Schools on Internet Governance (SIGs) have become an important platform for developing professional knowledge and expertise in Internet governance. Rather than constituting a single international institution, SIGs form a global network of educational programs organized in different countries and regions. Their aim is to familiarize participants with the technical, legal, economic, and social dimensions of Internet governance and equip them to engage meaningfully in multistakeholder processes.
The concept of Schools on Internet Governance was first introduced in 2006 at the inaugural Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Athens. It was put into practice the following year in Meissen, Germany, with the launch of the first European Summer School on Internet Governance (EuroSSIG). Over the following years, the SIG model expanded to countries and regions around the world. During the 2010s, a growing number of regional and national schools were established across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, including EuroSSIG, AfriSIG, the South School on Internet Governance, APSIG, the Armenian School on Internet Governance (ArmSIG), India SIG, Pakistan SIG, and others.
In 2017, the Dynamic Coalition on Schools of Internet Governance (DC-SIG) was established within the framework of the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) to foster cooperation, knowledge sharing, and the exchange of experiences among Schools on Internet Governance around the world.
As of 2026, the international DC-SIG directory lists approximately 46 SIG initiatives, collectively engaging thousands of professionals, organizations, and individuals interested in Internet governance.
Over the years, the SIG agenda has evolved significantly, reflecting the rapid development of the digital environment. Alongside traditional topics such as Internet infrastructure, the Domain Name System (DNS) and domain names, IP addresses, cybersecurity, privacy, human rights, and the digital divide, SIG programs increasingly address emerging issues including artificial intelligence governance, cyber diplomacy, digital sovereignty, DNS Abuse, new generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs), cybercrime, the Global Digital Compact, and the WSIS+20 process.
Armenia was among the early countries to join the international SIG movement, launching its initiative in 2017 through the Internet Society NGO. In July of that year, the first Armenian School on Internet Governance (ArmSIG) was held in Yerevan, bringing together 30 participants. In subsequent years, the program expanded its reach beyond students to include journalists, teachers, civil society representatives, local government officials, and professionals from a wide range of other fields.
According to official ArmSIG data, 150 people participated in the program during its first five years. Since then, the program has continued to grow, with the total number of participants surpassing 400. Over the years, 40 experts have contributed to the program as lecturers and speakers.
Over nearly two decades, Schools on Internet Governance (SIGs) have evolved into an international platform for building knowledge, developing professional capacity, and fostering engagement in Internet governance. In Armenia, ArmSIG has been part of this global movement for nearly a decade and continues to make the Internet governance agenda more accessible to local professionals and the next generation of digital policy leaders.
