Armenia will develop the concept of an Arts Cluster for its planned Academic City in cooperation with two leading UK universities, with contracts worth more than £700,000, Education Minister Zhanna Andreasyan said on Thursday.
Speaking during a government meeting, Andreasyan said cooperation will be established with the University of the Arts London and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland to help design and implement the Arts Cluster concept.
“Cooperation is being established with the most reputable universities in this field, which will support the development of the Arts Cluster concept and assist in its implementation,” the minister said.
According to Andreasyan, the contract with the University of the Arts London will amount to about £368,700 and will cover work across several directions included in the Arts Cluster. The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland will oversee the music component of the cluster, under a contract worth approximately £371,300.
The cooperation is planned to take place over several phases and will include both the development of the cluster’s concept and efforts to strengthen academic and creative capacities in Armenia.
Andreasyan said that working with the two universities will help ensure that the Arts Cluster offers educational content meeting the highest international standards and makes Armenia’s arts education competitive for both local and international students.
The initiative is part of the Armenian government’s broader Academic City project, which aims to transform the country’s higher education system.
The minister noted that Armenia is already cooperating with several international partners on other clusters planned within the Academic City. The first phase of work with the Technical University of Munich on the technology cluster has already been completed, while negotiations are ongoing with the University of Cambridge on the development of a classical cluster.
Andreasyan previously said the Academic City is expected to begin operating in Armenia by 2030.
The project envisions the construction of a new academic hub hosting 16 universities, eight public and eight private or international institutions. It will include four major clusters: arts, education, technology and military.
Two potential locations have been identified for the Academic City: an area near the 14th quarter of Yerevan’s Ajapnyak district and the territory of the Armenfilm Film Studio named after Amo Beknazaryan.
The government says the initiative aims to create a modern higher education environment capable of attracting both Armenian and international students.
