YEREVAN, May 4. / ARKA /. Areximbank-Gazprombank Group said today it has short-listed 30 participants of the second competition announced for Armenian students wishing to win one of its one-time stipends. The offer is part of a special program called ‘For All Country and for Interest of Each Student.
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The bank said in a press release it has received 500 electronic applications from students majoring both at state-run and private universities. Thirty applicants have been selected by a scoring system and by a special commission in several categories like excellent academic progress, public activity and social status. The competition was announced on March 9 and ran through April 30 for fifth –year students as well as for second-fourth year bachelors and students seeking master’s degree from state-run and private universities.

The main goal of this special offer is to help young students who are demonstrating not only excellent academic achievements but who are also active in public and research areas, Alexander Hakobian, head of the bank’s division in charge of clientele base and marketing, was quoted as saying.

The 30 short-listed students will be interviewed by bank’s experts and winners of the previous similar competition held in 2010 to determine 25 beneficiaries and the winner of the main prize. Their names will be placed on the bank’s official website on June 2. The amount of one-time stipend is from 40, 000 to 300, 000 Drams. The 300,000 Dram stipend will be awarded to only one applicant.

In 2010 some 500 students took part in the first competition. The main prize of 400,000 Drams was awarded to Anush Martirosian, a student of Yerevan State University.

Areximbank-Gazprombank Group (formerly Areximbank) was established in 1998 to handle financial flows between Armenia and Russia. It is a principled member of VISA International and MasterCard International payment systems. In 2007 it joined Armenian ArCa payment system. The bank is owned fully by Russian Gazprombank. It has 6 branches in Yerevan and 9 in regions.

According to ARKA data, as of March 31, 2011 the bank’s assets stood at 80.7 billion Drams, liabilities at 65.7 billion Drams, total capital rose to 15.1 billion Drams, the authorized capital stood at 12.3 billion Drams, the outstanding credit portfolio stood at 55.4 billion Drams deposits at 33.9 billion Drams. In the first quarter of 2011 the bank earned 194.9 million Drams in net profits. ($1- 371.82 Drams).  -0-