Plans are moving forward for this fall’s opening of the brand new Tumo-AGBU Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) Program for Creative Technologies. The program is the latest addition to the ambitious public education initiative spearheaded, fully funded, and developed by AGBU across NKR in partnership with the NKR government, the American University of Armenia (AUA), and Tumo.
The Tumo-AGBU NKR Program for Creative Technologies will build on the success of the AUA-AGBU Extension Program, which has expanded by popular demand with AGBU’s financial underwriting. This Continuing Education Program offers certificate courses in Public Policy and Administration, Strategic Management, Tourism and Hospitality Management, as well as English language and standardized test preparation. With additional seminars in career development, resume writing and interviewing, it is helping to strengthen the NKR workforce, one of AGBU’s key goals for the project.
Details for the new Tumo-AGBU NKR Program were discussed at a recent Stepanakert meeting attended by representatives of the NKR government, AGBU and Tumo. AGBU Central Board member Vasken Yacoubian, who was present, remarked on the progress of their collaboration. “The curricula we’ve developed with NKR officials and AUA administrators are preparing students to pursue higher education and exciting careers in public service,” he stated. “With the forthcoming Tumo-AGBU NKR Program for Creative Technologies, we look forward to helping even more young leaders advance in the fields of IT, communication and the arts, as we continue to encourage local development.”
Like the Tumo Center for Creative Technologies in Yerevan, the Tumo-AGBU NKR Program will offer state-of-the-art computers, design labs, courses with industry leaders and, above all, an environment where young Armenians can reach their full potential. A direct fiber optic connection will link to Tumo’s central servers, allowing staff in both cities to share information, while interactive workshops will draw from Tumo’s satellite program in Dilijan.
Tumo Managing Director Marie Lou Papazian welcomed AGBU’s plans, stating, “From day one, Tumo was designed to be replicable, with the goal of making its educational programs available to youth everywhere. Young people in NKR are eager to connect with global networks without having to emigrate. That need, combined with the NKR government’s active support, makes Stepanakert a natural choice for the next Tumo location.”
During the Stepanakert meeting, NKR Prime Minister Ara Harutyunyan reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the project and expressed gratitude for AGBU’s financial backing. Prime Minister Harutyunyan, Yacoubian and Papazian were joined in Stepanakert by Chief of Staff of the NKR Government Levon Grigoryan, AGBU NKR Representative Sassoun Baghdasaryan and Tumo Board member Pegor Papazian.
The Tumo-AGBU NKR Program for Creative Technologies expects to enroll 240 students ages 12-18 in its first year, with a goal of serving over 1,000 students by 2020.
