Discussion on ensuring effective management and international standards compliance of higher education in Armenia held at YSU

As part of KPI4HE project, a workshop was held at YSU Academic Council Session Hall, during which the draft concept of the national framework for key performance indicators (KPIs) of Armenia's higher education system was discussed. Additionally, the methodology and structure for the development of the NF-KPI framework were addressed.

In an interview with us, Arsen Aproyan, Coordinator of KPI4HE project and Head of YSU Grants Coordination Department, mentioned that the proposed concept aims to enhance the effective management of higher education in Armenia, increase accountability, and ensure compliance with international standards, taking into account the modern demands of educational management, the opportunities presented by green oriented education, and digital technologies.

He noted that numerous discussions had taken place during the development of the concept, international best practices had been considered, and various data collection mechanisms had been studied.

"Our goal is to have a unified concept for the Armenian higher education system, which will define the approaches for developing the KPI framework and serve as a basis for effective management and further development of the sector," he emphasized.

The concept proposes the development and approval of the national framework of KPIs for higher education (NF-KPI), the introduction of institutional and program-level indicators, the establishment of a unified methodology and system for data collection and analysis, as well as periodic evaluation and monitoring.

According to the project's authors, the introduction of the NF-KPI framework will contribute to the development of data-driven policies, advancements in higher education, accurate performance evaluation, increased transparency, enhanced measurability, and a new approach to state funding for universities.

During the workshop, participants discussed various issues and pointed out that as a result of the process, they expect to have a concept, indicators, as well as diverse guidelines and manuals.

The development process of the concept involves the Higher Education and Science Committee of MoESCS RA, Yerevan State University, the Institute of Informatics and Automation Problems of NAS RA, Khachatur Abovyan Armenian State Pedagogical University, Eurasia International University, Northern University, Gavar State University, the National Center for Professional Education Quality Assurance, and the Armenian Center for Education Policy and Management.

Expert support for the program is provided by the University of Oldenburg (Germany), Dresden University of Technology (Germany), and the University of Genoa (Italy).