Armenia to begin construction of Academic City in 2027 – minister

Armenia plans to launch the construction of its flagship Academic City project in 2027, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan said on Thursday.

Andreasyan told a cabinet meeting the government had approved a revised development concept that sets out the vision, mission, principles and targets for the project, first endorsed in October 2023.

The plan has been designed with input from international partners, including Germany’s GMP Architects, which prepared the master plan, and Ernst & Young, which is finalizing a financial feasibility study. Italy’s Sistematica conducted transport and mobility research, while TUMO International worked on the technology cluster and governance model.

Andreasyan said the first phase will include student dormitories for up to 4,250 residents, a multifunctional cultural concert hall and conference center covering more than 74,000 square meters and a technology cluster with a total area exceeding 628,000 square meters.

Preparatory work has already begun, with 2.7 hectares cleared of waste, she added. The project also envisions talent development programs, educational and arts clusters and partnerships with leading universities, including ongoing talks with Cambridge.

The government approved the updated concept unanimously.