TUMO was created with the purpose of providing learners worldwide with world-class education at no cost, and to do so in a way that fundamentally rethinks what learning can look like for teenagers. We believe that curiosity and potential are universal, and that every teen, regardless of background, geography, or financial means, deserves access to cutting-edge learning opportunities. That's why TUMO is free, open to all, and built on a model that removes barriers like entrance exams, fees, and rigid curricula.
We set out to create a different kind of learning environment, one where teens actively explore 21st-century skills across more than 14 technology and design learning areas, from animation and robotics to filmmaking and game development. Just as importantly, we wanted to equip learners with the self-confidence, motivation, and capacity to keep learning on their own, long after they leave the program.
TUMO was designed around a specific vision of what education can do for a young person: give them the technical fluency to work with the tools shaping modern industries, the soft skills to collaborate and communicate effectively, and the belief in their own potential to shape their futures. That combination of free access, hyper-personalized learning paths, and self-directed growth is what makes TUMO a distinctive contribution to the education landscape, and why we continue to expand the model to new communities across Armenia and around the world.
Students arrive at TUMO and begin with the TUMO Path, proprietary software that onboards them and helps them select from TUMO's 14 focus areas: Animation, Game Development, Filmmaking, Web Development, Music, Writing, Drawing, Graphic Design, 3D Modeling, Programming, Robotics, Motion Graphics, Photography, and GenAI. Based on those choices, the Path builds a personalized plan sequencing three interconnected layers within each chosen area.
Self-learning activities serve as short, interactive digital exercises tied to the student's focus areas, completed independently at their own pace with support from on-site learning coaches. These build core concepts and unlock the next layer.
Workshops are instructor-led, hands-on courses offered at beginner to advanced levels within each focus area. Each workshop culminates in a project published to the student's digital portfolio.
Learning labs are the advanced layer: time-bound programs within specific or multidisciplinary focus areas, led by local or international professionals, where students tackle real-world challenges alongside industry leaders in film, game design, and engineering.
Learners move through these layers at their own pace, deepening or changing focus areas as interests evolve. There are no grades, no exams, no diplomas; each student's work automatically populates their living digital portfolio. TUMO's "walk-away pedagogy" lets students change direction or step away, reinforcing that learning is consensual.
TUMO's growth has been organic and partnership-driven. From its first center in Yerevan that opened in 2011, the model has expanded to over 6 locations across Armenia and 20+ across Europe, the Americas, Asia, and the Middle East, with several more centers opening in 2026 and 2027.
Within Armenia, TUMO now operates six centers in Yerevan, Dilijan, Gyumri, Koghb, Kapan, and Yeghegnadzor. Additionally, more than 40 TUMO Boxes, which are mobile shipping container satellite hubs, bring self-learning access to rural communities.
Internationally, each center has opened through partnerships with municipalities, governments, and foundations. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo initiated the first international center after visiting TUMO in Yerevan, TUMO Berlin launched through a KfW partnership, TUMO Los Angeles was supported by California state funding and the City of Los Angeles, and TUMO Gunma in Japan opened with Gunma Prefecture, to name a few examples.
We currently have 21 centers open internationally, outside of Armenia. The TUMO Path software, the three-layer pedagogy, and the 14 learning targets provide a replicable core, while each center is embedded in its own architectural and cultural context.
In November 2025, TUMO was awarded first place and $500,000 USD in the WISE Prize for Education, one of education's most prestigious global awards, out of 427 applications worldwide.
Since launching in 2011, TUMO has continuously evolved its core program while expanding into adjacent initiatives.
The 14 learning targets have continually evolved with the digital landscape, most recently with the addition of GenAI, not only as a subject to study, but also as a tool to teach AI through AI. The latest addition was the GenAI Colearner platform - an AI-driven custom self-learning platform where learners complete dynamic, conversational activities alongside their own virtual peer, Colo. When students get stuck, Colo gets stuck; when they figure something out, they teach Colo. Students and Colo take turns leading and following, advancing under an AI coach that verifies each stage.
TUMO Studios, launched in 2017, extended the model to university-aged students and young professionals, combining Armenia's traditional craftsmanship, jewelry, ceramics, wood, and stone carving, with contemporary design thinking.
The TUMO Box, introduced in 2019, was a significant infrastructural innovation: a mobile, shipping-container-based satellite hub that extends the self-learning layer of the program to rural communities. Over 40 TUMO Boxes now operate in Armenia.
TUMO Labs, launched in 2020 in partnership with the EU, brings applied science and engineering education to students aged 18 and over, including through 42 Yerevan (the Armenian branch of the École 42 network), cybersecurity training, and incubation programs in EdTech, GreenTech, HealthTech, and AgriTech.
For teenagers: If you live near a TUMO center, registration is open to all teens aged 12–18 at no cost. Check our digital presence to find the nearest center and sign up. No entrance exams, no academic requirements.
For cities and municipalities: TUMO's model is designed to be replicated. If you are a city official, educational institution, or foundation interested in bringing TUMO to your community, reach out to explore a partnership. Every TUMO center has been established through collaboration with a local partner, typically a municipality, government body, or foundation, through a franchising model.
For educators and researchers: TUMO's pedagogical approach – voluntary participation, self-directed learning, portfolio-based assessment, and the "walk-away pedagogy" – is available for study and collaboration. TUMO welcomes dialogue with researchers and educators interested in non-formal, learner-centered models.
All inquiries can be directed to info@tumo.org
