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Armenian Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Zhanna Andreasyan met with the rectors of Armenia’s higher education institutions to discuss ongoing reforms in the sector, upcoming programs, and priorities for joint work.
The meeting was also attended by Lilit Mkrtchyan, Acting Chair of the Higher Education and Science Committee, and Deputy Chair Harutyun Sargsyan.
Introducing Mkrtchyan, Andreasyan emphasized the importance of continued and effective cooperation between the Committee and higher education institutions, noting that the success of systemic changes largely depends on the active engagement and initiative of the academic community, the ministry said in a press release.
Key topics discussed included the drafting of secondary legislation stemming from the Law on Higher Education and Science.
Andreasyan drew the rectors’ attention to the draft new procedures for organizing higher education and awarding state scholarships to students, which have been submitted for public consultation, and urged them to submit their proposals and comments.
“Our principles remain unchanged: as little bureaucracy as possible, simple procedures, digitalization, and a student-centered approach. These principles must underpin the organization of all processes,” Andreasyan said.
Addressing the introduction of the new scholarship allocation system, Andreasyan stressed that one of its main objectives is to expand access to higher education, particularly for students facing social difficulties. Under the proposed approach, students who meet the competitive admission threshold and are in need of social support should be eligible for scholarships from the very beginning of their studies. At subsequent stages, scholarship awards will be linked to students’ academic performance. The importance of introducing effective mechanisms to encourage academic excellence was also emphasized. The meeting also discussed new mechanisms for institutional funding of higher education institutions.
During the meeting, the Minister also addressed the Academic City project, announcing that construction of student accommodation facilities will begin in 2027. Preparatory work on establishing academic and technology clusters is also continuing. Other issues discussed included the digitalization of the higher education system, the introduction of a unified electronic platform, and ways to enhance the international competitiveness of higher education institutions.