Founders of UWC Dilijan College Ruben Vardanyan and Veronika Zonabend toured the new Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) lab at UWC Dilijan on their recent visit. The facility is equipped with the state-of-the-art Samsung-developed and designed technology, including 21 computer stations, smart boards and other devices essential for the delivery of the Samsung Innovation Campus programme in Armenia.
The goal of the Samsung Innovation Campus is to contribute to the development of Armenia by equipping young people, through education, with skills that will not only improve their digital literacy, learning abilities, creativity and imagination, but also enable conditions for their future interest in pursuing Mobile Programming and spreading innovative IT technology in the country.
The initiative will focus on 14-16 year-old Armenian children. The programme is built around the delivery, over the next three years, of a combination of online sessions and in-person training for 100 children annually.
Samsung Innovation Campus will be implemented with the support of UWC Dilijan’s partner organisation – Dilijan Community Center (DCC), that would help with outreach to the local schools.
“We are delighted that the Samsung Innovation Campus programme implemented by UWC Dilijan will specifically benefit Armenian youth who will hone their IT skills to potentially contribute to the development of our country. Digital economy is vital for Armenia and we value the contribution that Samsung Electronics is making in this area,” said Ruben Vardanyan, UWC Dilijan Co-Founder.
Veronika Zonabend, UWC Dilijan Co-Founder, added: “The laboratory is equipped with cutting-edge technology and the programme provided and funded by Samsung promises to be a significant addition to the range of activities available to children in Armenia. This is another testament to the role UWC Dilijan plays in the community and in attracting innovative initiatives to Armenia.”
Welcoming the Founders to the Samsung Innovation Campus lab, Vardan Avagyan, Project Manager, said, “We look forward to opening the lab to the Armenian youth next month and will do everything to make the programme a success.”
UWC Dilijan is the first international boarding school of the UWC education model in the region. The college opened in 2014 in the Armenian town of Dilijan and currently has 220 students enrolled from more than 80 countries and 36 academic staff members from 15 countries.
Samsung Electronics operates various technology-based education programmes to nurture young talent that is capable of leading society in the future. One of these programmes is Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC), which helps young people from all over the world learn about key technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT), as well as preparing them and providing opportunities for them in their careers. SIC currently operates in 23 countries around the world, and approximately 160,000 students have gone through a SIC program as of 2020.