Higher education in Armenia adopting AI and digital technologies: Students' experiences and perspectives

Gayane Tovmasyan
Armenian State University of Economics, Public Administration Academy of the RA, Yerevan State University and Brusov State University, Armenia

This paper explores the impact of digital technologies and artificial intelligence on higher education from the perspective of students at four Armenian universities. Data from in-depth interviews with 200 students and focus group discussions highlight how digital platforms and AI tools are used for academic purposes, assess student satisfaction, and identify challenges. Findings show that 83.5% of students believe their academic performance improved through digital and AI tools, with platforms like ChatGPT widely adopted. Despite this, gaps persist, including limited digital skills training and insufficient AI integration at universities. Most students predict a significant impact of AI on education in the next five years but do not want AI to replace human teachers. The study reveals significant associations between digital tool usage frequency, AI's influence on academic performance, and students' ikelihood to recommend these tools. Students appreciate the benefits of increased accessibility and personalised learning but raise concerns about technical issues, data privacy, and reduced human interaction. The study highlights the need for further integration of AI-driven tools such as AI-assisted teaching, chatbots for 24/7 support, virtual labs, augmented reality tools, and AI-based mental health monitoring. These insights can guide universities in enhancing education through digital and AI technologies.
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Author: Dr Gayane Tovmasyan holds a PhD in economics and is an Associate Professor working as a Senior Researcher at AMBERD Research Center, Armenian State University of Economics. She is also a lecturer at the Public Administration Academy of the Republic of Armenia, Yerevan State University and Brusov State University. Her research interests are management, economics, education, and tourism. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4131-6322 Email: tovmasyangayane@yahoo.com Please cite as: Tovmasyan, G. (2025). Higher education in Armenia adopting AI and digital technologies: Students' experiences and perspectives. Issues in Educational Research, 35(2), 798-817. http://www.iier.org.au/iier35/tovmasyan.pdf