1. ARMENIA: Quality Assurance (QA) and National Qualifications Framework (NQF)
Tbilisi Regional Seminar on Quality Management in the Context of National Qualifications Framework
Tbilisi, November 4-5, 2010

2. Countries Participating in the Bologna Process (three cycles) 2008

3. Bologna Action Lines Stocktaking: Armenia 2009 Excellent performance
Areas
progress
Little
Excellent performance
Quality Assurance
Level of international participation
National implementation of Standards and Guidelines for QA in the EHEA
Stage of development of external quality assurance system
Level of student participation

4. Internal Quality Assurance Institutional Practices
European Standards
Institutional Practices
Policy and procedures address
In most of cases there are no specific policies in place.
Legal requirement to have procedures
Approval, monitoring and periodic review of programs and awards
None of the required mechanisms for monitoring are in place. The exception is the formal program approval procedures, (under development), some details exist
Assessment of students
Presence of none of the attributes can be ascertained.
Assessment is high stakes and a most contentious area.
Learning outcomes are not linked to assessment
Quality assurance of teaching staff
Development opportunities limited.
Law provides for non-renewal in case of poor performance but little evidence of implementation.
Some HEIs have HD system which is not efficient
Learning resources and student support
Availability varies hugely between institutions. Need to ensure that any existing methods of allocating resources yields equitable results against standard benchmarks.
Information systems (means to collect systematic data)
There is almost no systematic data collection and analysis.
Very limited MIS functions in place.
Public information
Very limited information available in brochures and on university websites.
Many universities have started the prep. ECTS info package
Source: World Bank, 2008

5. External Quality Assurance Institutional Practices
European Standards
Institutional Practices
Use of internal QA procedures
There are no specific internal QA procedures in place.
Development of external QA processes
Clear, transparent, and publicized procedures developed with input from key stakeholders
There are no processes in place for external QA.
Criteria for decisions
Published criteria and standards that are interpreted consistently
Appropriate standards and criteria that reflect current ways of measuring academic performance (individuals and institutions) do not exist.
This is one of the objective ANQA
Reporting
Comprehensive, with recommendations
Accessible to the institution as well as to those outside
Scope and level of disclosure not yet defined
Follow-up procedures
Steps to ensure that recommendations are followed up
Follow-up procedures include rating of institutions and providing improvement recommendations.
Periodic review
No specific reference to periodic review practices.
System-wide analysis
To be developed by ANQA
Source: World Bank, 2008

6. European Standards and Guidelines for External QA Agencies
Practices of Existing External QA Agencies
Use external QA procedures for higher education
Standards defined in external process for higher education (Table 2) are taken into account.
Currently, none exist that would satisfy European thresholds.
Official status
Recognized by public authorities in EHEA
Established legal basis
Comply with requirements of national legislative jurisdictions
Satisfactory
Activities
External QA activities at institutional or program level on a regular basis
Not clear
Resources
Adequate human and financial resources
Provision to develop own processes and procedures
Mission statement
Publicly available, clear and explicit goals and objectives
Division of labour with relevant stakeholders
Systematic approach to achieving its main purpose of external QA
Website developed, needs further work
Source: World Bank, 2008

7. European Standards and Guidelines for External QA Agencies
Practices of Existing External QA Agencies
Independence
High relative level of independence
External QA criteria
Pre-defined and publicly available
Preceded by self-assessment; external expert peer reviews; site visits; student input
Publication of report with recommendations
Follow-up procedures to address recommendations
Procedures for own accountability
Provision for appeals procedures
Being developed and consulted with HEIS
Accountability
Published policy for the QA of agency/unit itself
Documentation to support appropriate actions, no-conflict of interest mechanisms, oversight for any documentation developed by third parties,
Mandatory cyclical review of the agency activities at least every five years.
Not clear
Source: World Bank, 2008

8. IMPLEMENTATION OF NQFs
Country
National qualifications framework been prepared
Generic descriptors for each cycle based on learning outcomes and competences
ECTS credit ranges for the first and second cycle
NQF been nationally discussed with all stakeholders
Timetable been agreed for consultations with all stakeholders
Implementation of the national qualifications framework
Stage of progress on the self-certification of compatibility with the EHEA
Has the self-certification report been published?
Armenia
Yes TT
Not yet No
Source: 2009 National stocktaking reports

9. National Qualifications Framework
EHEA
National Qualifications Framework
HEI
ANQA