YEREVAN, Armenia, October 10, 2011 -- Synopsys, Inc. (Nasdaq:SNPS), a world leader in software and IP used in the design, verification and manufacture of electronic components and systems, today announced that 46 Master’s degree and 45 Bachelor’s degree students from Synopsys’ Armenia Educational Department’s (SAED) partners State Engineering University of Armenia (SEUA) and Yerevan State University (YSU) have successfully completed the Synopsys educational program and now stand ready to begin professional engineering careers.

During the commencement ceremony, Dr. Chi-Foon Chan, president and chief operating officer at Synopsys, recognized the achievement of the graduates and conferred Synopsys Certificates of Achievement upon each graduate. Ara Avetisyan, Armenian National Academy of Science associate member and SEUA rector, and Aram Simonyan, Armenian National Academy of Science associate member and YSU rector, conferred diplomas for their universities. Eight RAU graduates were awarded Synopsys Certificates of Recognition for their proficiency with Synopsys software tools.

This year the Commencement Ceremony takes place in conjunction with the celebration of the 10th year anniversary of SAED and of the SEUA Microelectronic Circuits and Systems Interfaculty Chair located on the SAED premises. Established in 2001, the Chair’s mission is to implement the new educational model of ‘industry-university’ cooperation to train students to become highly qualified in the fields of very large scale integration (VLSI) design and electronic design automation (EDA), and to become well equipped to meet the highest international engineering standards. In 2004 the Chair, as a part of SAED, became a member of the Synopsys worldwide university program.

In 10 years, SAED has provided the industry with 373 highly skilled engineers including 360 with Bachelor’s degrees, 292 of which went on to earn their Master’s degrees. twelve of those students continued on to earn their PhD degrees and successfully defended their PhD theses. Currently, 67 percent of all graduates have been hired by Synopsys Armenia, accounting for 35 percent of Synopsys Armenia employees, and the rest have found jobs with prestigious IT employers within Armenia.

SAED provides students with a world-class education, offering all the necessary components of a recognized education system: a comprehensive curriculum adopted by prestigious universities, both in-country and worldwide; Synopsys’ state-of-the-art, industry-leading electronic design automation software and Educational Design Kits; highly qualified and experienced faculty; and a modern technical infrastructure and environment.

“Synopsys believes it’s important to help prepare the future workforce for Armenia’s growing high-tech industry,” said Dr. Chan. “I congratulate those graduates who benefitted from the industry-university model of cooperation. We trust they have received a world-class education through this educational approach and can work as highly skilled, industry-ready specialists.”

“I congratulate the graduates of this unique educational model and express my gratitude to Synopsys for its cooperation with SEUA to mentor our graduates and expose them to state-of-the-art technology,” said Mr. Avetisyan. “I believe our graduates are forward-thinking. Coupled with their acquired skills and capabilities, they can be instrumental in shaping and supporting the progess of the IT industry in the Republic of Armenia.”

“YSU is pleased to cooperate with Synopsys, an industry leader which continuously invests in the higher education of students across Armenia,” said Mr. Simonyan. “This cooperation helps us prepare young engineers to meet the highest international engineering standards.”

“Commencement is one of the most meaningful days of the year for me. Today, 91 students have proven themselves exceptional, and are moving onto the next phase of their lives,” said Rich Goldman, chief executive officer of Synopsys Armenia CJSC, and vice president of corporate marketing and strategic alliances at Synopsys. “We are filled with optimism to see our graduates obtain meaningful and rewarding employment at Synopsys and at other technology companies in Armenia. These graduates are helping build a vital and expanding high-tech economy in Armenia.”

“Ten year of analysis of the “Industry - University” cooperation model jointly developed by SAED and SEUA is unequivocal evidence of its high effectiveness, since it enables industry-ready professionals from the first day of graduation,” said Sc.D. Professor Vazgen Melikyan, honorable scientist of RA, director of the Synopsys Armenia educational department and head of SEUA’s Microelectronic Circuits and Systems Interfaculty Chair since its establishment. “Summarizing this experience helps us envision new ways for further development of the applied model.”

In her valedictory speech today, Hasmik Osipyan, a 2011 Master’s degree program graduate and a current employee of Synopsys Armenia said, “Today is a significant day for us and I would like to congratulate everybody with this great celebration. Thanks to our work and lecturers’ efforts, we have achieved our dream and earned industry-recognized honorary degrees that will help us to reach new achievements and success. On behalf of the students, I would like to thank the management and lecturers of SAED. With your help today we have found our place in this life and have taken part in world achievement. Thank you for guiding us, inspiring us and making us what we are today. The knowledge that you have given us will guide us throughout our life. We will always be thankful to you for all the hard work and effort you have expended educating us.”

About the “Industry-University” Educational Model

In the first years of the Bachelor’s degree program, students obtain a basic education in mathematics, physics and other scientific disciplines at their chosen university. The top-performing students are then selected by Synopsys technical experts and professors for enrollment in the SAED program. Further education in the Bachelor’s program, Master’s program and Ph.D. studies is obtained through a customized SAED curriculum for VLSI design and EDA. Studies are conducted in specially equipped classrooms donated by Synopsys where SAED students have access to the latest EDA software tools in use in industry. Teaching, supervision of course projects, Master’s theses and Ph.D. dissertations resemble  actual design projects at Synopsys Armenia. Projects are completed in conjunction with leading professionals from Synopsys and professors from the corresponding university. Upon successful completion of the SAED program, graduates are industry-ready specialists and qualified to work for Synopsys Armenia as well as other high-tech companies. This source of engineers is proving to be an important factor in the development of an EDA industrial cluster in Armenia.

About Synopsys Armenia CJSC and Synopsys, Inc.

Synopsys, Inc. (Nasdaq:SNPS) fuels innovation in the global electronics market with software, systems, semiconductor IP and services that address key design, verification and manufacturing challenges. A leader in electronic design automation (EDA), Synopsys, established a presence in Armenia in 2004 as Synopsys Armenia closed joint stock company (CJSC). Synopsys Armenia CJSC provides R&D and product support in EDA, design for manufacturing (DFM) and the development of semiconductor intellectual property (IP). Employing several hundred qualified Armenian engineers, Synopsys is one of largest IT employers in Armenia. To encourage the highest levels of accomplishment for students in IT, the company sponsors awards and competitions such as the Annual Educational Awards of the Republic of Armenia (RA) President, and the Annual International Microelectronics Olympiad of Armenia. Synopsys Armenia’s investment in the community reaches well beyond IT. In 2010, Synopsys in Armenia was recognized as one of 12 finalists for the U.S. Secretary of State’s annual Award for Corporate Excellence (ACE), citing the company’s technology and financial leadership as well as its charity work and volunteer activities. Synopsys Armenia CJSC is located in Yerevan. Synopsys, Inc. is headquartered in Mountain View, California, and has approximately 70 offices located throughout North America, Europe, Japan, Asia and India. Visit Synopsys, Inc. and Synopsys Armenia online at http://www.synopsys.com and http://www.synopsys.am.

###