KHACHATUR ABOVYAN ARMENIAN STATE PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY

The Armenian State Pedagogical University (ASPU) hosted Pro-Vice-Provost of the Institute of Education (IOE) at University College London (UCL), Teaching, Quality and Learning Innovation Professor Norbert Pachler.

The aim of his visit was to become familiar with the educational programs and teaching methodology of the ASPU (the ASPU is included in the educational cluster of the ‘Academic City’), as well as the teacher training and teaching reforms programs.

Country Director at British Council Armenia Addeh Hovassapian, ‘Academic City’ Foundation’s Educational Cluster Coordinator Lilit Petrosyan, as well as the administration and professors of the University were also attending the meeting.

ASPU Vice-Rector for HR Management and International Cooperation Marianna Harutyunyan expressed gratitude for supporting the Project and assured that the administration of the ASPU is doing everything possible to raise the academic community’s awareness about the peculiarities of the Project. She voiced hope that a positive attitude towards the Project will be shaped in the public and added that the ASPU is ready for the dialogue of universities.

During the meeting, Norbert Pachler shared UCL’s experience in universities’ enlargement and touched upon the merger of the London Pedagogical Institute and the University College and the scopes of cooperation envisaged under the ‘Academic City’ Project. He emphasized that the process launched years ago needs to be integrated and that his consultations are targeted at the smooth implementation of the merger of universities.
According to Norbert Pachler, the merger of universities is a complex process, taking into account the differences of professions, the complication of research, the problems with management and technology, the differences in the student community, etc.

He asked the participants of the meeting about the advantages and potential risks of the Project and the preparatory activities aimed at ensuring success of the Project.

The infrastructures presented in the ‘Academic City’ master plan will make higher education in the Republic of Armenia more attractive; the ‘Academic City’ will become a platform for interdisciplinary and cross-cultural communication, and the enlargement of universities and the merger of professional education programs will provide the opportunity to implement the state policy on preparation of the required specialists in the labor market and economy, and it will foster universal inclusivity and the conduct of pedagogical studies — this is what the participants of the meeting mentioned in their remarks. They added that the labs and material resources — envisaged under the Project — will ensure research-based education, continuity of education, international student mobility, predictability of learners’ career planning, and there will be an opportunity to implement education in manufacturing and the opposite.

What was also presented were the potential risks, particularly bringing the sector-specific policy of the Republic of Armenia into compliance with the concept of the ‘Academic City’, the lack of clarity of the contextual aspect of educational programs and the organizing of processes, the evaluation criteria, etc.

Country Director at British Council Armenia Addeh Hovassapian, who was attending the meeting, emphasized the need for professional consulting within the scope of the ‘Academic City’ Project and added that British Council Armenia is ready to assist in successful developing and implementing the Project.

During the visit to the ASPU, the guests also paid visits to the University’s buildings, were introduced to the University’s infrastructures, labs and the peculiarities of education in studios, and visited the unique “Chess” Scientific Research Institute of the University and learned about the Institute’s activities and studies.