Center for Education Projects PIU The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports

 Multimedia laboratory on development and improvement of practical skills of future pedagogues, as well as two research classrooms, equipped with relevant equipment, computers containing professional software, and an electronic learning platform designed with teaching aids and a virtual library opened on February 6 at “Armenian State Pedagogical University after Kh. Abovyan” Foundation (ASPU). This modern infrastructure was created with the co-financing of the World Bank, within the frameworks of the ''Education Improvement'' credit project’s Competitive Innovation Fund’s (CIF) second (additional) cycle, implemented by the “Center for Education Projects” PIU. During the opening ceremony of the multimedia laboratory ASPU Rector Ruben Mirzakhanyan, Director of “Center for Education Projects” PIU Grisha Hovhannisyan, Head of the Policy Development and Analysis Department for Preschool and Secondary Education of the Ministry of ESCS of the RA Suzanna Makyan, PIU representatives, specialists of the field, as well as University professors and students were present.

At the beginning of the opening ceremony of the Multimedia Laboratory the rector of ASPU R. Mirzakhanyan in his greeting speech and congratulation noted that the grant project was implemented through the joint efforts of the “Center for Education Projects” PIU and the University. "As a result of our joint work and collaboration, a unique laboratory has been created, which will enable students of the University and other educational institutions to acquire specialized knowledge, experience in the sphere of preschool and elementary pedagogy. We are sure that the next indicator of the effectiveness of the work done will be the training of new staff with professional knowledge in this field”,- added the rector. Project manager and ASPU vice-rector Mher Meliq-Bakshyan, spoke about the huge work implemented in the framework of the grant project. He noted; “The efforts and energy that have been invested so far are the base on which the real implementation of the main program should launch. The newly established infrastructure creates a strong link between the University, schools and preschools ". Dean of the Faculty of Primary Education Heghine Khachatryan thanked all the institutions that supported the implementation of the project and noted that relevant educational content has been created in order to make the best use of the opportunities of the laboratory. Laboratory operating procedures, that is, the concept and regulation, pre-school and elementary education curricula with improved research components, the digital library are avaliable at the university. According to the Dean, creation of the laboratory ensures the realization of the main purpose of the project, that is to say the preparation of competitive personnel with innovative practical and research skills and abilities, in line with the European standards in the sphere of preschool and elementary pedagogy. "The availability of such infrastructure at the University allows to develop a competitive scientific and innovative potential in the field of pre-school and elementary pedagogy",- H. Khachatryan added. The opening ceremony of the laboratory was ended with the visit. The guests visited the newly opened lab and classrooms, got acquainted with the work done and inquired about their applicability in the teaching and research process. The participants completed a visit in the research classroom, where they were introduced to the use and opportunities of the electronic learning platform and the electronic digital library. It is worth mentioning, that the material on the implementation of the grant project are also available in "Center for Education Projects" PIU's previous publications. The video telling about the project and results achieved is available at; https://www.youtube.com/.