Monitoring Visits on Boosting the Internationalization Process of Armenian Universities

Throughout July and August 2020, Erasmus+ BOOST project coordinator the Armenian State Pedagogical University after Khachatur Abovyan held four monitoring visits in regard to the implementation of Internationalization Strategy of Armenian Universities at partner universities — the American University of Armenia, Yerevan State Conservatory after Komitas, Shirak State University, and Vanadzor State University. The key objectives of the visits included reviewing the supporting documents and equipment purchased within the framework of the project, conducting focus group discussions, as well as meetings with the rectors of respective universities and others. 

During the focus group discussions, consortium partners touched upon topics related to the impact that  the national internationalization policy and  implementation tools are having on the universities; the role of the website on Study in Armenia and the potential merits of a promotional film on the internationalization of Higher Education Institutions (HEI) in Armenia; the expected outcomes of online tools for mapping and benchmarking the existing internationalization processes; consortium partners’ role in capacity building of International Cooperation Office (ICO) staff; as well as the overall impact of the Erasmus+ BOOST project on the partner universities. 

All the partners highlighted the positive impact of the project on their universities, particularly indicating increases in the number of student/staff mobility and other international projects, the benefits driven from the equipment for modernizing the universities, as well as the significance of exchanging values and work cultures in the course of collaboration. Along with other approaches and methods, all the partners considered that sustainability of the project can be ensured through ongoing cooperation and exchange of experiences.