State Academy of Fine Arts of Armenia (SAFAA) was founded in 1945 as Yerevan State Institute of Fine Arts and has its exclusive role in the development of Armenian culture and dissemination of international one. SAFAA has 2 departments: Fine Arts and Design & Decorative Applied Arts and two regional branches in Gyumri and Dilijan with 955 learners in total. 

SAFAA mission is to prepare highly qualified art specialists and to inspire and preach to new aesthetic values. It prepares specialists not only for creative activity but also for innovations in the field of culture and technology. 

Since 2005 SAFAA has been actively working on implementing Bologna action lines. It has adopted BA- 4 years, MA- 2 years, PhD- 3 levels of education, integrated ECTS system and established an internal quality assurance system. It offers BA and MA programmes in Painting, Sculpture, Graphics, Art Studies, Design, Interior Design, Computer Graphics, Fashion Design and Decorative Applied Arts. The Academy has been actively working on external communications and has taken measures to facilitate student and staff mobility. 

Among the key priorities SAFAA has highlighted in the Strategic Plan (2023-2027) are: promotion of innovations in art and design, academic excellence and research/creativity, entrepreneurship and merchandising of products, student support and engagement of the labour market and alumni, social inclusion and responsibility. 

SAFAA has made significant strides in its internationalization through involving international students and participation in international grants (Tempus, World Bank, OSI) successfully coordinating two EU funded projects. There are about 197 faculty members and 100 administrative staff currently working at SAFAA.  

SAFAA has taken strong measures to develop learning outcome based academic programmes that are aligned with the National Qualification Framework and market needs. With this respect SAFAA emphasizes the importance of flexibility, inclusion, green education and  development of soft skills, as well as preservation of national and traditional values.