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Today, a joint press conference was held at VivaCell-MTS Headquarters on the theme "Robotics starts from school". The conference was presided by:
• Karen Vardanyan, the Executive Director of the Union of Information Technology Enterprises
• Ralph Yirikian, VivaCell-MTS General Manager
• Anna Sedrakyan, Cronimet Charity Foundation Director
• ShaghikMarukhyan, World Vision Armenia Operations Manager

The Union of Information Technology Enterprises, in cooperation with VivaCell-MTS, Cronimet Charity Foundation, World Vision Armenia and Counterpart International Armenia, plan to set up robotics groups in 50 Armenian schools. The aim of this initiative is to raise interest among pupils towards robotics, develop their engineering thinking, as well as to prepare potential students for studying in technical universities.

“Year by year the number of students interested in robotics and eager to participate in robotics competitions increases, and they, by the way, have great success during the competitions. In order to promote developments the Union has designed a robot set for the study groups. Currently it is planned to carry out pilot project within the frames of which 50 Armenian schools will be provided relevant sets of educational robots”, said the UITE Executive Director Karen Vardanyan.

“The development of robotics is one of the prospects of strengthening competitiveness in our country. VivaCell-MTS supports by all possible means the initiatives meant for the development of the field. The enthusiasm, interest, students’ own demand to learn new things make schools an ideal environment for establishing a sound basis for robotics field in Armenia. Certainly, many students would wish to be specialized particularly in the robotics filed as an essential area, thus becoming carriers of advantages for competitiveness in the word”, said VivaCell-MTS Ralph Yirikian. “The development of robotics will distinctly reduce the “brain outflow,”added VivaCell-MTS General Manager.

The courses for school groups will start in September 2013. Within the frames of this project it is envisaged to train the teaching staff from respective schools in June – July. The programming of educational robots will be implemented through Labview, Microsoft robotics studio programmes.

Today there are robotics groups in the following schools of Yerevan:“AYB” high school, Polytechnic basic college and Quantum College, as for the regions, in Lori (Akhtala), Syunik (Sisian, Kapan), Shirak (Gyumri) and Aragatsotn (Talin).