Learn-Innovate-Sell-Succeed LISS24
Project aims at increasing B2B Sales and innovation capacity of Armenian and Georgian universities, especially in the field of engineering in the new digital era
The Project No
101128310 - LISS24 - ERASMUS-EDU-2023-CBHE
Coordinated by
TURKU UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES
List of Consortium Members
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TURUN AMMATTIKORKEAKOULU OY
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UNIVERSITAT POLITÈCNICA DE VALÈNCIA
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FACHHOCHSCHULE WIENER NEUSTADT GMBH
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KUNGLIGA TEKNISKA HOEGSKOLAN
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NATIONAL POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF ARMENIA
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GEORGIAN TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY
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NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF ARCHITECTURE AND CONSTRUCTION OF ARMENIA
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ARMENIAN NATIONAL AGRARIAN UNIVERSITY
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AKAKI TSERETELI STATE UNIVERSITY
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SHOTA RUSTAVELI STATE UNIVERSITY
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BENDAHARA SEAMED REGIONAL OPEN L CENTER SEAMOLECI-DEPDIKNAS
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MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE OF GEORGIA

The methodology of the project is built on three core elements

B2B Sales courses in all partner universities ended by the assessment through sales competitions

Effective learning of innovation competences and creation of potential new products and services

Sales Labs launched to foster understanding about salesperson’s and customer’s behavior as well as accelerate new university-business cooperation in education and research

Project News

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🌍 Georgian Technical University at the First International Student B2B Sales Competition in Yerevan

We are proud to share that a student team from the Faculty of Transport Systems and Mechanical Engineering at Georgian Technical University (GTU) successfully participated in the first Student B2B Sales Competition of the Eastern Partnership countries, hosted by the National Polytechnic University of Armenia (NPUA) within the framework of the Erasmus+ CBHE LISS24 – Learn • Innovate • Sell • Succeed project. Representing GTU were Associate Professor Tamar Rukhadze and students Nika Goglidze, Zura Vatitadze, and David Jalagonia, who demonstrated their knowledge, teamwork, and sales competencies. The competition provided students with a unique opportunity to apply their skills in realistic B2B sales scenarios, strengthen their communication and negotiation abilities, and gain valuable international experience. As part of the LISS24 project, Georgian Technical University has also established Georgia’s first Sales Laboratory, equipped with modern technologies and supported by a fully renovated workspace. The laboratory serves as an innovative platform connecting academia and industry by fostering practical education, applied research, and stronger university–business collaboration. International initiatives like LISS24 empower students with the confidence, skills, and global perspective needed to thrive in today’s rapidly evolving business environment while reinforcing the role of universities as drivers of innovation and entrepreneurship. 👏 Congratulations to our students and academic staff for representing Georgian Technical University on the international stage! #GeorgianTechnicalUniversity #GTU hashtag#LISS24 #ErasmusPlus #CBHE #B2BSales #Innovation #EngineeringEducation #HigherEducation #InternationalCooperation #StudentSuccess #Entrepreneurship #SalesEducation https://www.gtu.edu.ge/en/gtu-team-participated-in-the-first-student-b2b-sales-competition-of-the-eastern-partnership-countries-in-yerevan/

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Where Innovation Meets Sales: The Opening of the LISS24 Sales Lab

## **DevSoft Armenia** Today, I had the pleasure of attending the official opening of the LISS24 Sales Lab. It is truly inspiring to see Armenian universities, businesses, and European partners working together to create an environment where students can develop not only theoretical knowledge but also practical B2B sales, negotiation, and business communication skills. The Sales Lab is equipped with modern technologies, including video recording systems, eye-tracking technology, and facial expression and behavioral analysis tools. These technologies make it possible to analyze sales meetings in depth, better understand both buyer and seller behavior, improve communication skills, and make the sales process more effective by relying on real data rather than intuition alone. Technical expertise is important, but it creates real value only when you can communicate it effectively, understand your customer’s needs, and offer the right solution. That is exactly the bridge this initiative is building. Congratulations to the organizers, partner universities, and the entire Erasmus+ LISS24 (Learn – Innovate – Sell – Succeed) team on this important initiative. I am confident that programs like this will help prepare more competitive professionals and strengthen the connection between higher education and the business community. I would also like to wish the very best of luck to all participants of today’s International B2B Sales Games. May this be just the beginning of a successful professional journey. **David S. Grigoryan, Entrepreneur** **Stanford GSB Distinguished Scholar,** **Stanford University Graduate School of Business**

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Eastern Partnership Countries B2B Sales Competition in Yerevan

Within the framework of the **Erasmus+ LISS24** project, the two-day international **B2B Sales Student Competition** for the Eastern Partnership countries brought together the most talented students from leading technological universities in **Armenia** and **Georgia**. The competition aimed to strengthen participants' sales, business negotiation, and communication skills by providing them with an opportunity to compete in an environment closely resembling real business practice. The competition featured teams from the **National Polytechnic University of Armenia (NPUA)**, the **National University of Architecture and Construction of Armenia (NUACA)**, the **Armenian National Agrarian University (ANAU)**, the **Georgian Technical University (GTU)**, the **Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University (BSU)**, and the **Akaki Tsereteli State University (ATSU)**. Each university was represented by a delegation consisting of three students and one coach. In line with the objectives of the **LISS24** project, a realistic business environment was created with the participation of representatives from **Civitta International** and **Ameriabank**, enabling students to apply their theoretical knowledge in practical sales scenarios. On the first day, participants competed in three parallel qualifying rounds. Acting as sales representatives, they presented their sales strategies to industry professionals who assumed the role of buyers. Each performance was evaluated against 11 standardized assessment criteria. Based on the results of the qualifying rounds, the top eight participants advanced to the final, where they once again demonstrated their sales strategies and negotiation skills. By the decision of the jury, the winners were announced as follows: **First Place – Tigran Stepanyan (National University of Architecture and Construction of Armenia)** **Second Place – Elene Kobalia (Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University)** **Third Place – Anna Aleksanyan (National Polytechnic University of Armenia)** According to **Ruben Aghgashyan**, LISS24 Project Coordinator and Honorary Professor of the National Polytechnic University of Armenia, this was the first competition of its kind in the region and it has already proven to be a successful initiative. *"Although only three participants received awards, I consider every participant a winner. The competition was organized entirely in accordance with European standards. The experience gained from last year's university-level competition and this year's international competition has convinced us that both the **B2B Sales Competition** and the **Innovation Ideas Competition** should evolve into nationwide initiatives. The **B2B Sales Competition** is one of the best examples of how students can be brought closer to the real business environment while developing their practical competencies through international cooperation."* **Anna Aleksanyan**, an NPUA student and the third-place winner of the competition, described her participation as an opportunity to discover her potential in a new professional field. *"I decided to participate in the B2B Sales Competition because I wanted to challenge myself not only as a logistics specialist but also as a sales professional. I successfully passed the qualifying round, and in the international stage I reached the final and won a prize. This was not only a valuable learning experience but also an excellent opportunity to build professional networks and connect with representatives of companies where we may have the chance to work in the future."* **Diana Barbaryan**, an NPUA student and finalist of the competition, received job offers from representatives of **Civitta International** and **Studio One** immediately after the competition concluded. She described this year's event as a successful continuation of her previous experience. *"Last year, I participated in the training course and competition organized by the university but did not win a prize. That experience motivated me to work on my weaknesses and improve myself. When I was given the opportunity to participate again this year, I saw it as a new challenge and a chance to demonstrate how much I had progressed."* All participants of the competition received certificates of participation, while the winners were presented with awards. The event concluded with a ceremonial cake-cutting and a champagne reception dedicated to the competition, where participants and guests gathered to celebrate the successful completion of the event.

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Open Eyes Event at NPUA to Present B2B Sales Laboratory to Academic and Business Partners

The B2B Sales NPUA Laboratory was established within the framework of the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education project "Learn – Innovate – Sell – Succeed (LISS24)." The laboratory was officially presented during an Open Eyes Event, attended by members of the academic community, business representatives, and international partners. The LISS24 project is coordinated by Turku University of Applied Sciences (Finland) and brings together higher education institutions from Spain, Austria, Sweden, Georgia, Armenia, and Finland. In Armenia, the project is coordinated by the National Polytechnic University of Armenia (NPUA). Welcoming the participants and emphasizing the importance of establishing the B2B Sales NPUA Laboratory, Elbak Elbakyan, Vice-Rector for Pre-University Education at NPUA, noted that today's engineers should not only be capable of developing technological solutions but should also understand the principles of market commercialization and B2B sales. "It is important for us that graduates understand how their products reach businesses, how they should be presented, and what steps are necessary to ensure an effective sales process. In this context, artificial intelligence also plays a significant role, as it is already transforming approaches to B2B sales and business communication," said Elbak Elbakyan. The laboratory provides an opportunity to simulate sales negotiations, study customer behavior, analyze communication effectiveness, and utilize technologies capable of recording and analyzing human emotional responses. The laboratory equipment enables the monitoring of changes in attention, stress, engagement, and emotional reactions, offering valuable insights for research in sales psychology and business communication. Ruben Aghgashyan, Armenian Coordinator of the Erasmus+ LISS24 Project and Head of the Center for Digital Technologies, stated: "This event was the first opportunity to introduce the laboratory's capabilities to a broader audience. We believe it should serve not only students but also the business community by becoming a platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange. The laboratory is built around three key pillars: education, research, and business. Here, students, faculty members, and company representatives can jointly study sales processes, develop new approaches, and apply them in real-world environments. In today's technology-driven world, success depends not only on creating an excellent product but also on the ability to present and sell it effectively, where highly qualified B2B sales professionals play a crucial role." The laboratory demonstration was led by Arthur Zaprosyan, Head of the NPUA Center for Continuing Education. The first live demonstration featured renowned psychologist Professor Ruben Aghuzumtsyan as a volunteer participant, showcasing the system's capabilities and the mechanisms used to analyze emotional responses. The newly established B2B Sales NPUA Laboratory is expected to become an important platform for cooperation between the university and the business sector by supporting joint research, professional training, sales skills development, and the creation of innovative solutions. At the same time, it will enable students to transform theoretical knowledge into practical competencies and enter the modern labor market better prepared. The event was attended by partners from Georgia, as well as representatives of the National University of Architecture and Construction of Armenia and the Armenian National Agrarian University, both participating institutions in the LISS24 project. The laboratory operates as part of the NPUA Center for Continuing Education.

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Great news from the European negotiation arena!

The European Sales Competition was held on 9–11 June and hosted by Kristiania University of Applied Sciences. The event brought together over 60 students from European and U.S. higher education institutions. Its purpose is to connect talented individuals from universities across Europe through real-world sales scenarios, industry networking, and by fostering innovation in the field of sales. We are proud to share a success story that concretely demonstrates the practical impact of the LISS24 project. Both the National University of Architecture and Construction of Armenia (NUACA) and the National Polytechnic University of Armenia (NPUA) made their debut in the European Sales Competition under the guidance of their coaches Tatevik Yedoyan PHD, PMP® and Gor Martirosyan. The students Irena Simonyan (NUACA), Tigran Stepanyan (NUACA), Arina Manukyan (NPUA), and Sona Aghabekyan (NPUA) took part in individual sales negotiations as well as a team-based challenge. A special congratulations to Arina Manukyan (NPUA), who advanced to the finals and achieved an excellent 4th place overall. This is a clear indication that the LISS24 project is not only about building cooperation structures, but about developing real, result-driven competence. The goal goes beyond networking: it is about creating an environment where international sales and negotiation skills are developed through hands-on experience, and where partners can truly demonstrate their capabilities. For the Turku University of Applied Sciences team Arto Kuuluvainen, Timo Holopainen, Harri Lappalainen and Pinja Palm it has been particularly inspiring to see how Armenian and Georgian partners have found their place within the European competitive and learning landscape not only participating, but succeeding. This strongly confirms that capacity building works best when it is embedded in everyday practice, not limited to plans and documentation. At its core, this work is about shaping direction, enabling the success of others, and simultaneously developing one’s own expertise in situations where theory is genuinely put to the test. The result is tangible growth visible in students, partners, and the opportunities that open up for them. #LISS24 #ErasmusPlus #CapacityBuilding #B2BSales #NegotiationSkills #HigherEducation