INITIATION OF GYUMRI TECHNOCITY IS REALISTIC, IRISH EXPERT ON TECHNOPARKS SAYS
Noyan Tapan
Dec 15, 2008
GYUMRI, DECEMBER 15, NOYAN TAPAN. The idea of founding a technopark
(technocity) in the city of Gyumri (Shirak marz) with a significant
strategic intervention will become a reality, Kevin Tompstone, a
member of the working team developing the guidelines for fulfilling
the Armenian government’s initiative to turn Gyumri into a technocity,
stated at the December 12 round table on the subject "The Business
Model of Gyumri Technopark" held in Gyumri. K. Tompstone is an advisor
of Shannon International company (Ireland), former director of Shannon
Developments company and the chairman of the National Technopark.
In his opinion, there are opportunities and potential for turning
Gyumri into a technocity, although some obstacles exist as well, and it
is necessary to use a strategic rather than a stage approach and act by
a coordinated action plan in order to fulfil this initiative. During
a presentation based on his studies, the expert said that in order to
localize the experience of the Shannon Development National Technopark
in Gyumri, the efforts of state bodies: the RA Ministry of Economy,
the RA Ministry of Urban Development, Shirak regional administration
and Gymri municipality should be combined with efforts of a) business
structures: the Union of IT Enterprises of Armenia, Viasphere
Technopark, Synopsys, National Instruments, Unicomp, Microsoft,
Instigate, Armproject. Ericsson, Gyumri-based Selenit-Gold, Pul,
Arshaluys, Msho Tghek, Analitsark and Shirak Airport companies;
b) educational institutions: the Gyumri IT Center, the Turpanjian
Foundation, the Gyumri branch of State Engineering University
of Armenia (SEUA), the Gyumri State Pedagogical Institute, the
Polytechnic College, the Academy of Arts, and the American University
of Armenia; c) state bodies providing business services and structures
providing assistance to the state in this sector: the Small and Medium
Entrepreneurship Development National Center and its Gyumri branch,
the Armenian Development Agency, the Enterprise Incubator Foundation,
the USIAD-financed Competitive Armenian Private Sector (CAPS) Project,
and the Technical Library of Gyumri.
These efforts should be coordinated by the Gyumri Economic Development
Office.
K. Tompstone considered the existence of higher educational
institutions with strong academic traditions and scientific heritage
in Gyumri as a positive circumstance, however, considerable and
efficient investments in buildings, infrastructures and research work
will become the guarantee of the technopark’s success, while the high
speed Internet at reasonable prices is necessary for attraction of
export-orientated investors. The expert expressed an opinion that the
SEUA Gyumri branch should be moved to the area of the technopark. In
general, it has been proposed locating the technopark of the technocity
in the branch’s building to be repaired, the business park – in the
building of the idle Plant of Manufacturing Machinery, while the
educational center and the special and recreational centers should
be located in "Kumayri" historical and cultural preserve and the
SEUA branch.
The use of the preserve will enable to restore and develop its urban
development environmnet. It is envisaged that the technocity will have
status of a special economic zone, and investments for its foundation
are assessed to amount to 55 million USD.
By the concept of reconstructing the city of Gyumri into a technocity
of the RA Ministry of Economy, thanks to the concept’s implementation,
tourism, ITs, engineering (modern urban development and construction
technologies), fashion and textile industry, arts, jewelry making,
craftsmanship will develop. The implementation of the concept will
give an opportunity to ensure the development of not only Gyumri,
but also other settlements in its agglomeration and turn Gyumri into
a regional development center. The experience gained in Gyumri will
be used to form a knowledge-based economy in Armenia.
In the words of the RA minister of economy Nerses Yeritsian, Gyumri
as a technocity will give first results in five years after its
formation stage and will be completely established as such in 10-15
years, according to international experience. The minister said
that agreements to set up educational laboratories in Gyumri have
been reached with the Association of Three-Dimensional Modellers of
Armenia and Sun Microsystems company. It is envisaged that in the
near future the Enterprise Incubator Foundation (EIF) together with
scientific institutions of Gyumri will conduct scientific studies with
state budgetary allocations of 40 million drams (about 133 thousand
USD). The minister informed those present that the World Bank and
USAID have expressed a willingness to assist the Armenian government
with turning Gyumri into a technocity.
During the round table, the grant programs of the scientific research
projects implemented by the indicated laboratories, as well as
the projects implemented jointly by the EIF, the U.S. Civilian
Research & Development Foundation and the RA ministry of economy
were presented. Speeches were made by the regional governor of Shirak
Lida Nanian, Gyumri mayor Vardan Ghukasian, and the deputy minister
of urban development Vatche Terterian.