On December 22, ANQA conducted a monitoring of the internal quality assurance system at the Public Administration Academy of the Republic of Armenia.
As part of the monitoring, meetings were held with the institution’s management staff, quality assurance managers, heads of chairs, teachers and students.
The process focused on the self-audit of academic programmes (APs) and resulting outcomes. Reference was also made to the post-accreditation changes and the the follow-up plan.
The discussions highlighted the importance of the full achievement and assessment of all learning outcomes, emphasizing that the diploma should assure students achieved every intended learning outcome.
Importance was attached to a clear and logical link between teaching, assessment and outcomes, as well as the relevance and transparency of assessment types and criteria.
A number of key topics were addressed, including:
- The institution's strategic development vision and planning
The effectiveness of the strategic plan and the full implementation of the PDCA cycle were highlighted. - Substantive enhancement of the APs
The discussions examined the AP revision, credit distribution, the increase in the number and scope of elective courses, and the opportunities for students to shape individual educational trajectories. - Achievement of learning outcomes and assessment methodology
Emphasis was placed on the assessment of all intended outcomes, the effectiveness of the assessment criteria and evaluation of individual works. - Link between education and labour market, cultivation of practical skills
The discussions covered the effectiveness of internships, the employer-driven assignments, the collaboration with employers, and the alumni competitiveness in both the public and private sectors. - Coordination of research activities and their connection with the educational process
Importance was attached to the link between research and educational activities, incentive mechanisms for teachers’ research activities and the student engagement in research. - Functioning of the internal quality assurance system
The discussions considered the impact of quality assurance processes on managerial decisions, mechanisms for data collection and analysis, as well as the formation of a culture of sharing best practices. - Stakeholder engagement and feedback
The involvement of students and teachers in quality assurance processes, the tools for the identification of the stakeholder needs and the resulting changes were explored. - Benchmarking and internationalisation
The discussions referred to the benchmarking against local and international HEIs and the need for programme enhancements based on the findings.
At the end of the monitoring, during the meeting with the management staff, the institution’s achievements and potential directions for further development were summarised.