Knowledge, competition, and new opportunities: YSU School Olympiad results announced

The YSU Student Olympiad is more than a competition. It is an opportunity for high school students and college students to test their knowledge, discover their abilities, explore the university environment, and take a more confident step toward making academic and professional choices.

Congratulating the participants, YSU Rector Hovhannes Hovhannisyan said: "Regardless of who won prize places, all those who dared to participate in the olympiad are already winners."

According to the rector, in today's world, success requires not only deep knowledge in a single field but also the ability to integrate different disciplines.

"Today's education system encourages and values an interdisciplinary approach. In the modern world, it is impossible to achieve complete success in the natural sciences without the thinking patterns and value systems provided by the humanities. The humanities shape imagination, critical and analytical thinking, and cultural-linguistic sensitivity, all of which are essential not only in the social sciences but also in technological and scientific fields. It is this interconnectedness that fosters innovation, creativity, and the sustainable development of science," Hovhannisyan noted.

He also highlighted the active participation of students from Armenia's provinces, emphasizing the role of teachers in supporting student success.

YSU Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Elina Asriyan spoke not only about achievements, but also about the importance of a fulfilling educational environment. 

"Achievements are truly important, but it is even more important to be happy. Happiness is when you do what you love and are in an environment where you can freely create, think, and ask questions. Yerevan State University provides exactly that opportunity," she said, stressing that the university strives to offer a safe and creative environment for every young person.

This year's YSU Student Olympiad stood out both for unprecedented participation and for new formats. A total of 1,482 participants registered, marking a significant increase compared to previous years, while the number of subjects grew from 12 to 17.

The olympiad was held in a two-stage format. The first round took place online, while the second was held at Yerevan State University with the participation of top-performing students.

One of the key innovations was the full digitalization of the first round. Participants accessed the YSU e-learning platform and completed their tasks online, gaining direct exposure to the university's digital academic environment.

According to Ani Avetisyan, Director of the YSU Center for Admissions and Affairs with Applicants, this year's results demonstrate continuously growing interest in the olympiad.

"Compared to previous years, the number of participants was unprecedented. The digital system not only simplified the process but also allowed participants to experience the university's digital learning environment," she said.

Throughout the event, the importance of science, critical thinking, and boldness in the modern world was emphasized.

According to Associate Professor Nvard Melkonyan from the YSU Chair of Social Work and Social Technologies, olympiads are not only about testing knowledge.

"Olympiads are about character, self-overcoming, discipline, and the ability to ask questions and seek answers. Only such individuals can change society, advance science, and build a stronger state," she said.

Head of the Chair of Human and Animal Morphology and Physiology at the YSU Faculty of Biology, Anna Karapetyan, also emphasized the interdisciplinary nature of science, noting that the future belongs to those who can think across fields.

"A good specialist today is not someone who knows only one subject. The modern world requires the ability to integrate knowledge from different fields, analyze it, and generate new ideas," she noted.

For many participants, the olympiad also served as their first real experience of university life.

Meri Martirosyan, an 11th-grade student from Goris Secondary School No. 4 and a prize winner in the French language olympiad, said she had long wanted to study at YSU and that the olympiad brought her closer to that goal.

Her classmate Anahit Minasyan also emphasized the impact of the university environment on her decision.

"I really liked the atmosphere, the building, and the attitude of people at the university. All of this gives confidence, so I want to continue my studies here," she said.

The YSU Student Olympiad continues to serve as an important platform where knowledge becomes opportunity, competition becomes motivation, and early achievements mark the beginning of a larger academic journey.

By decision of the YSU Academic Council, students who win first, second, or third place in school and supplementary education subjects at the olympiad will be eligible for tuition fee compensation scholarships if admitted to tuition-based programs at the university. The scholarships will cover 50%, 40%, and 30% of tuition fees respectively for the first academic year.