Within the framework of the Erasmus+ LISS24 project, the two-day Eastern Partnership Countries International B2B Sales Student Competition brought together the best students from leading technological universities in Armenia and Georgia. The competition aimed to strengthen participants' sales, business negotiation, and communication skills by providing them with the opportunity to compete in an environment closely resembling real business practice.

The participating teams represented the National Polytechnic University of Armenia (NPUA), the National University of Architecture and Construction of Armenia (NUACA), the Armenian National Agrarian University (ANAU), the Georgian Technical University (GTU), the Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University (BSU), and the Akaki Tsereteli State University (ATSU). Each university was represented by a delegation consisting of three students and one coach.

In line with the objectives of the LISS24 project, a realistic business environment was created with the participation of representatives from Civitta International and Ameriabank, allowing students to apply their theoretical knowledge in practice.

On the first day, participants competed in three parallel qualifying rounds. Students assumed the role of sales representatives, while industry professionals acted as buyers, evaluating each performance according to 11 standardized assessment criteria. Based on the qualifying results, the top eight participants advanced to the final round, where they once again demonstrated their sales strategies and negotiation skills.

According to the jury's decision, the winners were:

First Prize – Tigran Stepanyan (National University of Architecture and Construction of Armenia) Second Prize – Elene Kobalia (Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University) Third Prize – Anna Aleksanyan (National Polytechnic University of Armenia)

According to Ruben Aghgashyan, LISS24 Project Coordinator and Honorary Professor at NPUA, this competition was held in the region for the first time and has already proven to be a successful initiative.

"Although only three participants received prizes, I consider every participant a winner. The competition was organized entirely according to European standards. The experience gained from last year's university-level competition and this year's international event has convinced us that both the B2B Sales Competition and the Innovation Ideas Competition should evolve into nationwide initiatives. The B2B Sales Competition is one of the best examples of how students can be immersed in a real business environment while developing practical skills through international cooperation."

Third-prize winner Anna Aleksanyan, an NPUA student, noted that participating in the competition gave her the opportunity to discover her potential in a new professional field.

"I decided to participate in the B2B Sales Competition because I wanted to challenge myself not only as a logistics specialist but also as a sales professional. I successfully passed the first stage, and in the international competition I reached the final and won a prize. This was not only a valuable learning experience but also an excellent opportunity to build professional connections and communicate with representatives of companies where we may have employment opportunities in the future."

Another NPUA student and competition participant, Diana Barbaryan, described this year's event as a continuation of her previous experience.

"Last year I participated in the university's training course and competition but did not win a prize. That experience motivated me to work on my weaknesses. When I had the opportunity to participate again this year, I saw it as a new challenge and a chance to demonstrate how much I had improved."

All participants received certificates of participation, while the winners were awarded prizes.