The Information Day of the “Erasmus +” Programme at ShSU.

On 31 October, 2018, the national office of the “Erasmus +” programme together with the Armenian office of the “Erasmus + Youth Information Centre” held an Information ay at Shirak State University for the administrations and faculties of the Gyumri higher schools.

The guests were welcomed by the acting rector of Shirak State University Mr. Yervand Serobyan who wished them a successful activity for the day.

The aim of the information meeting was to present the news and upcoming contests of the “Erasmus +” programme, to discuss in detail the opportunities of skills development, credit mobility and the joint Master programmes in the sphere of higher education.

The coordinator of the national office of the programme Lana Karlova /Carlova presented the mission of the “Erasmus +” programme, the opportunities of the programme for the higher education and those for the skills development of the higher schools administrations and faculties.

Тhe efficient elaboration of skills development within the “Erasmus +” programme, particularly the stages, methodology, planning and current issues of the programme were reported by the pro-rector of the French University in Armenia Mr. Araik Navoyan.
The head of the National Centre for Quality Assurance for professional education and expert in reforms in the higher education in “Erasmus +” Mr. Ruben Topchyan shared his experience in the realisation of methods and technology for successful skills development programmes with the administrations and faculties of both the main university and the other higher schools in Gyumri.

Via the credit mobility the students can participate in exchange programmes at all the educational levels, the duration of study making 3-12 months. Since 2018 the European commission has made internship available for the Armenian University students. It can last 2-12 months. The faculty can also pass refresher courses or lecture in their corresponding sphere / subjects from 5 days to 2 months.

For the faculties, Jean Monnet activities were presented. They are aimed at promoting teaching and research in European Union studies. As for students, they were told about the joint Master programmes within “Erasmus Mundus” which afford them an opportunity to get a full scholarship and continue their education at universities of the “Erasmus +” programme and partner-countries.

The foreign cooperation proceedings at Shirak main university started in 1995. Since then exchanges have been carried out within a series of programmes and in 2005 there was founded a department for foreign relations and improvements, which coordinated the realisation of international programmes.

The lecturers and students from Shirak University who participated in the international mobility programmes also had an opportunity to share their experiences.

The second-year student Syusanna Petrosyan from the Translation Studies Department of Shirak State University studied at the Rumanian University after Alexandru Ioan Cuza during the second term. “The life is not the same after “Erasmus”, says Syusanna and advises her university fellows not to miss the opportunity for taking part in the exchange programmes.
Since 2017, due to the decision of the European Youth Committee, the work of the “Erasmus + Youth Information Centre” is coordinated by Gyumri Youth Initiative Centre (YIC), headed by Arthur Najaryan, the graduate of ShSU. The latter presented the mission of the Centre, the educational, re-training, experience-exchange and internship opportunities for young people, representatives of state and public organisations as well as educational institutions.

The information meeting, which lasted several hours, ended with questions and answers and the wish that in future more and more lecturers and administrative workers should be involved in the international mobility programmes.

Photographs: Erasmus + Youth Information Centre in Armenia.