“We're stuck here without any chances for education,” my teenage student, Davit, said. 

Reflecting upon my own experience of studying in the regions, I could understand Davit’s concern about the lack of educational prospects in his village. His once evident enthusiasm for learning was fading away.  

As a young teacher in a remote village, I knew that one possible key to reawakening Davit’s passion for learning was to leverage the potential of technology. Since then, I have dedicated my career to pursuing new technologies to bring education to remote villages in Armenia.

My Goals

Hello, my name is Anahit, I'm an English teacher from Abovyan, Armenia. I decided to become a teacher when I was only 11 years old and nothing could stop me from achieving my lifelong dream!

Over the past years, I have worked as a teacher, course designer, and teacher trainer in Yerevan and the regions. I have taught teenagers in Armenian villages, trained novice teachers all over Armenia, and coordinated summer camps and online webinar series for children in the regions, advocating for equal opportunities for all. 

Now I intend to go beyond English teaching – I strive to impact the educational system in Armenia. As a country embracing technological innovation and entrepreneurship, Armenia values the potential of using technology in education. My goal is to actively contribute to modern technological advancements in education to align with Armenia's progressive tech ecosystem. 

So, I applied and was admitted to do a one-year master’s in Education and Technology at University College London (UCL) ranking number one for education studies in the past 11 years. My degree focuses on AI in education, design thinking, and learning design for blended and online education which I believe are the future of education worldwide. These practices will transform Armenia into a global innovator in education.

About me

As a young specialist from a small town, my attention was always drawn to the regions of Armenia leading to my journey at Ayb High School, where I had the opportunity to teach hundreds of gifted students from across the country. I implemented project-based learning during my three years there to make language learning more engaging and effective. While working at Ayb School, I was also involved in the Ani project by AGBU, which focused on enhancing English language skills in rural communities. Ultimately, I was invited to work at the Children of Armenia Foundation's after-school program, teaching children aged 11-18 from village communities, many of whom had limited exposure to technology. Alongside my teaching and content development responsibilities, I also coordinated several summer camps and contributed to developing an educational app benefiting over 500 children from rural areas.

Embracing my passion for new technologies in education, I designed a training program on integrating modern technologies into teaching English at Armenian universities. This led to becoming a course designer and evaluator at Teach for Armenia, where I taught subject teachers about learning management systems and building digital content. 

Despite working in higher education now, I remain dedicated to maximizing the potential of rural Armenian youth. To this end, I joined the AGBU young professionals community as a steering committee member to redirect young talent from Yerevan to the regions and launch regional projects. I developed a non-formal education program to empower regional children through non-formal webinars on topics relevant today. This initiative demonstrates my commitment to transforming the educational landscape in my homeland.

My Plans

In Armenia, education technology is growing but remains underdeveloped. Schools often lack modern infrastructure and digital resources. There's a significant need for updated technological tools, teacher training in digital skills, and integration of AI to personalize learning. So, after gaining my master's in Education and Technology, I plan to:

• Create training programs for teachers and faculty to effectively use digital tools, online platforms, and AI-based learning systems.
• Introduce AI-driven educational platforms that provide personalized learning experiences, adapt to individual student needs, and offer real-time feedback.
• Develop e-learning platforms that offer a wide range of online courses, digital textbooks, and interactive resources accessible to all students.
• Revolutionize secondary and higher education with the help of research and application of technologies.
• Partner with different companies in Armenia and abroad, to turn Armenia into an AI and Tech hub

Armenia is at the forefront of innovation with the potential to become an AI and Tech hub, so universities, teachers, students, and even parents should embrace the changes that new technologies bring. We need not only tech professionals but also experts in education and technology, people who can teach and train students to prepare for a career in technology.

Highlights of my work

Feedback from my students has always pushed me forward to achieving new milestones and creating better experiences for them.

Thousands of teenagers in the regions of Armenia are left out of education opportunities, the development of soft skills, and career prospects. So together with AGBU Young Professionals, we started virtual training sessions with the children of the regions, sessions on topics relevant in the 21st century such as effective communication, business skills, employment rights, etc. Below are some of the sessions we have conducted, more is yet to come!

My Community Engagement

I love volunteering and giving back to my community, here are some of the projects I have been involved in:

• Rolan Film Festival
• Child Nutrition Foundation
• Eco activists of Yerevan (Green Green)
• AGBU Ani Project
• AGBU Christmas Program in the regions
• AGBU Support Artsakh Drive
• AGBU GLP Mentorship
• AGBU Young Professionals
• Children of the Regions
• Children of Armenia Fund
• AUA Student Conference
• etc.

Representing Armenia

Representing Armenia's potential in education and technology on an international stage is essential for attracting global partnerships and investments that can drive innovation and development. I am committed to showcasing the potential and the promise of Armenia as a competitive player in the global knowledge economy. I have represented Armenia in France, the UK, and Germany, demonstrating its potential in AI and tech in education and ultimately publishing some work too.

Support me... Support Armenia's Future

The latest developments in artificial intelligence show that companies working based on AI technologies will have huge economic opportunities in the next decade. Armenia needs scientists and educators who will be able to create the AI ​​models of the future and deliver this knowledge to students to lead in AI and tech worldwide.

So my mission of training young talents, educators, and tech enthusiasts of the future needs your support now.

You can support me via the reArmenia platform or

AMERIABANK ANAHIT HAKOBYAN

Account number

AMD: 1570067457210200

USD: 1570075704177001

RUB: 1570061424084258

Access the full budget of my studies here

View the official acceptance letter from the university here

I appreciate every bit of your contribution. Thank you!