into a regional educational hub and implementing global educational reforms.
In response to contemporary challenges and demands, Northern University actively pursues integration into the international educational system. Initially involved in international educational programs like TEMPUS, VERITAS, and GOVERN, as well as the World Bank’s Education Quality and Relevance program and Erasmus Mundus, the university now actively collaborates with the Erasmus+ program, providing numerous students and faculty members with opportunities to integrate into the European educational system.
The university also offers educational programs for international students at both the Bachelor’s and Master’s levels.
The dedicated efforts of the university’s community have repeatedly earned high praise from leaders in the education sector.