RoA President Serzh Sargsyan met today with students who have received scholarships from the "Luys Foundation" to continue their studies at top colleges and universities abroad. Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan was also on hand to congratulate the students on their achievements. Pointing out that such a funding program has been the dream of deserving students for many years, President Sargsyan said, "Today, such a dream has become a reality and the government not only declares the importance of getting a higher education but is now assisting with its funding. You are the first students to receive scholarships from the "Luys Foundation" who have been accepted at 25 top foreign colleges. I am sure that your example will encourage others to follow and that many more Armenian students will go on to continue their education at some of the world's top institutions." President Sargsyan stated that one of the functions of the government is to ensure a quality higher education for all its deserving citizens and that in this respect there are two paths of development. One is the work carried out by organizations like "Luys" to fund deserving students and that the other is to improve the level of higher education in Armenia and bring it up to international standards. Mentioning that Armenians have historically valued the obtainment of knowledge, President Sargsyan pointed to the example of Mesrop Mashtots, saying, "Then too, we must remember that after creating the Armenian alphabet, Mesrop Mashtots sent his first students to the four corners of the world with the mission to acquire knowledge and bring it back to Armenia. I can say without exaggeration that our students, who go abroad and then return, are doing the same. We all know that in the 21st century, a low level of education also means having a low standard of living." President Sargsyan also stated that Armenia presently suffers from a shortage of quality professionals and that there is a great demand for young professionals who can translate their education into practical usage.