NEWS

To address underequipped problem of the regional remote VET schools, UNDP VET Project adds to the list of its direct beneficiaries Spitak State College by granting the College with modern auto-driving simulators. Spitak State College located in Lori marz, obtained a unique chance to conduct practical classes gaining productive and engaging learning experience for both students and teachers. Practice is an important component of any study circle.

Today, an induction workshop kicked off in the UN House in Yerevan in the field of rural development and youth employment with participation of different national stakeholders. This one-day event took place within the framework of the "Coordinated Support to Accelerate Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)" initiative aimed at analyzing the issues of youth unemployment in rural areas and identification of the most urgent issues.

Today, professional "Education and Career EXPO 2011" was launched in Yerevan enabling educational institutions, international and local companies engaged in educational sector to widely display to public already done job and future plans...

Agro-processing industry is considered as one of the highly efficient and export oriented branches of Armenian economy with the total share of about 30 % in the country's industrial production. Processing of agricultural products is mostly carried out by big economic entities and rural population mainly acts as suppliers.

Today Armenia is stressing the development of Agriculture as one of the sectors to boost the country’s economy. From this perspective sector needs skilful and knowledgeable specialists.

UNDP VET Project did not left apart from the strategic goals to address issues in Agricultural sector.

Modernization of the vocational education and training (VET) sector requires radical reforms, including modern teaching and assessment methods, introduction of modular, credit-based curricula and measures taken to build institutional and human capacity at both local (college) and central levels.

Poverty reduction and access to basic social and economic services for the most vulnerable layers of the society are the priority areas of the UNDP activities in the country.

One of the UNDP Projects operating in the field of socio-economic governance is Vocational Education and Training (VET) System Project, which contributes to the ongoing reforms in the VET sector addressing problems of ground reforms as well as tackling challenges of VET and employment policies formulation and implementation.

Starting November 13th a Study Tour on Life-Long Learning (LLL) principles and vocational education and training (VET) management best practices commenced under the auspices of the UNDP VET project. The Study Tour lasted for 5 working days and consisted of a series of meetings with both relevant government agencies and private sector representatives in the UK.

It is possible to say that that Artashat State College is an exemplary case of successful cooperation between State and UNDP Armenia. This College being one out of 12 multifunctional regional educational centers greatly benefits from not only state assistance, but also from targeted support of the UNDP VET Project. The College underwent a full scale renovation and a technical upgrade of its facilities, premises and laboratories throughout the entire 2010 year.

The Armenian 12 regional multifunctional VET colleges acquired another opportunity which would upgrade the ever progressing situation with the VET system in Armenia. This time the colleges of professional education have been provided with 12 package of IT equipment represented by the best brands known in the global market such as Dell and Xerox.

Today a Workshop for VET sector stakeholders aimed at the presentation and discussion of two important topics, namely “Armenian VET Sector: areas of good practice, but room for improvement” and “Main Findings on Introduction of e-learning for the VET System in Armenia” took place at the UN House.

The UNDP VET Project is hosting international expert, Mr. Bill Sutcliffe, who is conducting a number of working meetings with the national stakeholders with the view of the development of Ranking/Grading System in Armenian VET Vocational Education and Training Institutions. Discussions with national stakeholders involve high-level officials from the RA Ministry of Education and Science, the Department of Licensing and Accreditation Service, National Center for Professional Education Quality Assurance, National Institute of Education including National Center for VET Development as well as the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. A number of working meetings was also held with the management from a number of VET schools.

A country-wide training campaign for 350 VET faculty aimed at introduction of modular based teaching in vocational education and training sector came to its successful completion. Participants of the training received a thorough understanding and competency about modular based teaching. The subsequent stage for the participants of these training sessions will be sharing the acquired experience about the modular teaching with their colleagues at the work places.

The large-scale vocational re-trainings with further job placement for the registered unemployed are now implemented in full. The UNDP “Vocational Education and Training (VET)” Project together with the RA Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs made one more step in alleviating the social insecurity of the vulnerable layers of the society. The activities arranged within the framework of the trainings that enabled the formerly unemployed to acquire new competencies and skills came to closure.

On June 17, 2010 Dafina Gercheva, UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative (UN RC/UNDP RR) in Armenia, Anders B. Siegumfeldt, Head of Section, European Neighbourhood and Russia, Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Per Kirkemann, Managing Director, Nordic Consulting Group A/S visited the newly refurbished Vanadzor State Technological College.

UNDP VET Project is about to start a country-wide training campaign for 350 VET faculty aimed at introduction of modular based teaching in vocational education and training sector. Three-day (18 hours) training program is aimed to address teaching needs of those VET instructors who should start 2010-2011 educational year with the introduction of 61 newly developed State Competency Based Qualification Standards (CBQSs) along with corresponding Modular Programs.

The Life Long Learning (LLL) Concept is a legal document providing insights on the ways and opportunities adults have in terms of obtaining modern education, receiving trainings and qualifications, being competitive in the labor market and finally being socially secured growing older. Development and publication of the LLL Concept has been fully supported by the UNDP VET Project.

The Income Generating (IG) Model is developed for Vocational Education and Training Institutions (VETIs) and is intended to serve as a practical tool to enable the VETIs to become self-sustainable by generating extra budgetary income derived from commercially oriented educational services. It proposes various schemes and approaches perfectly matching existing set-up of Armenian educational system as well as highlighting best practices of European VET system. The publication is the first attempt to explicitly showcase income generating mechanisms for the VETIs in Armenian Language. Development and publication of the IG Model has been fully supported by the UNDP VET Project.

On 21 April, 2010 Ms. Dafina Gercheva, UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative in Armenia and Mr. Mkhitar Mnatsakanyan, RoA Minister of Labor and Social Affairs signed a Letter of Agreement on organization and conduct of large-scale vocational re-trainings with further job placement for registered unemployed focusing on youth unemployment in the regions of Armenia.

Three-day professional training on Modular Programs initiated by UNDP “Vocational Education and Training System” Project has been recently completed by 10 experts involved in the development of Competency Based Qualification Standards (CBQS). Ten professionals have gathered at National Institute of Education and been introduced the core essence of modular-based teaching. The training was delivered by experienced lecturer representing National Center for VET Development.