NPUA’s Debut in European Business Negotiations
On January 29–30, 2026, the first “European Online Business Negotiation Competition” (EOBNC) was held at HAN University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands. This unique and valuable international student event brought together representatives from more than 20 European universities, as well as one university from the United States.
Thanks to the successfully ongoing Erasmus+ LISS24 project (Learn – Innovate – Sell – Succeed) at the National Polytechnic University of Armenia (NPUA), which created the opportunity for Armenian and Georgian partner universities of the project to participate in this prestigious event, the pioneering NPUA team actively took part in the multi-stage international EOBN Competition. Namely, the University was represented by students Sona Aghabekyan and Arina Manukyan as competitors, and by Mr. Gor Martirosyan, Director of the Labor Market Research and Professional Career Center at NPUA and a member of the LISS24 project team, who served as a member of the international jury.
Participation in the EOBNC marked an important milestone in the progress of the LISS24 project. It provided NPUA representatives with an excellent opportunity to test the knowledge and skills they had gained through the project’s internal trainings, workshops, and competitions, to strengthen their B2B sales and negotiation competencies, and—most importantly—to enter international networks, compete on a European platform, and achieve their first victories: during the initial stages of the competition, NPUA student Arina Manukyan was recognized as the best in her subgroup (“Room Leader”), demonstrating excellent negotiating skills. More than that, another Armenian debutant in international competitions Irena Simonyan, representing the National University of Architecture and Construction of Armenia, an LISS24 project partner, multiplied this success by becoming the overall winner of the competition.
The National Polytechnic University of Armenia congratulates the students on their successful participation and wishes them continued professional achievements.
# **The Students’ Reflections**:
“The European Online Business Negotiation Competition gave me the opportunity to gain practical knowledge in the field of sales, develop my skills, and explore the nuances of business negotiations. The competition created a realistic business environment for me. In addition, I made new friends from different countries and universities, and we had engaging and insightful discussions together. I am grateful for this brilliant opportunity provided within the framework of the LISS24 project”**(Arina Manukyan)**.
“This competition was an extremely valuable and inspiring experience for me. It allowed me to challenge myself in a new environment, express my thoughts with greater confidence, listen attentively, and most importantly, adapt quickly to new situations. After the competition, I was left with very positive emotions, new ideas, and strong motivation to continue my education and personal development. I would like to extend my special thanks to the National Polytechnic University of Armenia for granting me this exceptional opportunity within the framework of the LISS24 project”**(Sona Aghabekyan)**.