On July 15-17, at ANQA’s invitation, the German Agency for Quality Assurance through Accreditation of Study Programs (AQAS) was in Armenia to discuss the possibilities of implementing joint international accreditations in the country’s HEIs.
On July 16, a workshop dedicated to the peculiarities of the joint international accreditation process was held at the Armenian State University of Economics, with about 60 representatives from 28 accredited HEIs.
Welcoming the participants, Ruben Topchyan, ANQA’s director, highlighted, "Promoting international joint accreditation processes in the RA’s HEIs is crucial for bringing our education and alumni one step closer to the international labour market".
Doris Herrmann, managing director of AQAS, stressed that there have been effective cooperation efforts with the AQAS in the past. Ms. Herrmann appreciated ANQA's practice of involving international experts in all accreditation processes, which gives Armenian HEIs a unique opportunity to receive multifaceted insights from international experts.
During the workshop, AQAS shared the peculiarities of joint international accreditation:
- combination of national and international criteria, based on the alignment of the two agencies’ criteria with ESG;
- one site visit with experts, including sector employers from both countries;
- one expert panel report with enhancement-led recommendations;
- internationally recognised decisions made by both agencies.
The advantages of joint accreditation were also discussed:
- evaluation and feedback for the HEIs based on the international sector-specific requirements;
- international recognition of the RA higher education and expanded opportunities for mobility;
- evaluation of institutional management and academic programmes as part of a single process.
During the question and answer session, the participating HEIs’ management staffs and quality assurance managers inquired about the possibilities of joint institutional and programme accreditation, the timelines set for the process, and decision-making mechanisms.
Let us note that ANQA and HCERES have conducted a joint accreditation process in the French University in Armenia.