On October 30-31, at ANQA’s initiative, Armenia piloted the ETF diagnostic tool for VET developed by the European Training Foundation (ETF). The aim was to assess the current state of the VET system, identify best practices and bring out enhancement opportunities.
For the implementation of the diagnostic tool, Munir Baati, ETF specialist in VET Policies and Systems, met with representatives of the Armenian VET system. During the two-day visit, the ETF had discussions with representatives from the RA Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, the National Centre for Vocational Education and Training Development, ANQA, VET institutions’ directors and quality assurance managers, ANQA’s experts and employers, with the aim of ensuring comprehensive stakeholder engagement.
The diagnostic tool is based on the EQAVET (European Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training) framework and covers five key areas:
- Policy and Governance;
- Standards Behind Qualifications;
- Provision;
- Assessment Validation and Certification;
- Data and Knowledge Creation.
During the pilot phase in Armenia, two areas were considered: Standards Behind Qualifications and Provision. Discussions with stakeholders addressed issues related to the development and adaptation of state academic standards, organisation of dual education, identification of needs and continuous development of the teaching and administrative staffs, as well as to the employer involvement in the educational process. ANQA will conduct a self-assessment of the VET system based on the collected data, following the diagnostic tool template. The results will be submitted to the ETF, with a final summary scheduled for January 2025.