THE FINAL CONFERENCE OF THE "ERASMUS+ KPI4HE" PROGRAM WAS HELD IN YSU

Today, the European Union "Erasmus+ KPI4HE. The final conference of the project "Creation of a national framework of key performance indicators for the proper management and quality of higher education with an inclusive, digital and green orientation in Armenia". The project was implemented under the coordination of YSU, with the participation of 12 Armenian and European partners: RA Ministry of Education and Culture, National Center for Vocational Education Quality Assurance, Yerevan, Gavar, Armenian State Pedagogical Universities, "Eurasia" International and Northern Universities, Institute of Informatics and Automation Problems, Armenian Center for Educational Policy and Management, Technical Universities of Oldenburg and Dresden in Germany, and University of Genoa in Italy. The project of the national framework developed within the framework of the "KPI4HE" program envisages the evaluation of the performance of universities in the following main directions: training of qualified personnel, national and international involvement, research, development and innovation, equality of opportunities, educational environment and quality, as well as management, leadership and operational efficiency. YSU rector Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, welcoming the participants of the conference, noted that effective management of universities in a rapidly changing world requires decisions based on reliable data and measurable performance indicators. According to him, "the KPI4HE program is an important opportunity to create new approaches to management, strategic planning and quality assurance in Armenia's higher education system." The head of the EU delegation in Armenia, Ambassador Vasilis Maragos, considered the importance of the program in the context of Armenia-EU cooperation and the development of the higher education system in accordance with European standards. He noted that the development of unified standards and evaluation tools contributes not only to the improvement of higher education management, but also to the strengthening of trust between institutions. Lilit Mkrtchyan, acting as the chairman of the Higher Education and Science Committee of the RA KGSMS, presented the main directions of higher education reforms, stressing that the effective evaluation of the university's activities requires clearly measurable results and data analysis. At the same time, he noted that in the evaluation process of universities with different missions and professional orientations, it is necessary to take into account their characteristics. Director of the National Center for Quality Assurance of Vocational Education Ruben Topchyan emphasized that the approaches formed within the framework of the program can contribute to the development of a new culture of quality assessment in Armenia. Mariana Sargsyan, coordinator of the national office of "Erasmus+" in Armenia, also emphasized the multifaceted impact of the program related to inclusion, digital transformation and "green" transition, emphasizing that it combines institutional development, national priorities and European cooperation. Rector of Gavar State University Ruzanna Hakobyan, Academic Vice-Rector Nelli Kutuzyan, Head of Quality Assurance Department Kanakara Hayrapetyan, Head of Academic Policy Department Olga Ghazaryan participated in the conference. Lilit Torchyan, head of the external relations and media department, presented the important results and significant reforms of the implementation of the "KPI4HE" program at GSU. The participants of the conference emphasized the continuous use of the approaches and tools developed within the framework of the program even after the end of the program, which will contribute to increasing the efficiency, competitiveness and quality of the higher education system of the Republic of Armenia.