“Establishment of National Framework of Key Performance Indicators for Good Governance and Quality towards Inclusive, Digital and Green Oriented Higher Education in Armenia (KPI4HE)” project implemented as part of the “Erasmus+” programme launched at YSU.

The project aims to improve higher education system governance, and university strategic planning contributing to quality and inclusive, digital and green-oriented higher education in Armenia through the development and implementation of the National Framework of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for higher education (NF-KPI), operationalization of Institutional Research and Planning Services (IRPS) and revision of State Institutional Accreditation Standards in line with NF-KPI.

Highlighting the significance of the project, YSU Rector Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, emphasized that it is a great success not only for Yerevan State University but also for the Armenian education system.

“Similar programs contribute to the improvement of the higher education system. YSU, attaching importance to the continuous development of quality education and human capital, implements various programs in this direction, but through similar projects, it is emphasized even more. The project, one part of which refers to general administrative reforms, the other to the good governance towards green oriented higher education, is generally important for the reforms and development of the higher education system,” YSU Rector noted, adding that the goals set for the development of YSU in previous years have been exceeded by various indicators, and similar projects will promote the improvement of these indicators.

Armenian Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Artur Martirosyan, highlighting the relevance of the project, emphasized.

“This is an important project because it is in line with the current phase of educational reforms. We have defined target indicators for increasing the quality of education in our universities, and I think this project will contribute to it. The program mainly emphasizes inclusion, good governance of green-oriented higher education (inclusion of environmental education) and digitization. I should mention that our dialogue with the EU in the field of education is continuous, and similar projects bring our education systems closer to the European systems, which contributes to the strengthening of Armenia-EU relations.”

​The Head of the EU delegation in Armenia, Ambassador Vassilis Maragos, emphasized that within the framework of extensive cooperation, they implemented several similar projects aimed at improving the quality of education.

“This is a valuable commodity; you should not disregard that, because it is through our cooperation that we improve the way we work together. Currently, we are also working on a comprehensive partnership agreement between the European Union and Armenia, which is again offering opportunities for reforms. One of the key areas of these reforms and one of the key conditions for these reforms to be successful is the development of human capacities and human capital,” Vassilis Maragos said.

Head of YSU International Cooperation Department, KPI4HE project coordinator Alexander Margarov, speaking about the measurability of quality education, said that as part of the project RA universities will develop a system of key performance indicators within three years.

“Appropriate indicators will be developed for measuring the quality of education. Under the aim of the project, universities will develop strategic planning skills and opportunities in the RA university education system. Educational programs, science, innovation, service to the public, etc. are among the fundamental directions for measuring the quality of the university education system. Looking at these areas separately, we see that we have corresponding problems in the education system. Key performance indicators are being developed for them, which provide an opportunity to measure what was done, how it was done and, if necessary, how it can be changed,” said A. Margarov.

Lana Karlova, Coordinator of the National “Erasmus+” Office in Armenia, also highlighted the implementation of the project and the reforms in the education system.

The coordinator institution of this three-year national Project is the Yerevan State University, with partners including the RA Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, National Center for Quality Assurance, Eurasia International University, Gavar State University, Northern University, State Pedagogical University named after Khachatur Abovyan, RA NAS of Informatics and Automation Problems Institute, Armenian Center for Educational Policy and Management (ACEP) NGO, as well as three EU universities, represented by the Technical University of Dresden and University of Oldenburg (Germany) and Genoa University (Italy).

The workshop will continue on January 31, 2024.