Across Armenia, high school students are no longer just using technology—they are creating it. The STEP.ai Artificial Intelligence Educational Program reached a major milestone during the 2025–2026 academic year as its very first cohort completed the full three-year course.
Initiated and developed by AGBU Silicon Valley, the AGBU Armenian Virtual College (AVC), Synopsys Armenia, and the Union of Employers of Information and Communication Technologies (UEICT) with funding from the Synopsys Foundation, STEP.ai is transforming standard classrooms into hubs of innovation.
The learning path progresses through a three-stage curriculum: 10th-grade Python and AI basics, 11th-grade Machine Learning, and 12th-grade Natural Language Processing and Robotics.
Following its accreditation by the RA Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport as a three-year elective, STEP.ai empowered 172 students across 15 high schools during the 2025–2026 school year. Five online and 22 onsite instructors guided students through theoretical modules, coding assignments, and capstone group projects.
"When we were first deciding to participate, the major AI revolution had already taken place, and all of us were curious about what it actually was and how it worked," says Diana Mirzoyan, a program graduate from Eurnekian High School in Etchmiadzin.
Her classmate Nina Yazhyan agrees: "The program gave us knowledge and experience, and opened up major opportunities to apply what we learned in practice."
Reflecting on the experience of the past three years, Eurnekian High School Principal Susanna Vardanyan notes: "Great effort and a tremendous amount of work have been invested, and I am very happy that today’s generation has the opportunity to step into the world better prepared."
High School N112 in Yerevan was among the first to join the program back in 2022. "There were discussions and concerns, but we were driven by a determination and belief that this was a very important program for meeting 21st-century challenges, so we gave it a start," says Ovsanna Karamyan, the school principal.
For school graduate Astghik Nalbanyan, STEP.ai provided not only technical knowledge, but also a shift in mindset. "I learned how to use [AI] correctly, how to apply it, and it also helped guide my career choice," she says.
The journey continues into the 2026–2027 academic year. By decree of the RA Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, "STEP ai - Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics" has been approved as a compulsory subject for 10th-grade students.
Leveraging AVC’s years of expertise in e-learning, the online lessons are being upgraded to include integrated AI assistants and AI-powered tools, further enhancing the learning experience and preparing students for future tech careers.
