The National Centre for Professional Education Quality Assurance (ANQA) launched its 10th Anniversary events with a tea-discussion which took place at the Matenadaran.
On the initiative of ANQA and with the support and participation of RA Minister of Education and Science Arayik Harutyunyan, a meeting was held with the presidents of the Boards of Trustees of accredited State Universities.
It was the first time that the Minister of Education and Science, the Director of ANQA and the Heads of Boards of Trustees discussed the issues of HEIs around the tea-table.
The focus of the discussion was to increase the effectiveness of HEI’s management. The role of HEI’s quality assurance centers was also highlighted. ANQA Director Ruben Topchyan noted it was desirable that the quality assurance centers operating in HEIs be independent units that would be able to present an alternative opinion to the Board of Trustees on the effectiveness of the HEI’s development and quality assurance processes.
Mr. Topchyan also suggested the presidents of Boards of Trustees to follow that their HEI’s strategic plans be clear and that the defined outcomes- measurable and not abstract.
The participants of the meeting emphasized the necessity of expanding University-employer cooperation. According to Arayik Harutyunyan, more should be done to get business representatives involved in the Boards of trustees and suggest directions for the development of HEIs so that their activities would be in line with the labor market.
He also highlighted the work of HEI’s career centers: these centers should study the flow of alumni of their HEI, the needs of the labor market, and guide the HEI and the Ministry in organizing admissions, forming state-based free tuition.
The topic of discussion was also the issue of the credibility of the qualifications awarded: the diploma should provide the potential employer some information about the skills and abilities of the specialist.
The Heads of HEI’s Boards of Trustees highly appreciated such kind of opportunity of communication expressing hope that the events in this format would be continuous.