Orange Armenia launches internship award for university students

Armenia's leading mobile operator, Orange Armenia, has launched an award contest for university students.

The Innovation Prize 2011 award will be offered to students from the Yerevan State University and the State Engineering University (including regional branches).

The author of the best innovative idea will be given a chance to travel to France for a six-months paid internship in one of Orange research and development laboratories.

"Armenian students have a great potential, desire and knowledge to generate new ideas. The only thing they lack is a chance to become authors of a project," said orange CEO Bruno Duthoit.

"Orange Armenia is a part of a big international Group and our activity in Armenia will give a privilege to Armenian students to improve their knowledge in one of the numerous R&D centers of the Group. I am sure that the winner will come back to Armenia as a prepared specialist and will be useful for his university, as well as for the country."

Both universities' rectors hailed the initiative, highlighting the importance of internship opportunities for Armenian students in Orange Labs.

Students can apply for the contest by registering online by April 25 and sending their project together with a curriculum vitae.

A jury composed of 11 mebmers (seven Armenia and four foreign specialists) and lecturers from the Yerevan State and Engineering universities will evaluate their work.

The author of the most interesting, useful and user-friendly project concerning the telecommunications sector (network and engineering, software and new solutions for mobile technologies, IT applications, devices and etc.) will be recognized a prize winner.

The winner's name will be published on Orange Armenia website on May 20.