Working Visit to Armenia | Day 1: LISS24 Launches with the Motto “Learn – Innovate – Sell – Succeed,” Introducing a New Approach to Engineering Education. The project brings together European and Caucasian universities to promote the development of practical and creative skills.
**Agenda of the Armenian work phase of the LISS24 Project
Day 1: European Experience in Overcoming the Sales Challenge and Enhancing B2B Sales Competencies**
“Learn – Innovate – Sell – Succeed” (LISS24) is an Erasmus+ project aimed at developing B2B sales and innovation skills among graduates of engineering universities in Armenia and Georgia.
The four-day event includes international participants from:
• Turku University of Applied Sciences (TUAS), Finland
• University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt, Austria
• KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
• Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain
• Three universities from Georgia: Akaki Tsereteli State University, Georgian Technical University, and Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University
The national coordinator of the project in Armenia is the National Polytechnic University of Armenia (NPUA). Other Armenian institutions involved in the project include:
• Armenian National Agrarian University
• National University of Architecture and Construction of Armenia
On the European side, the project is coordinated by Turku University of Applied Sciences (TUAS). According to their representative, 15 years ago they faced a challenge: they were offering business-to-business (B2B) education, but it was not effective.
**Harri Lapalainen, Turku University of Applied Sciences, Finland:**
“It was mainly lecture-based, and we knew we had to somehow refresh the educational system. We needed innovation. We started applying our method in Finland and Austria, but it wasn’t enough. We had a dream. And now, thanks to the support of Erasmus, we’re able to widely share our experience.”
The idea and implementation of the event, as well as the warm welcome extended to the participants, was delivered by **Sargis Asatryants**, Vice-Rector for Internationalization and Reforms at NPUA. He emphasized that LISS24 is truly special, focusing not only on traditional learning but also on fostering innovation.
**Sargis Asatryants, Vice-Rector for Internationalization and Reforms, NPUA:**
“It encourages creative abilities and fosters the mindset that students need to succeed in today’s world. The emphasis on sales components is especially important in many academic environments. We talk about innovation and entrepreneurship but often neglect one essential skill, the ability to present.”
A representative from the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports expressed gratitude to the European Commission, the Erasmus program, and all national and international partners. Thanks to their spirit of collaboration and commitment, this promising program became possible. The Ministry also stressed its readiness to contribute to the successful implementation of this initiative.
**Angelina Hovhannisyan, Head of the External Relations Division, Higher Education Department, MESCS:**
“LISS24 includes a complete empowerment chain, from knowledge acquisition to creativity, from entrepreneurship to sustainable success. This is an initiative that embodies our national priorities and our aspiration to build a dynamic, knowledge-based society in Armenia. May this project become an inspiration and cornerstone for future cooperation and the development of a strong, innovative, and internationally connected academic landscape in Armenia and all partner countries.”
On the first day, reports were presented on the topic “University-Industry B2B Collaboration Experience” by participants from Finland, Georgia, and the industry partners of the involved universities. The project coordinator from the Polytechnic University positively assessed the progress of the working phase.
**Ruben Aghgashyan, Head of the Center for Digital Technologies Research and Education, NPUA:**
“Every product is created by engineering professionals. But in today’s world, creating alone is not enough, you must also be able to sell. And since this European project focuses on developing the skills of engineering students, it’s only natural that its coordination is entrusted to Armenia’s leading technological university, the Polytechnic.”
In the coming days, various components of the event will also be held at the partner universities.
