KHACHATUR ABOVYAN ARMENIAN STATE PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY

Vice-Rector of the Armenian State Pedagogical University (ASPU) for HR Management and International Cooperation Marianna Harutyunyan attended the partnering seminar-meeting hosted by the National Information Center for Academic Recognition and Mobility.

Among the participants of the event devoted to online course catalogues (educational programs, training courses and micro-credentials) were representatives of various Armenian universities, including representatives of the ASPU Public Relations and Information Center.

Director of the National Information Center for Academic Recognition and Mobility Gayane Harutyunyan expressed greetings to the participants and underscored the pivotal significance that online course catalogues have for universities in the period of modern education.

According to the speaker, the catalogues are not just documents; they are the foundation for academic transparency and accessibility which serve as a guide for applicants, students, the academic and administrative personnel of universities and stakeholders. “The catalogues should be a reflection of the academic proposals, values, goals and directions of the particular universities by which the latter develop. These catalogues are important in the competition of universities and help identify the characteristics which, in the process of accreditation, prove that the particular educational institution is in line with its mission and goals,” she said.

Gayane Harutyunyan presented the Report on the Provision of Information about Educational Programs, Courses and Micro-Credentials and provided details about the results of the study conducted by the Center.

During the meeting, the Online Course Catalogues and Databases for Transparency and Recognition (OCTRA 2) Program, the goal and activities were presented by Chairperson of the Academic Information Center of Lithuania Baiba Ramina.

The speaker mentioned that the Center has explored the already existing and publicly available online course categories in 6 project countries in the context of recognition of qualifications and has organized discussions between the project partners.

ASPU Vice-Rector for HR Management and International Cooperation Marianna Harutyunyan presented the report on micro-credentials of teachers.

She provided details about the “30-Credit Teacher Accreditation through Modules Ensuring Pedagogical-Psychological and Educational-Methodological Skills” educational program and stated that the aim of the program is to prepare — for general education institutions — quality teachers vested with psychological and pedagogical knowledge.

The speaker added that through the program, the participants of the course receive in-depth and comprehensive knowledge about the ways, principles, methods, technologies, resources for organizing education and about assessment of the learning outcomes.

Scientificity, practicality, succession, relevance of the aspects of content and processes, formation and development of the capacities of folk culture — Marianna Harutyunyan also presented the basic principles, courses for structuring the program and the credits that are granted.

There were questions about the program during an active discussion.

During the seminar-meeting, the report on the “Policy on Higher Education and Activities in Armenia” MICRO-GEAR Program was delivered by Ani Mkrtchyan, Responsible for Internal Quality Assurance at the National Center for Professional Education Quality Assurance.

Mkrtchyan thoroughly presented the concept and role of the Program, emphasizing that the goal of the Center is to introduce micro-credentials in the systems of higher education in Armenia and Georgia, review the quality assurance frameworks in both countries, reach an agreement on them, disseminate them as a tool for improvement of compliance, quality and flexibility of higher education, promote the educational activities entailing professional qualification and foster mutual recognition.

The speakers regretted to note that several countries lack a shared opinion on the concept of micro-credentials, that the sector is open and that the goal and duration remain undefined, and there is still no answer to the question whether it is required for training or employment.

The meeting ended with a speech by Chief Communications Officer at the American University of Armenia Narek Ghazaryan, who presented the online course catalogues with the example and experience of the University.