RA Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan received a delegation led by Minister of Education, Sport and Youth of the Republic of Cyprus Athena Michaelidou, who is in Armenia on an official visit.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Krystyna Tatarian, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Cyprus Inna Torgomyan, Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to Armenia Michael Mavros, and representatives of the two ministries.
Welcoming the guests, Zhanna Andreasyan highlighted the historic and friendly ties between Armenia and Cyprus, expressing confidence that the visit would give fresh impetus to strengthening cooperation and implementing joint initiatives in education, youth and sport.
Athena Michaelidou thanked the Armenian side for the warm welcome, emphasizing the importance of further strengthening the relations between the two countries and advancing cooperation across various sectors.
Zhanna Andreasyan presented the ongoing education reforms in Armenia, including the implementation of the new state standard for general education, teachers’ professional development, the modernization of textbooks and improvements to educational infrastructure. Athena Michaelidou also outlined the education reforms underway in Cyprus, highlighting the sigmificance of exchanging experience in this area.
Special attention was paid to the application of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in education. Zhanna Andreasyan presented the “Generation AI” educational program, implemented jointly with the FAST Foundation, the activities of the Photonics and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at Yerevan State University, and the seven-year Physical AI education program to be introduced at three Armenian universities.
The Cypriot Minister shared Cyprus’s experience in developing guidelines for teachers on the use of AI in cooperation with European partners, expressing willingness to share these guidelines with the Armenian side.
The parties also discussed opportunities for partnerships between universities, academic exchanges, joint research and the organization of educational exhibitions.
The meeting also addressed an initiative to promote Armenian studies at the University of Cyprus. Other topics included the development of vocational education and training, preparing specialists in line with labor market demands, and expanding non-formal education.
In this context, the activities of the TUMO and COAF Centres, as well as the “Armath” engineering laboratories operating in more than 600 schools across Armenia, were presented.
The importance of organizing joint youth camps and exchange programs, as well as joint training camps in the field of sport, was also highlighted.
The parties further discussed major sporting events scheduled to take place in Armenia in 2027, including the European Gymnastics Championships, the Francophonie Games and the World Weightlifting Championships.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Zhanna Andreasyan and Athena Michaelidou signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the fields of education, sport and youth. The document opens up new opportunities for implementing joint programs and strengthening partnerships between the relevant institutions of the two countries.