is operating since 2001. Other industrial firms of the city include the "Aleqpol" factory for dairy products, the "Anusharan" confectionery plant, and the "Gold Plast" plant for building materials. The nearby village of Akhuryan is home to the "Lusastgh-Sugar" factory (opened in 2010), the largest sugar producers in the Southern Caucasus region. Education Gyumri has a large number of educational institutions, following the capital Yerevan in the number of educational institutions. It is considered the cultural and educational center of northern Armenia. As of 2017, Gyumri is home to the following higher educational centers: Shirak State University named after Mikael Nalbandian, opened in 1934 and is currently home to 7 faculties. Gyumri campus of the National Polytechnic University of Armenia, operating since 1959 with 2 faculties: Faculty of Technologies and sectoral economics, Faculty of Natural sciences and communication systems. Gyumri campus of Komitas State Conservatory of Yerevan, operating since 1988. Progress Gyumri University, opened in 1990. Shirakatsy campus of Haybusak University of Yerevan, operating since 1991. Imastaser Anania Shirakatsi University, opened in 1992. Gyumri campus of Armenian State University of Economics, operating since 1997. Gyumri campus of Yerevan State Academy of Fine Arts, operating since 1997. Gyumri campus of Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography, operating since 1997. In 2014, the Gyumri Technology Center was opened in the city, in an attempt to turn Gyumri into a regional and international center of information and high technologies. The Gyumri branch of Tumo Center for Creative Technologies was opened in May 2015, following a fundraising initiative by Shant TV. It will move to the old theatre building of Gyumri upon the completion of the reconstruction process, expected in June 2019. , the city is home to 47 public education schools, 23 pre-school kindergartens, as well as 7 special schools for music. Sport Football Gyumri is home to the Armenian football club FC Shirak. They play their home games at the Gyumri City Stadium, the oldest football stadium in Armenia dating back to 1924. Shirak are one of the most popular football teams in Armenia, having won the championship of the Armenian Premier League four times, with the most recent one in the 2012–13 season. Shirak have also won the Armenian Independence Cup once. The native of Gyumri and former Shirak player Artur Petrosyan was the all-time leading scorer for the Armenia national football team until his record was surpassed by Henrikh