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.