The Armenian government has approved a new concept for the Academic City on the northwestern outskirts of Yerevan. The project will cover approximately 700 hectares, including the territory of the Armenfilm film studio, and will become a comprehensive educational, scientific, and cultural center. The first phase of preparation will last until 2030 and includes land acquisition, infrastructure creation, and the formation of a basic urban planning environment, with active construction starting in 2027.
The city will be based on several clusters. The technology cluster will focus on engineering, programming, and applied development, while existing universities will remain as structural units. The arts cluster will unite specialized educational institutions, a concert hall, and the State Museum. The educational cluster will focus on teacher training, and the officer cluster will focus on training personnel for law enforcement agencies.
The scientific cluster will work with fundamental research in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, with the participation of the University of Cambridge being considered. The medical cluster will combine education and clinical practice based on the Yerevan Medical University. The master plan was developed by the German bureau gmp Architekten, the transport part by Systematica, and the financial sustainability of the project is analyzed by Ernst & Young. Full operation of the city is planned after 2034.