AUA Hosts an Unprecedented Hackathon in Areni

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YEREVAN, Armenia — On May 20, the American University of Armenia (AUA) hosted the “Governor” Hackathon in Areni. Organized by AUA’s Open Center of Excellence for Leadership and Governance (OCELG) and the Civic Power Rangers student group, the event aimed to raise awareness of the local self-governance (LSG) system in Armenia, increase citizen participation, and contribute to community development. 

Forty two students from different universities in Armenia participated in the event. They were divided into six teams and tasked with designing potential solutions to a prevalent issue in Areni: low levels of youth engagement and civic participation. The winner was determined by a jury comprising the student organizers, AUA faculty, and members of the Areni community council. The winning team’s plans included improving communication between community members and the community council via small, informal meetings and reformed community hearings. They also proposed small grant competitions for projects addressing community issues. The winner, determined by a jury comprising the student organizers, AUA faculty, and members of the Areni community council, received commendations.

In an effort to build knowledge of self governance, the organizing student group introduced an innovative educational tool — the “Governor” board game. Through this game, players acquire essential knowledge about LSG and are guided through the process of developing effective and realistic plans for their communities. 

Students Sergey Mkhitaryan (BAB), Hasmik Hayrapetyan (BAB), and Liana Vahanyan (BEC) developed the board game under the guidance of Laura Prokić, chair of the OCELG and Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Governance Program Chair and Associate Professor Yevgenya Paturyan. The overarching objective of the game is to engage students in LSG through fun and interesting activities that promote active citizen engagement and enhance decision-making processes

Players assume various roles, such as community head, council member, and citizen, and engage in role-playing activities that foster teamwork and enhance communication skills. They also undertake tasks that develop a deeper understanding of the LSG process, requiring students to research to become familiar with relevant legislation and community characteristics. The culmination of the game involves completing an annual community development work plan, focusing on addressing the issue of low youth engagement.

In the opinion of AUA student Zhanna Atanesyan, “The best component of the game was that it made the brainstorming process more interesting and engaging and effectively guided us through the whats, hows, and whens of community development project planning. The character figures used in the game were nice and colorful, which made the learning process a lot of fun!”

The “Governor” board game is set for further development in the hopes that it will eventually be distributed to high schools throughout Armenia. This initiative seeks to educate young people about the LSG processes while empowering them to design and lead initiatives within their communities.

The AUA students and faculty involved in the event plan to continue working with the Areni community on activities related to local self governance.

Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, affiliated with the University of California, and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission in the United States. AUA provides local and international students with Western-style education through top-quality undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.