LSI Concludes First Phase of Collaborative Online International Learning Project in Armenia
Tallahassee, Fla. – Florida State University is continuing work on a U.S. Department of State-funded grant to enhance entrepreneurship education in Armenia in partnership with the Armenian State University of Economics (ASUE). The Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship and the Learning Systems Institute (LSI) at Florida State University (FSU) are collaborating on the implementation of the project, which is led by Principal Investigator Dr. Susana Santos.
One of the early achievements on the project was the establishment of the S2I2 Entrepreneurship Center, a business incubator established at ASUE as part of the project being led by FSU. The center concluded its first semester of operation in December of 2025.
Among the activities to mark the milestone was a presentation on the first phase of COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning), which was led by project co- director Dr. Vilma Fuentes and developed with strong multimedia support from Robert Lengancher, an associate in research at LSI. The COIL project was implemented in collaboration with Dr. Juliana Binhote, Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship at FSU, and Hermine Poghsyan, marketing lecturer at ASUE.
"In its very first semester of operation, the S2I2 Entrepreneurship Center proved that the combination of international experience and efforts aimed at developing local potential can foster a new generation of entrepreneurs with knowledge, ideas and the potential for real success," said Grisha Amirkhanyan, Head of the Professional Development and Innovation Division at ASUE. "S2I2 intends to become Armenia's leading university entrepreneurial education platform and will host 'idea-to-business' programs, new educational initiatives, skills development courses for lecturers, open classes, workshops and new formats of cooperation with private companies will be organized."
The event also included business presentations by ten teams that participated in the joint learning through COIL. Eco Points was recognized for its innovative solution that makes waste and plastic sorting rewarding, engaging and accessible.
"Our COIL project is already promoting entrepreneurial thinking through design thinking and virtual collaboration between American and Armenian students," said Fuentes. "The business presentations at S212 were an indicator of the progress we have made through the first phase of COIL."
S2I2 is already preparing programs for 2026, which will include more dynamic educational initiatives, training, and open classes for aspiring entrepreneurs, as ASUE continues its mission to promote innovative education in STEM and social entrepreneurship, making it accessible to ASUE students.
"Your success is the success of our university," ASUE Rector Armen Grigoryan told the group. "Have confidence in your abilities, think globally, develop courage, and go to win, whether in Armenia or beyond its borders. If dozens of students with this mindset enter the labor market every year, we will have a stronger society. Go and inspire your classmates as well, so that there are more 'door-opening' people here."
LSI strives to lead the way in creating innovative educational solutions that seamlessly connect theory with practice. Through advanced research, we develop industry-leading methods and implementation strategies to enhance systematic learning at all levels and in all environments. For more than five decades, LSI has been committed to driving measurable improvements in the performance of both individuals and organizations.