RA Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan and the European Union Ambassador to Armenia Vassilis Maragos participated in a working meeting on the construction of the EU TUMO Convergence Center for Engineering and Applied Sciences at the “Tumo” Center for Creative Technologies.

The complex is being constructed with state support and under the European Union grant program.

ESCS Deputy Minister Arthur Martirosyan, Founding Director of the “Tumo” Center Pegor Papazian and others attended the meeting.

Details of the educational programs of the EU TUMO Center for Engineering and Applied Sciences and Tumo Labs were discussed. The parties touched upon the EU-TUMO cooperation in engineering and entrepreneurial education, along with plans for 2025.

Welcoming the attendees, ESCS Minister Zhanna Andreasyan expressed her gratitude for the collaborative efforts and work carried out in previous years, emphasizing the importance of cooperation in the context of the execution of the RA Education Development State Program until 2030. The Minister emphasized that advancing STEM education is one of the most important components of the new state standard for general education, and the RA Government is executing various programs to ensure qualitative changes in this area.

“Undoubtedly, this innovative initiative and the environment are very important. I believe that the establishment of a new engineering education center is primarily intended to develop human capital in our country,” stated the Minister.

According to her, the implementation of the “Tumo Box” program is important: the installation of “Tumo Boxes” near schools is a new opportunity for development, which at the same time is a conducive environment for the acquisition of new skills and the training of teachers and students. Zhanna Andreasyan emphasized the significance of accessible, high-quality educational services, including non-formal education offered by the Tumo Center across various locations in Armenia. According to Zhanna Andreasyan, the synergy of formal and informal educational programs is very important, since together they create an environment boosting the quality of education.

EU Ambassador to Armenia Vassilis Maragos, stressing the importance of the initiative, noted that the EU is willing to support initiatives that promote human capital development, which is an important prerequisite for ensuring sustainable economic progress in Armenia.

The ESCS Minister and the Ambassador of the European Union to Armenia Vassilis Maragos also toured the territory of the educational center, and got acquainted with the implemented programs.