One of the most ambitious projects implemented in recent years on Armenia’s route to becoming a global center for innovative engineering solutions is the Engineering City.

The Engineering City created with the cooperation and participation of the Enterprise Incubator Foundation, the Government of Armenia, the World Bank, the Engineering Association, the National Instruments, and private partners aims to promote the country’s economic development, increase competitiveness and ensure the creation of new jobs.

Engineering City has shared labs and equipment available to high school students, university students, researchers, and experienced engineers. Today we will talk about the educational initiatives implemented in Engineering City.

“Engineering School” for high school students

One of the cornerstones of Engineering City’s educational initiatives is the Engineering School program, designed to foster an interest in engineering among high school students.

The free six-month program includes courses in aeronautical modeling, radio electronics, robotics and mechatronics. Participants gain theoretical knowledge and apply it to practical tasks using state-of-the-art tools to create real projects.

“Around 200 students have already participated in the program. The students also visited the engineering companies to get acquainted with the laboratories and the production process, as well as the projects being designed and implemented,” says Marina Minasyan, Engineering City project manager.

Tigran Sarukhanyan, a participant in the robotics course, emphasizes that the course helped him to orient himself in choosing a profession.

Garik Harutyunyan, who graduated from the Mechatronics course, says: “The mechatronics educational program had a great impact on my career orientation because it was within its framework that I got to know the world of electronics and electrical engineering.”

Vahan Poghosyan is also one of the students of the Mechatronics course. “Before participating in the educational program, I was already interested in engineering, and the course deepened that interest and motivated me to specialize even more in the field.”

The “Engineering School” program, developed and implemented by the Enterprise Incubator Foundation and the Engineering Association, has recorded several success stories when students have joined Engineering City companies. Gevorg Stepanyan, one of the graduates of the Mechatronics educational program, for example, after completing the course, is now doing an internship at the Yerevan Aerospace Engineering company.

Technological practical skills within the framework of the “BAGREVAND 21” program

The “BAGREVAND 21” program for 1st and 2nd year students, implemented in cooperation with the Engineering Association, provides practical technical and technological skills. This free six-month program introduces students to basic measurement tools, electronic circuit design, and hands-on projects using measurement devices and systems in the Engineering City.

Led by experts from Engineering City’s resident companies, participants create real-world projects, developing their engineering thinking and organizational skills.

Workshops, presentation, and writing skills development courses, and interaction with professional engineers make the program even more engaging.

“Electronic Devices & Measurement Systems” chair. Bridging Education and Industry

In the Engineering City, the chair of “Electronic devices and measuring systems” is operating, which is another successful experiment in uniting academic education and industry. This four-year undergraduate program combines traditional and industrial education with lectures and research conducted in the Engineering City.

Graduates of the program have a wide range of skills that enable them to build sophisticated modern engineering systems. The program is also taught by experienced engineers who pass on their knowledge and experience to the next generation.

New Master’s Program in Aerospace Engineering

In 2023 13 students started their studies within the framework of the new “Aerospace Engineering” Master’s program. It was created by the Scientific and Educational International Center of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, the Enterprise Incubator Foundation and the Engineering Association.

Within the framework of the “Aerospace Engineering” program, professional courses, as well as research, are conducted in the Engineering City.

The project is developed and implemented with the support of the following companies: National Instruments Armenia, the Armenian Engineers and Scientists of America, ATG, Yerevan Aerospace Engineering, Armenian Aerospace Agency and BAZOOMQ Space Research lab.

“This collaboration will contribute to the strengthening of the university-industry cooperative model, promoting the allocation of resources and regulating the ever-increasing demand for engineers in the labor market. I should mention that the participants of the program receive scholarships”, says Marina Vardanyan.

The “Aerospace Engineering” program will provide an opportunity to form a community of specialists in the field, which is ready to face modern challenges, as well as to have a comprehensive understanding of science and production with theoretical and practical knowledge. The latter will become pioneers in the development of this field in Armenia, which in turn will contribute to the positioning of Armenia as an “Engineering hub”.

Lectures and courses by invited experts

Engineering City actively promotes a culture of continuous learning through regular lectures and technology courses. Top experts share their invaluable experience with students, providing information on the latest developments in the field. Invited specialists and researchers often visit the Engineering City to conduct both short-term and long-term courses.

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The Engineering City project has been making significant progress in recent years to turn Armenia into a global exporter of engineering and technological products and services.

Through its comprehensive approach to education, Engineering City educates top professionals and fosters the development of a culture of innovation and collaboration. Various educational initiatives, from the School of Engineering to the Master’s Program in Aerospace Engineering, equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in the fast-growing engineering field.

Bridging the academic and industrial directions, Engineering City positions Armenia as a regional epicenter of the latest engineering solutions and contributes to the country’s economic growth and increased competitiveness on the world stage.