YEREVAN, Armenia — Led by the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment, the Armenian University Coalition for Biodiversity (AUCB) — a network created by a consortium of a dozen universities in Armenia, including the American University of Armenia (AUA) — has announced the official launch of the Biodiversity Ambassador Program. This initiative aims to prepare up to 350 university students in Armenia as active advocates for nature ahead of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity’s 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17), which will be hosted in Yerevan in October 2026.
Upon successfully qualifying, participants will earn the official title of Biodiversity Ambassador. The ambassadors will form a trained volunteer corps providing crucial support across pre-COP, COP, and post-COP activities. Additionally, this initiative empowers youth to be active participants and help build a lasting environmental legacy for Armenia and the region.
The program is open to students from all academic backgrounds. Applicants must be citizens or residents of Armenia between the ages of 18 and 35.
Participating universities will select 25 to 45 students per institution. Candidates will be evaluated on their passion for nature protection, commitment to participating in COP17, academic excellence, readiness to work in multicultural environments, and foreign language proficiency.
Selected candidates will undergo intensive training that will include in-person workshops and self-paced online courses covering environmental diplomacy and key environmental and sustainability sciences topics. Students will also gain hands-on experience through citizen science projects and field collaborations. The training will culminate in a formal attestation and award ceremony, during which successful graduates will receive their ambassadorship designations from political and academic leaders.
During COP17, the Biodiversity Ambassadors will facilitate events, serve as liaisons, guide and support visitors, and more. After the conference, the cohort will transition into an alumni network to support local governments, schools, and future environmental initiatives throughout Armenia’s two-year COP presidency.
Application Details
- The deadline to apply is August 10, 2026, 8:00 p.m. Armenia time.
- To learn more and submit an application, visit here.
- For additional information, write to [email protected].
The Armenian University Coalition on Biodiversity (AUCB) is a unified platform for academic cooperation established among the universities of the Republic of Armenia to promote biodiversity conservation and sustainable use. The primary purpose of the Coalition is to ensure the coordinated involvement of Armenia’s higher education system in the upcoming COP-17 processes in Yerevan, as well as to consolidate scientific, educational, and applied activities in the field of biodiversity. The main areas of cooperation encompass education, research activities, policy and legal dialogue, public awareness, and volunteer activities. Members include Yerevan State University, American University of Armenia, French University in Armenia, Armenian State University of Economics, National Polytechnic University of Armenia, Armenian National Agrarian University, Goris State University, Gavar State University, and Shirak State University.
The AUA Acopian Center for the Environment, a research center of the American University of Armenia (AUA), promotes the protection and restoration of the natural environment through research, education, and community outreach. The AUA Acopian Center’s focus areas include sustainable natural resource management, biodiversity protection and conservation, greening the built environment, sustainable energy, as well as information technology and the environment. Visit ace.aua.am.