The National Center for Professional Education Quality Assurance has become a full member of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education. The news was announced today by the president of ANQA board of trustees Varoujan Avedikian and ANQA director Ruben Topchyan during the press conference at the Henaran press club.
“The membership means that the accreditations made by ANQA meet the European criteria, are identical with European processes and are recognized by ENQA,” said the president of ANQA Board of trustees Mr. Varoujan Avedikian.
ANQA director Ruben Topchyan said that before the full membership ANQA had been an associate member of ENQA since 2009. “They watched our activities, but our results were not recognized by the Network,” said Mr. Topchyan. He mentioned that ANQA has carried out a large scale of work during the past years to assure ENQA that the Armenian Agency is guided by the same criteria and principles as European accreditation agencies.
“The universities accredited by ANQA become a member of European HEI family member through us, which raises their rating as an educational institution”, said Mr. Avedikian.
Mr. Avedikian and Mr. Topchyan highlighted the successful fulfillment of the 1st cycle of institutional accreditations. At the moment all the state HEIs in Armenia are either in the process of accreditation or are already accredited. Only three universities are accredited from private HEIs.
They emphasized that as a result of accreditation the student knows that his university not only meets certain quality standards, but also voluntarily has taken a responsibility continuously enhance the quality of education provided.
Talking about the impact of ANQA activities and accreditations on HEI system, Mr. Topchyan said that reforms are being carried out in all accredited universities: the outcomes of academic programs and the teaching methods are being reviewed.
He said that universities pay a special attention to internalization and credit recognition in the country and abroad.