Guided by the motto "Science for Citizens, Citizens for Science - Facing Challenges, Shaping Futures" on May 10 the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia (NAS RA) presented the ERNA ("European Researchers' Night in Armenia") project at the Europe Day exhibition held in Freedom Square in Yerevan.

The ERNA ("European Researchers' Night in Armenia") project of NAS RA has been selected for funding under the MSCA & Citizens 2025 call launched by the European Commission. 

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) is the European Union’s leading initiative in doctoral education and postdoctoral training. MSCA celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2026.

Since 1996, the program has played an important role in the development of research and innovation by supporting more than 150,000 researchers, including 23 Nobel Prize laureates.

The program has become one of the pillars of the European research system and a symbol of scientific excellence, promoting mobility across disciplines, sectors, and countries, as well as attracting and developing top talent.

The partners of the ERNA project are the Higher Education and Science Committee of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia, the "Scientific and Innovation Partnership Assistance Center" Foundation, the "Armbiotechnology" Scientific and Production Center, and the "Enterprise Incubator Foundation".

Within the framework of the project, the large-scale science popularization events "European Researchers' Night" and "Researchers at Schools” will be held in Armenia for the first time during 2026–2027. The goal is to bring science and researchers closer to society and demonstrate the role of science in our everyday lives.

ERNA invites people to discover science in an engaging way, understand how research contributes to solving societal challenges, and get acquainted with the people behind scientific discoveries.

Armenian researchers who had participated in MSCA programs also took part in the Europe Day exhibition.

The participants were welcomed by the Ambassador of the European Union to Armenia, Vassilis Maragos, and the Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia, Robert Abisoghomonyan.

The EU Ambassador noted that Europe Day symbolizes unity, cooperation, and peace. He emphasized that the EU-Armenia partnership is based on shared values that form the foundation of a just and prosperous society. He also highlighted the strong partnership with the Government and people of Armenia, evidenced by the recent European Political Community Summit held in Yerevan.This year, Europe Day in Armenia is being celebrated under the slogan "Armenia-EU: Closer Than Ever".

Robert Abisoghomonyan stated that today Armenia and the European Union are closer than ever in terms of political dialogue, economic cooperation, and the growing and strengthening ties between people.