On the first day of the visit, extended format discussions were held in the administrative complex of the ARM Defense Ministry headed by the ARM Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan and the Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan and with participation of US Deputy Ambassador to Armenia Bruce Donahue and International Group of Experts, The Head of the National Strategic Studies Institute of the ARM Defense Ministry, Counselor to the Defense Minister, Major-General, Dr. Hayk Kotanjyan presented a project of transforming the National Strategic Studies Institute of ARM Defense Ministry into the National Defense University of the ARM Defense Ministry and the participants had the opportunity to ask questions and make comments in this regard. ARM Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan noted that Armenia emphasizes the importance of establishing such an institution that will provide strategic-level military, defense and security education. He stressed the willingness of the Armenian side to continue the cooperation with US partners in the framework of this project. ARM Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan noted that his Ministry is ready to provide the necessary scientific-educational and organizational support for the formation of National Defense University. On the same day, ARM First Deputy Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan met with the group and presented them the progress made by the Defense Ministry in military-education reforms and drawing their attention to the Command and General Staff Academy establishment processes, issues relating the revision of curriculums, interrelation of human resources management and educational programs in the development of professional NCO corps, etc. During this visit it is expected to finalize the curriculum of the Command and General Staff course, to coordinate issues related to instructors training, educational and material resource modernization, content of academic subjects to be taught, etc. The participation of the ARM Defense Ministry in the development of Partnership for Peace Generic NCO Reference Curriculum is another issue that will be discussed and agreed upon.