From April 11-14, the ANQA’s expert panel is at the Northern University as part of the accreditation process.
This is the third accreditation of the university. The previous institutional accreditation was in 2018.
On the first day of the site-visit, there were meetings with Mher Makichyan, rector of the university, vice-rectors, the group responsible for the preparation of self-evaluation, the head of the Alaverdi department, deans, employers, and alumni.
The expert group is headed by Armenuhi Sargsyan, Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Director of Scientific Policy, Quality Assurance and Management Centre at Shirak State University. The members of the expert panel are Geghetsik Grigoryan, PhD in Law, Associate Professor of the Chair of Social Sciences of the Armenian State University of Economics, Hovhannes Yeritsyan, a teacher at the European University, executive director of the International Business School, PhD of Economics, Associate Professor, Shushan Daveyan, YSU’s Public Management student. The international expert is Gaga Gvenetadze, head of the Quality Assurance Department at the British University in Georgia.
The coordinator of the expert panel is Meri Barseghyan, a specialist at ANQA’s Policy Development and Implementation Division.
It should also be noted that ANQA’s experts observe academic programmes within the frame of institutional accreditation. In this cycle, separate professional meetings-discussions will take place with the academic programme directors, teachers and students of "Management", "Law", "Software Engineering".
After the site-visit, the expert panel will make a report, pointing out the HEI’s strengths and weaknesses, and will provide enhancement-led recommendations. The HEI, in its turn, will prepare a follow-up plan based on the expert panel report. The ANQA’s Accreditation Committee will make a decision by studying the package of documents, having meetings with the HEI representatives and experts.