How the Academic City Will Look: Presentation of the Master Plan Concept

Today, the concept of the master plan for the Academic City was presented at the M. Mashtots Matenadaran, which is planned as part of the "State Program for the Development of Education in the Republic of Armenia until 2030." This was announced by the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports.

The Academic City will be a university and research campus equipped with all necessary infrastructure, ensuring a competitive higher education and research environment that meets international standards.

Attendees at the public presentation of the master plan concept included Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan, Chairman of the Higher Education and Science Committee of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Sargis Hayotsyan, the design team from the German company gmp International GmbH Architects and Engineers, led by Deputy Director Tobias Keil, as well as leaders from Armenia’s universities, representatives from various stakeholder organizations, and media.

The content of the project is driven by the process of consolidating universities and merging them with research institutions, as outlined in the State Program for Education Development in Armenia until 2030. "The Academic City will be the environment where universities and research organizations will operate," Minister Andreasyan stated, emphasizing that discussions around the project have just begun, and further discussions with universities and scientific centers are planned for the near future.

Tobias Keil of gmp International GmbH, presenting the master plan concept for the Academic City, noted that it will ensure close cooperation between education processes, research, and production, incorporating modern virtual, social, and physical infrastructures.

"The concept presented today is part of a process that began back in November, with a vision established by the end of last year during the first phase. Following a visit to Armenia and a workshop, an understanding was formed of what the Academic City could be. What is being presented today is not the conclusion of the project, but rather a summary of the idea consolidation phase," Keil said.

According to Keil, the development of the vision was a result of a comprehensive study of the requirements relevant to location, accessibility of infrastructure, specifics of organizing educational processes for different clusters, as well as potential social impact and economic factors. He emphasized that the selection of the location took into account the scale of the Republic of Armenia, proximity to downtown Yerevan, connecting neighboring communities, and ensuring accessibility for a significant portion of the republic's population.

The Academic City is envisioned to be a cultural and intellectual leisure environment for students, faculty, researchers, and the general public, with plans to include a multifunctional theater-cinema-concert hall, a National Stadium with a capacity of up to 35,000 spectators, expansive public spaces with sports facilities, green areas, swimming pools, and libraries.