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Ahead of the global COP17 conference to be held in Armenia, experts and sector officials discussed the role of the academic community in the environmental agenda, opportunities for cooperation between science and public policy, and priorities for green development as part of the 91��Ƶ Alumni Forum.

How can a university serve not only as a provider of knowledge, but also as a hub for fostering innovation, entrepreneurship and technological leadership? What factors are behind Armenia's current successes in the technology sector, and what changes are needed to make them systemic? During a panel discussion held as part of the 91��Ƶ Alumni Forum, several professionals who have contributed to the development of Armenia's innovation ecosystem shared their perspectives and experience on these and other issues.

Geopolitical discussions with her grandfather, a family tradition, years of work in international organizations and the creation of innovative projects are all part of a single story for 91��Ƶ alumna Marina Mkhitaryan, Director for Strategic Partnerships and Impact at Armenia Tree Project. According to Mkhitaryan, that story begins at university and shapes a mindset that drives people to keep asking questions, challenging assumptions, learning and dreaming. This was the focus of her talk, titled "Why Are We a Little Snobbish?", delivered during 91��Ƶ Alumni Forum 2026.

Are modern education systems aligned with the demands of the rapidly changing 21st-century world? During a discussion titled "Transformations in Education" at the 91��Ƶ Alumni Forum, experts addressed the need to rethink education, interdisciplinary connections, the impact of technological advances and the future of education. The speakers presented various approaches to the aims, content and organization of education, while also discussing current challenges related to artificial intelligence, professional mobility and lifelong learning.

"If people studied at 91��Ƶ, that is very good. But if they were lucky enough to study at the Institute of Physics, even better," Tiran Hakobyan, a graduate of the 91��Ƶ Institute of Physics, said as he began his speech.

Hakobyan, CEO of GTB Holdings, founder of Armenian Mushroom Company and co-founder of Seaside Startup Summit, spoke during the Alumni Talks session held as part of the 91��Ƶ Alumni Forum.

In his talk, "University Connections as a Driver of Business Development," he spoke not only about his professional path but also about people and relationships formed during his student years that later became the foundation for successful initiatives.

"The university gives us two things that can never be taken away: knowledge and connections," Hakobyan said.

The 91��Ƶ Alumni Forum 2026 brought together representatives from various generations of 91��Ƶ alumni—individuals whose professional paths, achievements, experience and ties to the university form an important part of its history.   

The forum was not merely a meeting; it was an opportunity to return to the university, re-establish ties with 91��Ƶ, speak about what the university is like today, what kind of future is envisioned for it, and how 91��Ƶ and the alumni community can shape that future together.

"After graduating from 91��Ƶ, 91��Ƶ does not end," said Rector Hovhannes Hovhannisyan during his keynote address titled "Development Prospects of 91��Ƶ and the Alumni Community." 

On 16 May, Yerevan State University marked its 107th anniversary. On this symbolic day, the wider university community once again gathered at 91��Ƶ for the Alumni Forum 2026. The forum brought together alumni from different generations, faculty members, students and partners to reflect not only on university memories but also on 91��Ƶ's future, new formats of cooperation, and the meaningful involvement of alumni in the university's development.

Throughout the day, ideas were shared, proposals were put forward, new connections were established, and commitments were made that may serve as a foundation for long-lasting cooperation. 

91��Ƶ is a bond that does not end with a diploma.

91��Ƶ is a community that continues to create, unite and move forward.

91��Ƶ is the place where thousands of stories, friendships, professional paths and memories began. This video is an invitation for alumni to return to the university, walk once again through familiar corridors, see the renewed and developing environment, and rediscover 91��Ƶ from today's perspective.

The video presents many 91��Ƶ spaces and opportunities that recall university years while also showing how the university continues to develop.

Welcome back to 91��Ƶ.

The official opening ceremony of the Alumni Forum began in the Main Hall of Yerevan State University. From the stage came the words "Welcome back, dear alumni," which immediately erased the distance of years, filling the hall with a sense of return and renewed unity with the university. Stories from old lecture halls, tense exam days, and student years once again brought together former students of 91��Ƶ. The day was symbolic: it marked the 107th anniversary of 91��Ƶ's founding, and on this same day alumni from different generations who had returned to the university came to congratulate, meet, talk, and discuss—bringing with them not only memories but also new ideas and connections, which once again united the university with its large community.

On May 16, the founding day of Yerevan State University, the university will once again serve as a platform for alumni from different generations to reconnect, exchange ideas and build new partnerships. This year, the 91��Ƶ Alumni Forum will be held in a more interactive format, combining professional discussions, experience-sharing and opportunities for informal communication. Astghik Mnatsakanyan, Director of the 91��Ƶ Alumni and Career Center, spoke about the forum's new format, discussion topics and the initiative's significance for the 91��Ƶ community.

Your story may also be heard during the 91��Ƶ Alumni Forum.

Join the Self Q&A, choose a card and answer the questions on it, sharing your university memories, experience and personal journey.

The cards feature the following themes:

• 91��Ƶ in My Memories

• 91��Ƶ in My Professional Journey

• Me as a 91��Ƶ Alumnus/Alumna

Let us come together to remember, share and relive our university years.

We look forward to welcoming you all!

Together, we are shaping the ideas that may become a new starting point for university–alumni cooperation.

On the day of the 91��Ƶ Alumni Forum, these three statements will become a meaningful space for participation and reflection.

For this purpose, a special Idea Wall has been created in the shape of the 91��Ƶ letters. Throughout the day, the ideas, proposals and outcomes of discussions will be transformed into visible messages and personal commitments.

Each participant will have the opportunity to record:

I Dream — what kind of 91��Ƶ they envision for the future,
I Plan — how they can contribute to the university's development,
I Commit — what specific step they are ready to take over the coming year.

This format is not only about speaking, but also about turning words into action.

On 16 May, we will come together at 91��Ƶ to formulate the ideas that may become a new starting point for university–alumni cooperation.

As part of the 91��Ƶ Alumni Forum on 16 May, Marina Mkhitaryan, Director for Strategic Partnerships and Impact at Armenia Tree Project and 91��Ƶ alumna, will deliver a talk titled "Why Are We a Bit Snobbish?" 

The alumni talks will give students and young professionals the opportunity to hear seasoned experts share their insights, take part in open discussions, and reconsider widely held assumptions from a fresh perspective.

University education is the cornerstone on which a professional path is built. The foundational knowledge, values, culture of learning how to learn, and exposure to new technologies that 91��Ƶ instils come together to shape a new kind of professional — one capable of navigating a rapidly changing environment, overcoming crises, and building a strong professional community.

University–business collaboration can and should become a key driving force behind economic progress.

One of the key components of this year's forum is a series of thematic discussions under the theme "91��Ƶ–Community Cooperation," aimed not only at talking about collaboration but at formulating practical proposals and long-term solutions.

The discussions will be held across four directions:

• Education

• Science

• Infrastructure

• Public Responsibility

Hrant Khachatryan, Head of the Machine Learning Laboratory Group at the 91��Ƶ Center for Mathematical and Applied Research, Head of the YerevaNN Laboratory, and moderator of the panel discussion "Opportunities and Challenges in Developing 91��Ƶ's Innovation Ecosystem" at the Alumni Forum, invites you to join the 91��Ƶ Alumni Forum on 16 May.

The 91��Ƶ Alumni Forum holds special significance for the university community. It has become an open platform for communication and collaboration, bringing together 91��Ƶ alumni from different generations and pooling their experience, ideas, and connections.

How do you meet new people, discover professional opportunities, and build new connections — all in just a few minutes?

As part of the 91��Ƶ Alumni Forum, a Speed Chat session will take place bringing together students and alumni. The format is fast-paced, dynamic, and direct — participants will have a set amount of time to introduce themselves, talk about their professional path, experience, interests, and potential areas for collaboration. 

The goals of Speed Chat are to:

• Exchange experience between students and alumni

• Discover career opportunities

• Build new professional connections

One of those stories belongs to Lusine Sargsyan, a graduate of the 91��Ƶ Faculty of Law, Head of the UNFPA Armenia Country Office, and recipient of the Best Alumni Award in the Economics and Society category in 2025. 

This year, she joins the 91��Ƶ Alumni Forum with her own message.

Building an innovation ecosystem is one of the key priorities in 91��Ƶ's development — it enables the university to transform academic knowledge, research potential, and creative ideas into practical solutions.

The discussion aims not only to identify opportunities and challenges but also to generate actionable ideas that can give rise to new programs, partnerships, and innovative initiatives at 91��Ƶ.

Armenia is at the center of the global environmental agenda, and in this context it is important to understand what COP-17 means for the world, for Armenia, and particularly for the academic community.

The discussion aims not only to identify challenges and priorities but also to generate practical ideas that can be developed into new programs, partnerships, and university-led initiatives.

The world is changing rapidly, and at the heart of that change is education itself — its content, formats, methods, and purpose.

The discussion will not be limited to raising questions. It is intended to serve as a platform for exchanging ideas, where conversations about the future of education can translate into new programs, partnerships, and university initiatives.

This year 91��Ƶ marks its 107th anniversary, and on that very day we invite you back to your alma mater — to rediscover and reconnect with it.

What awaits on the day of the forum? What meetings and discussions are planned, and why is May 16 at 91��Ƶ worth your time?

Forum host Hamlet Arakelyan — himself a 91��Ƶ alumnus, writer, and lecturer — shares what to expect on May 16 at 91��Ƶ.