Yerevan, Armenia Project Center - IQP
Armenia, located in the Caucasus Mountains at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, gained independence from the former USSR in 1991. One of the first Christian countries, Armenia’s major attractions include a large number of monasteries. Mount Ararat can be seen from the capital, Yerevan, on a clear day. Archeological digs have recently discovered the world’s oldest winemaking facility, 6000 years old, and Armenia is currently developing a thriving wine industry. Yerevan, Armenia’s largest city as well as its capital, is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country. Situated along the Hrazdan River and marked by Soviet-era architecture, Yerevan is one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, and has undergone major transformation and new construction with shopping, restaurants, and street cafes. Students have been completing projects in Yerevan since 2017.
Projects typically focus on economic development, education, healthcare, poverty reduction, tourism. WPI students have a unique opportunity to contribute to the growth of the country in the post-Soviet era.
Past project sponsors include the Armenian Eye Care Project, Smithsonian Institution, World Vision Armenia, Armenian General Benevolent Union, My Step Foundation, Junior Achievement of Armenia, Women and Information Society, IDeA Foundation.
Past projects include:
- Improving Eye Care Delivery Through Data Sharing Technology
- Smart Itinerary Smartphone Tourism Application
- Matching Diaspora Resources to Armenia’s Needs
- Improving the Recognition of Junior Achievement of Armenia
- Improving Sanitation and Student Health in Schools in Armenia
- Extending the Impact of Technovation on Armenian School Girls
- Cataloguing Resources for Poverty Reduction in Armenia
Some of the projects will be involved in WPI’s partnership with the American University in Armenia (AUA). Joint teams between WPI and AUA students will work under the direction of faculty advisors from both AUA and WPI. The Armenian students are embedded with WPI students on campus during C term and participate fully in the project preparation (PQP and ID2050), and then return with the WPI students to Yerevan to complete the project in D term.