Armenia ready to implement education reforms as part of Bologna process

YEREVAN, September 10. /ARKA/. Armenia is ready to implement all necessary reforms to become a full-fledged participant of Bologna Process, Education Minister Spartak Seyranyan said on Monday at an international scientific conference focused on higher education in CE member countries.

“Armenia acknowledges the importance of education in building democracy in transition countries, since educated and well-informed community is necessary for forming a democratic and law-observing society”, he said.

The minister pointed out that knowledge is viewed in European countries as factor influencing human, social and economic development. He said that special attention must be paid to self-government of universities, participation of students in university administration, introduction of credit system and international cooperation.

“The necessity of reformation has two reasons – internal, aimed at effectiveness of quality enhancement system, and external, aimed at international integration and enhancement if education system competitiveness”, Seyranyan said.

The two-day conference was launched in Tsakhkadzor on Monday.
Delegates from Denmark, Italy, England, Moldova, Estonia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Latvia and Ukraine and representatives of Armenian and European organizations attended the conference. The participants of the conference considered unified criteria in Europe.

Bologna Convention was signed in Italy on September 18, 2002.
Armenia joined it in 2005. Armenia’s commitment is to bring its higher and postgraduate education in conformity with the convention by 2010.
On November 2, 2006, Armenian Government approved the schedule of introduction of the convention principles. M.V.-0--