On June 4-6, the Erasmus+ project Micro-GEAR’s first workshop took place in Rome. The goal was to promote the exchange of practice between the project stakeholders and the presentation of the best practices from European countries in the micro-credentials field. ANQA’s delegation also participated in the meeting. As part of the meeting, the following issues were discussed:
- the need to change the legislative framework and adopt normative documents for awarding micro-credentials;
- the quality assurance mechanisms and tools for micro-qualifications.
Ani Mkrtchyan, ANQA’s internal quality assurance specialist, introduced the quality assurance system in Armenia and ANQA’s activities. The Italian partners presented how awarding micro-credentials has become a part of the educational system of their country, outlining their approaches to ensuring the credible award of qualifications. At the end of the meeting, recommendations were prepared for the Armenian and Georgian project stakeholders to ensure the effective introduction of micro-credentials at the national level.
The Micro-GEAR project aims to support the introduction and adoption of the micro-credentials system in Armenia and Georgia. It will contribute to the enhancement and flexibility of higher education, and the expansion of opportunities for lifelong learning. Within the scope of the project, the legislation regulating the micro-credentials field and the National Qualifications Framework in Armenia and Georgia will be revised. Mechanisms for quality assurance of micro-credentials will also be established, facilitating their mutual recognition. The involved HEIs will develop and pilot micro-credentials with the support of partners.