The engineering industry in Armenia is one of the country’s most promising sectors. To promote the achievements of the Armenian engineering community and make them known to the larger public, every year the Enterprise Incubator Foundation (EIF) and the Engineering Association hold “Armenia – Engineering Week”.

Last year as well, the overarching mission was the same, and this time “Armenia – Engineering Week 2022” was held under the theme “Converging Engineering, Science and Art” to emphasize the importance of intersectoral interaction. After all, merging knowledge and practices from different fields stimulates innovation and encourages further collaboration that advances all involved sectors.

More than 25 thematic talks and discussions took place over 3 days. “Armenia – Engineering Week 2022” gathered more than 1,000 industry leaders and professionals along with students, researchers, and all interested in engineering and technology. Therefore, the series of events also served as a platform for interaction between professionals, and for students, and those interested, as an opportunity to explore new areas for career choice and development. Participants had a wide range of opportunities to speak and learn, as Engineering Week included 9 multi-format events.

To keep the event in line with that design, the program had the main components of the theme reflected in the range of planned activities. “Armenia – Engineering Week 2022” kicked off on December 23 at the National Gallery of Armenia with an official opening ceremony and keynote speeches.

Director of the Enterprise Incubator Foundation Bagrat Yengibaryan shared his thoughts on the event.

“We are working toward a vision of Armenia as an engineering hub, a country that innovates and produces modern solutions․ World leaders in the field of engineering find complex solutions in Armenia. After all, the impetus for technological and engineering development is the person himself. And many creative people live and work in Armenia, thanks to whom we can bring our country to a leading position in the face of modern economic challenges. And “Armenia – Engineering Week” demonstrates the field’s achievements, serves as a platform to attract new potential, and builds networks between professionals,” he said.

General Manager of the National Instruments Armenia Arsen Arustamyan remarked that Armenia’s engineering industry is now considering a step up from building complex systems to building critical systems. “The cost of failure is too high in these systems, so they need to be built at the highest level of engineering competence,” he said. “We also need to create new technologies and apply innovative thinking.”

Manager of Innovation and Alliances of the PMI Science R&D Center Armenia Ophelia Sargsyan said:

“Collaboration is crucial for development. I believe that cooperation is among the key areas of our efforts. As we work together, we want to see what synergy we can achieve through cooperation and creative thinking, which are vital to progress. Interdisciplinary collaborations yield the most interesting results in the 21st century. PMI Science R&D Center Armenia is happy to see Engineering Week focused on that and alternative, creative thinking.”

President of the Engineering Association Aram Salatian concluded the opening ceremony, noting:

“Our challenges and aspirations have changed over the 6 years that we hold the Engineering Week. First, we worked on advancing the engineering field, then it was time to consider manufacturing too. Now, we are particularly focused on critical systems, and I believe Armenia has impressive know-how to be good at building them.”

On December 24, Engineering City hosted all the guests and participants who were welcome to visit the engineering exhibition and see the latest achievements in various fields. For those looking to start their path in the engineering industry, introduction to the engineering zone was a must-place to visit. High-school and university students had an opportunity to be part of the engineering workshops, seminars, and Q&A, enjoy the exhibition of the Engineering City education programs and student projects, and get to know about the career opportunities at the Engineering City. The multi-format day also included engineering and art lectures, as well as industry-specific closed-door sessions on the latest industry trends and challenges and the future of engineering in Armenia.

The event did not focus solely on the capital, Yerevan. The wrap-up event took place on December 25 at the Vanadzor Technology Center (VTC) with the representatives of state and private organizations and experts participating. It was only fitting, as VTC was the birthplace of Engineering Week. Years ago, the event, then titled “Engineering Forum-Expo,” was first held at the VTC at the initiative of the Enterprise Incubator Foundation. So, the final day of the event took the participants back to the roots.

General Manager of National Instruments Armenia Arsen Arustamyan shared his thoughts on the event.

“When it comes to emerging industry trends like Space 2.0, Autonomous Vehicles, and Intelligent Systems, the engineering systems are unprecedentedly complex, and they must be extremely reliable,” he said. “Traditional way of working will not help here. We need a deep fundamental knowledge of scientists, the ingenuity of engineers, and out-of-the-box thinking of artists.”

According to Mr. Arustamyan, “Armenia – Engineering Week” has an impact in 3 dimensions: it puts engineering on the wider agenda by explaining its importance, helps the engineering community connect with investors and decision-makers, and serves as a multidisciplinary platform for specialists to network.

“Armenia – Engineering Week” is a multi-faceted, multi-purpose event. It highlights not only the achievements of Armenian engineers, but also the importance of their work, and it pushes the development of high-tech and engineering to the front. The series of events also generates interest for Armenia abroad, contributing to the country’s brand as a high-tech and engineering hub.

“Armenia – Engineering Week 2022” was organized by the Enterprise Incubator Foundation and the Engineering Association, in cooperation with the Ministry of High-Tech Industry of the RA, The World Bank, PMI Science R&D Center Armenia, National Instruments (NI), Engineering City (EC), Vanadzor Technology Center (VTC), Gyumri Technological Center (GTC), “CyHub Armenia” Cyber ​​Security Initiative (CyHub), Microsoft Innovation Center (MIC), Innovative Solutions and Technologies Center (ISTC), Armenian-Indian Center for Excellence in ICT (AITC), as well as USAID-funded Armenia Workforce Development Activity.