YSU hosts kick-off meeting of eCAMPUS project, focusing on educational reforms

The implementation of the eCAMPUS project will contribute to improving the education system and introducing innovative solutions in the educational sector, enabling the integration of socially distanced learning with an enhanced level of student inclusivity.

This meeting offers the public an opportunity to explore the impactful and leading ideas of the Erasmus+ program, which will promote the development of the Armenian education system. 

YSU Rector Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, speaking about ensuring socially distanced education in universities, noted that the COVID-19 pandemic created new challenges in the education sector, forcing a swift transition to remote learning. However, there is now an opportunity to use the experience gained during this period and develop a more resilient, inclusive, and technologically enriched educational environment.   

"We realize that our teaching staff is key to this process. Therefore, one of the main goals of the project is to promote the development of the teaching staff’s digital skills and capabilities, by creating a comprehensive Digital Competency Framework (DCF) and introducing the National Certificate Program in Digital TLA. We are committed to building a reliable digital educational ecosystem that will be equipped to meet future challenges," said the rector of YSU.       

Addressing another key component of the project—inclusivity—Hovhannes Hovhannisyan emphasized that the project will develop benchmark standards for e-learning multimedia platforms and provisions for smart classroom models. These developments will enhance students' equitable access to digital learning resources, ensuring international standards in online education.

This project is a four-year EU-funded initiative focused on improving the quality of online and digital teaching and learning within the Armenian higher education system. 

Armen Budaghyan, Director of YSU Quality Assurance Center and Project Coordinator, spoke about the long-term objectives of the project, the actions being taken to achieve them, and the expected results.

"The improvement of the quality of online teaching, learning, and assessment (TLA) in Armenian higher education institutions should align with the EU Digital Education Action Plan for 2021-2027. This involves promoting the digital skills and capabilities of the teaching staff, as well as introducing an internal quality assurance system for online TLA. We must transition from emergency remote learning during a crisis to a more meaningful, engaging, and sustainable post-COVID campus-based education," said Armen Budaghyan.  

He added that these objectives would ensure flexible and high-quality education, ready to face future challenges by developing a sustainable digital education ecosystem, appropriate regulatory framework, novel educational practices, and model infrastructures.

Within the framework of eCAMPUS, special programs and courses are planned to focus on ensuring socially distanced and inclusive education by incorporating various innovative teaching methods.

The project proposes innovative solutions related to the creation of universal remote systems, educational and technological platforms, ensuring a more competitive and unified educational environment.

This project will significantly impact both the member institutions of the consortium and broader institutional, national, and regional levels. 

Through the implementation of the project, at the institutional level, more than 120 teaching and administrative staff from Armenian higher education institutions will acquire new skills and competencies in digital TLA and QA. Additionally, a functional National Competency Framework (NCF) for the professional development of teaching staff involved in digital TLA will be established. Furthermore, eight smart classrooms for technology-enabled education will be created.   

At the national level, the project will contribute to the establishment of a DCF and NCF for digital TLA, revised IQA standards for digital TLA, benchmark standards for e-learning multimedia platforms, and technical specifications for a unified course registration and student progression e-platform.

At the European level, the project will foster the exchange of best practices, peer learning, and the expansion of collaborative ties among partners.  

The eCAMPUS project involves not only Armenian universities but also various foreign universities (including the Autonomous University of Madrid, University of Lisbon, University of Genoa, and Royal Institute of Technology), providing an opportunity to create an international collaboration that supports the exchange of experience and joint development in digital education.

The conference, organized by YSU Quality Assurance Center, will continue on February 13 at Robert Schumann Hall (YSU Library Building, 2nd floor).