Today Orange Armenia CEO Bruno Duthoit met students of Yerevan State University in the IT Center of the University. The purpose of the meeting was to meet the best students and answer to the questions concerning the Orange Innovation Prize. Orange launched one month ago the Innovation prize for the students of Yerevan State University or State Engineering University of Armenia (Polytechnic), including the regional branches of both Universities. The author of the best innovative idea, selected at during the contest, will travel to France for a 6-months paid internship in one of Orange research and development laboratories and work on innovative projects. Bruno Duthoit, Orange Armenia CEO, said: « I have met a lot of talented young people in Armenia who can be the author of brilliant ideas if they are encouraged and supproted. Orange Armenia is a part of a big international Group and we want to give these young people the chance to try themselves and improve their knowlegde in one of the numerous R&D centers of the Group. I am sure that the winner will come back to Armenia as a ready specialist and will be useful for his university as for the country.» The rectors of the two Universities have welcomed this initiative by Orange and supported the organization of the contest, especially considering the importance of the perspectives and opportunities for Armenian students of executing internships at Orange Labs, as well as the acquisition of new skills for the students preparing themselves for scientific research. Students can participate in the contest by registering on the special page created on the official website of Orange Armenia before April 20 and by sending their project and CV. The Jury composed of 11 mebmers out of which 7 are Armenian and foreign specialsits of Orange Armenia, 2 are Orange Labs and Technocenter representatives and 2 representatives of YSU and SEUA, will evaluate the submitted ideas by the following criteria: innovative, interesting, useful and user-friendly. The idea should relate to telecommunications sphere (network and engineering, software and new solutions for mobile technologies, IT applications, devices and etc.) and be presented in the English or French languages, necessary for an internship in France. The name of the author of the best project will be announced on May 20th,, on Orange Armenia website. For more information about the participation in the contest please visit www.orangearmenia.am/innovation-prize/. Yerevan, April 5, 2011

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