1. IMPLEMENTATION OF NATIONAL AND SECTORIAL QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORKS IN ARMENIA
HERE seminar Qualifications Frameworks: What are they, how do they work, what is their impact?
Warsaw, Poland
19-20 September, 2016
Kristina Tsaturyan, HERE Armenia
Armenian State Pedagogical University

2. How it started?
Development of NQFA (Taskforce created by the Ministry of Education and Science of Armenia)
2011- First of version of NQFA adopted by the Government of RA
2011- Timetable for the implementation of NQFA in Armenia (in 2013 the process should be completed)
2012- Self-certification process against EQF
2012- Report of external experts on NQFA implementation in Armenia

3. Main issues Particularly…
NQFA doesn’t focus on the needs and realities of HE
NQFA doesn’t serve as a transformation tool for changes
Should promote flexibility of educational structures and new progression roots
Should provide reference points for revision of existing qualifications and development of new ones
Descriptors are not consistent with QF- EHEA
Authority in charge of NQFA should be established
Tools and procedures should be developed for the alignment and placement of qualifications
Main issues

4. “One difference is that the NQFA is of domestic origin and has to be developed, approved and owned by domestic stakeholders. Outside suggestions can contribute to the internal debates and can help make the result more understandable to an international audience but cannot be construed as any sort of international approval…”
Stephen Adam and Eva Gonczi, December 2012

5. What’s next?
2012- MoES created WGs to review the NQFA consisted of HE institutions representatives including MoES
The WG working on levels 6,7,8 held wide consultations and fully revised the NQFA HE levels based on the Dublin Descriptors
2013 to have the NQFA system wide application with the support of MoES the Project ARMENQA (Implementing National and Sectorial Qualifications Frameworks in Armenia) has been developed by the WG and submitted to EACEA for funding in the frame of TEMPUS HE Capacity Building Project

6. Challenges Defining aims and objectives of NQFA
Number of levels to be accommodated in NQFA (Researcher, Doctor of Sciences)
New terms/notions that need further explanation
Whether Sectorial Qualifications are needed to guide the process for the HEIs
Stakeholders’ involvement (MoES, HEIs, QA agency, employers, students)
Further implications of NQFA
What kind of further support is needed for the HEIs

7. TEMPUS ARMENQA PROJECT… guiding principles
Holistic approach to the implementation of NQFA and SQFs in Armenia
Wide consultations and involvement of stakeholders: HEIs, employers, students and ARMENIC (National recognition center)
External insight and reflection on NQFA: EU partners

8. Objectives of NQFA
Improve the quality of education in Armenia by introducing minimum set of criteria
Create a holistic system describing the education and progression paths
Facilitate the recognition of education attained through different paths,
Promote transparency of academic programs and qualifications,
Ensure the comparability and recognition of education and qualifications
Promote mobility and employability

9. As a result…
Wide consultations with stakeholders and capacity building
Extensive workshops, tet-a-tet meetings and round table discussions with HEIs representatives, employers and students to gather feedback on NQFA
Numerous trainings and capacity buidling activities for the HEIs staff
Policy and guidance at national level
Authority responsible for NQFA
Approved NQFA (2016)
NQFA implementation strategy and plan
Information and implementation Manual on NQFA
Procedures for development and placement of new qualifications into NQFA
Self-certification report
National model of SQF and SQFs in 5 areas (Education, Physics, Law, Civil Engineering, Agriculture)
Policy and guidance at institutional level
NQFA information and implementation manual,
Toolkits for employers, students and HEIs,
Policies and guidelines for curriculum development in line with SQFs,
Two level sample programs referenced to SQFs

10. Implementation strategy (2015-2020)
Goal 1. Inform on NQFA and stimulate their utilization by stakeholders
Goal 2. Implement QA included in the NQFA in compliance with national and European Standards
Goal 3. Promote the recognition of qualifications included in NQFA of RA abroad and the foreign qualifications

11. Further thoughts for consideration
Wider consultations and awareness raising among the stakeholders are still on the agenda,
Commitment of HEIs to the introduction of LO based study programs referenced to the NQFA and SQFs is highly prioritized,
Placement of other, non degree qualifications into the NQFA is still challenge,
Recognition of prior learning is still to be considered and widely promoted,
Some misconceptions regarding the placement of medical degrees into the NQFA, discussions are still underway,
Development of mechanisms for the involvement of employers, students and HEIs in the process (regularly/not one time events)

12. THANK YOU FOR ATTENTION!
Any questions?
Kristina Tsaturyan
HERE Armenia
Head of International Cooperation Unit
Armenian State Pedagogocal University
You can find me at