Interest in science on the rise in Armenia

The interest in science has been steadily growing in Armenia, with many initiatives and conferences taking place to showcase the sector’s appeal and career opportunities for the youth.  

The government’s increased care and attention for the sector has been lauded by many scientists themselves.

The Pashinyan Administration has been increasing science funding over the past few years. In 2023, compared to 2018, science funding grew over 150%, and over 180% in 2024.

The Council for Development of Science and Technologies under the Prime Minister is working to restore the once high international reputation of Armenian scientific potential.

Historian and genocide scholar Suren Manukyan pointed out the positive change in the state’s attitude for the sector.

“I think we should talk about science all the time on every possible occasion,” Manukyan told Armenpress during the recent Gituzh conference. Gituzh ( Power of Science) is an initiative that was formed in 2021 with a mission to empower Armenia through science and technology.

“In this regard all events pertaining to science and promotion of science are important, especially since the public starts to address any given issue when that topic becomes public narrative,” he added.

The scientist expressed regret that for many years science had been neglected in the country. Very few people wanted to work in science, because the sector had become unpopular and unappealing.

“I highly value the work of Gituzh, which has a mission to restore the Armenian society’s interest in science. Science is again becoming open, accessible, public, and people start to realize how important and interesting it is,” he said, expressing optimism in the future generation of talents.

Asked whether he sees a positive change in the attitude towards science, Manukyan said, “I can notice it. The perceptions about the image of a scientist have also changed. There was a very bad stereotype in the past about scientists, as if they are strange people who are unable to make a living. That stereotype had developed in the first post-Soviet years. But now it is obvious that working in science has become appealing and reputable. Certainly, this mostly pertains to technical and natural sciences, but I hope that with time we will value and realize the importance of social sciences too.”

He said there’s also been more interest from the private sector for exact sciences and technical sciences.

“For example, in case of the Yerevan State University we see that many companies have been sponsoring various science branches and research and are trying to involve promising students in their work,” the historian added, expressing hope that the interest will also grow for social sciences.

“Now even the major tech companies are involving historians and philosophers in their staff because they realize that their inventions and innovations won’t have value without humanization, without instilling spirit and meaning in them, also moral meaning. In this regard I think change should happen in Armenia too, and our companies must eventually realize that it is highly important to give a meaning to their own work," he said. 

Full interview available in Armenian version.