$400,000 spent on Academic City promotion with no clear metrics

By Elen Muradyan

Armenia has spent around $400,000 on public outreach for its planned Academic City project, the investigative outlet Hetq reported on Thursday, raising new questions about priorities as concerns persist over the initiative’s feasibility and vision.

The funding was used for a nationwide awareness campaign that included public meetings, media production, and online promotion. More than 17,000 people attended events held in 14 cities, while related content generated over one million views across social platforms.

According to Hetq’s report, the campaign was implemented through private contractors, including a company established in 2020 that has received multiple government-linked contracts. Additional agreements worth hundreds of millions of drams were also signed for organizing conferences and public engagement activities.

The outreach effort comes as the government continues to promote the Academic City, a multi-billion-dollar project aimed at consolidating universities and research institutions into a single campus outside Yerevan.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan first unveiled the plan in 2022, saying Armenia’s higher education system lacks competitiveness and requires reform. The project envisions merging several state universities into a campus designed for up to 50,000 people, with completion targeted around 2030.

Critics have questioned both the concept and its implementation. Experts say key elements of the plan — including budget clarity and implementation stages — remain undefined.

Also read: Ambitious Academic City project raises concerns over feasibility and vision

Some specialists warn that concentrating Armenia’s academic system in one location could create structural risks and isolate institutions from society. Others point to limited consultation with universities and weak public engagement beyond formal outreach efforts.

Hetq’s findings add to the debate, highlighting significant spending on promotion before core questions about the project’s design, governance, and long-term impact have been resolved.

Despite the government’s efforts to build support, participation in some discussions has remained low, suggesting that awareness campaigns may not be translating into broader public engagement.