News

We Are Deeply Saddened by the Death of Our Student

12 November, 2020

It is with deep regret and profound sadness that we announce the passing away of our student Hayk Vardanyan (1991 - 2020). Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.

Hayk started his studies at CERGE-EI in 2016. Two years later he got the MA degree. He continued with his studies at the IES, Charles University.

"Universities are places where we celebrate the successes of our students, help them to fulfill their dreams and aspirations. But this time, we feel only sadness. It is a dreadful tragedy that Hayk´s life has come to end so early and unexpectedly. He will always be part of the CERGE-EI family, he will always be in our hearts," said CERGE-EI Director Sergey Slobodyan.

Hayk is a victim of the recent conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan at Nagorno Karabakh. His plan was to come back to his homeland and teach Economics.

"He was one of the bravest people I have ever known and with the kindest heart. In the first days of the start of the war, Hayk registered as a volunteer to protect his homeland and went to the front lines," said one of Hayk´s fellow students Vahan Sargsyan.

"Hayk had a lot of plans for the future which included teaching Economics and Econometrics in different universities in Armenia, and he already started realizing these plans a few months before the war started. Knowing his hard-working nature and dedication, I am sure that he would have been able to succeed in all his beginnings," he added.

"This is an unbelievable loss for Armenia, unbelievable loss for his friends and everyone who knew him, but mostly an unbelievable loss for his family, his sister, and brothers, one of whom is also a member of the CERGE-EI family," Vahan said.