The first National Student Cyber Exercise of Armenia was launched as part of "CyberMonth-2025". Students from Yerevan State University secured top positions in the first phase of the competition, demonstrating their professional skills and extensive knowledge.
Opening remarks were delivered by Gevorg Mantashyan, First Deputy Minister of High-Tech Industry of the Republic of Armenia, and Nerses Yeritsyan, Director of the Information Systems Agency of Armenia. They emphasized the crucial role of cyber exercises, particularly among students, noting that the development of cybersecurity capabilities begins with education. According to them, this is why the organizers focus on creating real cyber scenario environments for students through such exercises. They added that these competitions help students acquire practical skills and apply their knowledge in real cyber situations, equipping them to solve complex challenges in life.
Addressing the students, Nerses Yeritsyan highlighted that one should not fear failure, as it is a natural part of life. He stressed the importance of continuous effort to enhance knowledge, gain experience, collaborate with field professionals, and pursue personal growth.
The cyber exercise comprises two stages: individual and team competitions. Sixty participants represented various Armenian universities, including Yerevan State University, National Polytechnic University of Armenia, American University of Armenia, and the Russian-Armenian University, among others. YSU students were supported during the exercise by Narine Martirosyan, a lecturer at the Faculty of Informatics and Applied Mathematics.
In the individual competition, the first place was awarded to YSU Informatics and Applied Mathematics student Zhenya Mirzoyan, who achieved a perfect score of 10,000 points. Two other YSU representatives also advanced to the team phase: Adelina Zakharyan, who placed 6th with 9,000 points, and Arshak Zatikyan, who placed 22nd with 5,000 points.
From the participants who successfully passed the first phase, six teams of five students each were formed. The team phase will take place in November this year, ultimately selecting Armenia's national student cyber team. This team will represent Armenia in the European Cybersecurity Challenge (ECSC) in 2026.
We congratulate our students—Zhenya Mirzoyan, Adelina Zakharyan, and Arshak Zatikyan—for their outstanding results and professional skills, wishing them continued success in the field of cybersecurity.
It is worth noting that "CyberMonth-2025" and the related events are organized with the support of the Ministry of High-Tech Industry of the Republic of Armenia.
