“The best geologists are shaped through fieldwork,” says Sargis Qelyan, Dean of YSU’s Faculty of Geography and Geology. Guided by this principle, Lydian Armenia has played a significant role in strengthening the practical education of the faculty’s students through its more than three-year partnership with Yerevan State University.
During the state final examination for undergraduate students majoring in Geology, held on May 12, 2026, at YSU’s Faculty of Geography and Geology, the Dean once again highlighted the distinctive nature of the profession and emphasized the increasing demand for highly skilled and competent specialists in the field.
“Geology is a profession with many distinctive features, and perhaps the most important of them is that training highly qualified specialists in this field is impossible without strong collaboration with industry partners,” he noted.
According to Sargis Qelyan, the partnership with “Lydian Armenia” is extensive and multifaceted. “Our cooperation began with professional internships for students. They undergo practical training at the company’s site, and the most outstanding students are later offered employment opportunities there. Today, around seven of our students already work at the company as geologists, earning competitive salaries while successfully balancing their studies and professional responsibilities. They spend 15 days working in the field and the next 15 days attending classes,” he noted.
Another important aspect of the cooperation with “Lydian Armenia” is the involvement of international experts in the faculty’s activities.
“YSU is currently undergoing the accreditation process for its educational programs, and we asked the company to engage foreign specialists who could evaluate the program and identify its weaknesses, helping us prepare for international accreditation,” the Dean explained.
Another significant area of cooperation is the recognition and encouragement of outstanding graduation projects and master’s theses through monetary awards granted by the Petros Aloyan foundation — a two-time State Prize laureate of the USSR and the Republic of Armenia, Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, and Professor. The initiative provides students with additional motivation to pursue academic excellence and high-quality research.
“As a result of this cooperation, the stereotype that geology is a difficult and poorly paid profession is also gradually changing. This is clearly reflected in this year’s admission figures. While three years ago we had only 3–4 applicants, this year we already have competition: 20 students applied for 15 available places. If this trend continues, we will apply to the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports to increase the number of allocated places.
Thanks to the support of our partners, students do not face tuition-related difficulties. Students from socially vulnerable backgrounds are not forced to leave the university, as their tuition fees are covered and scholarships are also provided to help meet their living expenses,” Sargis Qelyan noted.
Hayk Aloyan, Managing Director of Lydian Armenia, emphasized that over the past three years, nearly all major stakeholders in the mining industry have been investing in YSU’s Faculty of Geography and Geology, driven by the understanding that the development of the sector begins from education.
“Guided by the same approach, Lydian Armenia has also been making investments through specialized courses, master classes, and financial support programs, to bring new energy to the faculty and revitalize a field that had gradually declined after the 1990s and has only begun to recover over the past three to four years,” he noted.
According to the Managing Director of Lydian Armenia, the development of the sector holds special importance for him. Through both personal initiatives and the Petros Aloyan Educational Foundation, he continues to support the faculty, contributing to the delivery of high-quality education to the students.
“We also witnessed the results of our cooperation during today’s final examination. What the students presented today was not only impressive, but also educational and valuable even for experienced professionals in the field,” he added.
Among the students taking the final examination today were Vilen Ghazaryan and Tigran Poghosyan, both of whom already have more than six months of professional experience working at Lydian Armenia. Tigran Poghosyan was also awarded a prize by the Petros Aloyan Educational Foundation.
Tigran notes that his decision to pursue a career in geology was driven by personal motivation. “My uncle was a geologist, and when I was young, he often spoke to me about the profession and showed me different minerals. Over time, I became increasingly interested in and passionate about this field, which is often surrounded by myths and stereotypes that do not reflect reality. Our professional community may be small, but it is very united, and people genuinely support one another. I encourage young people to explore and choose the profession of geology,” he said.
According to Tigran, the mining industry is a strategic sector for both the global economy and Armenia’s economic development.
“During my time working at ‘Lydian Armenia,’ I had the opportunity to meet international specialists who shared their professional experience with us. I followed their work with great interest and learned a great deal from them,” he added.
Vilen Ghazaryan echoed his colleague’s thoughts. “Working at ‘Lydian’ has effectively allowed us to apply the knowledge we gained at the university in real-life conditions. No matter how well we study, applying that knowledge in practice is essential to fully understanding the profession. In this regard, ‘Lydian’ has provided us with a crucial bridge to hands-on professional experience,” he said.
Original interview: https://banks.am/am/news/articles/30692