Smart Solutions Center opened in National Polytechnic University of Armenia

The Smart Solutions Center was founded in collaboration with the Union of Employers of Information and Communication Technologies (UEICT) and the National Polytechnic University of Armenia.

The general partner of the initiative is VivaCell-MTS. Partners are Synopsys Armenia and Unicomp.

During the period of the 4th industrial revolution, professions not existing until now are becoming popular, and according to studies 65% of school children will work in professions that do not exist today. This situation is a good opportunity for Armenia to position itself in the newly emerging sectors of the economy where great surplus value is created. The role of basic education and the ability of engineers to master a number of related specialties have increased substantially. In its turn, digitalization and mass use of high technology in all sectors of the economy and the public sector will bring new demands on professionals working in these sectors, forcing them to acquire knowledge in ICT and related specialties.

“Digitalization brings transformation of activities in absolutely all spheres of life. Responding to global trends and being a proactive company, VivaCell-MTS supports the creation of this center. Telecommunications move towards development of digital ecosystems. Subscribers use increasingly more devices and services. Individuals and enterprises feel the need to stay connected to more devices, services, suppliers, and customers. Digitalization of processes, over-automation, data analysis, and successful management of these things, require new specific qualities. The generation ‘Z’, those born in the second half of the 90s, enters the market, and shall be creative and generate national values in a new, interconnected and digitalized world. This generation is under VivaCell-MTS’s care,” VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian.

“The Smart Solutions Center is a platform for people looking for new challenges. The center will have three directions: the first is a master's degree, the second is a vocational training program and the third one is an interdisciplinary training. This Center is the result of collaboration of private companies and University. We think that this model of collaboration can be transformed to the new model: private companies-University-public. The Smart Solutions Center is the educational part of the Silicon Mountains big project,” said Eduard Musayelyan, UEICT Executive Director.

Educational system is very important for facing the challenges and take advantages of opportunities, especially transformation of higher education system according to new educational models. On the way of transformation education-production and public-private cooperation is very important. The newly opened Smart Solutions Center is the result of this collaboration and a vivid example of the social responsibility program of private companies.

At the first stage the Smart Solutions Center plans to implement master's and vocational trainings, interdisciplinary training programs, and later on it will be supplemented by bachelor's programs, research and startup ecosystems.

This year, in the first phase of the project, three laboratories have been set up in two auditoriums equipped with state-of-the-art equipment:

- Cyber security
- Microelectronics
- ICT Modern Infrastructures

The programs will have tree directions: theoretical, practical and R&D, preparing students as much as possible for highly demanding interdisciplinary work. In Smart Solutions Center it is planned to create 15-20 classrooms equipped with modern laboratories and modern content within 3-4 years, and train the NPUA lecturers. Areas of study include cyber security, microelectronics, artificial intelligence and machine learning, Internet of Things (including smart city, smart home), state-of-the-art communication, self-contained devices, information technology, and more.