On November 2-7, Ruben Topchyan, ANQA’s director, participated in a study visit to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, organised as part of the German International Cooperation Agency’s (GIZ) Private Sector Development and Vocational Education and Training in Armenia (PSDVET) project.
The visit aimed to study the best practices in the Dutch VET system to support reforms in Armenian VET sector.
During the study visit, the delegation gained insights into the Dutch VET system's experience in governance, funding, quality assurance, work-based learning and cooperation with the private sector. The discussions addressed issues related to education institutions’ autonomy, the integration of external and internal quality evaluation, curriculum design, and mechanisms for employer engagement.
The delegation visited a number of sectoral agencies, vocational training centres, and observed best public-private partnership practices, exploring the system's effective operation and its potential application in Armenian VET reforms.
The visit highlighted upcoming priorities for Armenia's VET reforms, including greater private sector engagement, the development of a quality assurance system, the introduction of effective work-based learning models, and the implementation of mechanisms for the identification of informal learning outcomes.
The Armenian delegation comprised representatives from the RA Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, ANQA, the Republican Union of Employers of Armenia (RUEA), the National Centre for Vocational Education and Training Development (NCVETD), the National Training Fund, the Confederation of Trade Unions of Armenia, the PSDVET project and the VET institutions.
The study visit offered a valuable opportunity to explore best international practices, expand cooperation between Armenian partners, and strengthen ongoing reforms in the VET sector.