President Sarkissian: Fraunhofer may become a good partner for Armenia

President Armen Sarkissian and Mrs. Nouneh Sarkissian visited today the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology (Fraunhofer IPK) which is specializing in developing innovative technological solutions for the entire spectrum of production processes.

The Institute is also implementing research programs aimed at the development of innovative ideas. Fraunhofer IPK has over seventy scietific and research centers and is working in a number of countries.

Since 2016, Fraunhofer IPK is cooperating with the Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts – Matenadaran, in the framework of the program on digitalization and vitrual restoration of ancient and medieval manuscripts. In 2017, the works on the digitalizaiton and restoration of Narek prayer book manuscript of 13-14 centuries commenced.

Accompanied by the Director of the Institute Eckart Uhlmann, President Sarkissian and Mrs. Sarkissian toured the Production Technologies experimental hall and familiarized with the activities of the establishment. It was noted that this valuable manuscript was torn and in a rather bad condition, some of the pages missing. Thanks to a unique technology, the missing pages were virtually restored and pieces were digitalized.

At the meeting, discussed were also opportunities for future cooperation with Armenia. The leadership of the Fraunhofer IPK informed that they were interested in carrying out projects in Armenia and noted that they had some ideas regarding colaboration related to the areas of information and high technologies, automated systems, robotics, and others.

President Sarkissian stressed the importance of expanding the Institute's activities in Armenia. ''Fraunhofer IPK staff members have already had meetings in the Armenian government, and there is a preliminary agreement on new cooperation. It relates not only to Matenadaran, it is also about industrial cooperation,'' President Sarkissian said in his conversation with journalists and noted that Fraunhofer may become a good partner for Armenia while the future programs may promote the development of the Armenian industry and production.