Open Education Paves the Way for Women Entrepreneurs to Thrive in Armenia

2 min read

YEREVAN, Armenia — On June 21, 2023, the American University of Armenia (AUA) Open Education (OE) hosted a momentous event, marking the ceremonial start of the business program within the Sarkis Cabayan Small and Emerging Business Development Program in Armenian Provinces with Scholarships for Women. The event displayed the vision and purpose of OE’s undertaking aimed at promoting the development of businesses in the regions of Armenia, providing particular support to women entrepreneurs. At the event, the 21 selected women entrepreneurs presented their businesses, benefited from workshops by accomplished entrepreneurs to enhance their entrepreneurial skills, and took advantage of the valuable networking opportunity with them. 

The attendees started the day with a tour of the AUA campus led by Assistant Vice President Anahit Ordyan. Following the tour, OE Director Anoush Yedigaryan and Dean of the College of Business and Economics (CBE) professor Vache Gabrielyan delivered welcoming remarks. Yedigaryan applauded the selected female entrepreneurs, highlighting the program’s significance and potential to positively impact female entrepreneurs and foster business development in the Armenian provinces. Dr. Gabrielyan then described the business program CBE had developed for this purpose, expounding on the components that are aligned with participants’ needs and designed to benefit both the entrepreneurs as well as their businesses. Program Manager Margarit Hovhannisyan then presented the selection process, along with an overview of the businesses admitted to the program and the day’s agenda.

Subsequently, each participant was in the spotlight to briefly describe their business. Albeit limited to a two-minute pitch by each of the 21 participating women, all the presentations were informative, awe-inspiring, and revealing everyone’s steadfast dedication and determination to succeed. 

The core component of the event followed next with business workshops featuring guest speakers Emil Harutyunyan, co-founder of Arcolad, and Susanna Khosrovyan, founder of Familish Food Court and Suzanne Cakes. In turn, these accomplished entrepreneurs shared their wealth of knowledge, shedding light on industry trends, best practices, and strategies for success. The workshops were thoughtfully crafted to engage the participants in interactive discussions, encourage probing questions, and spur discourse about different business perspectives and processes.

The event’s success reaffirmed the critical importance of OE’s this program in terms of supporting and uplifting women in business while acknowledging their invaluable contributions to shaping industries and fueling economic growth. It served as a testament to the profound impact that can be achieved by empowering women to pursue entrepreneurship and attain extraordinary achievements.

Open Education (OE) is the non-degree educational program of the American University of Armenia (AUA), with programs especially geared to meeting the educational needs of individuals from diverse backgrounds and occupations, as well as governments and corporate organizations. OE offers a comprehensive range of courses and certificate programs, including language classes, test preparation courses, and a wide range of professional development training. Through its regional centers around Armenia, OE expands opportunities for locals to thrive and contribute to the development of their communities. Additionally, OE provides testing services on behalf of various standardized tests for college admission and exams for international professional certification.