Narrative Description of the Project:

The global objective is to provide support for the implementation of the TACIS AP 2006 SPSP. The technical assistance will support the Ministry of Education and Science in monitoring the implementation of policy conditions that apply to the VET component of the sector policy support programme and submit reform proposals to the Commission and to the Government of Armenia (GoA). Such recommendations must take into account VET modernisation and innovation activities carried out so far, as well as the institutional capacity and capability of the GoA to implement reforms.

The specific objective is to support the Ministry of Education and Science of Armenia through enhancement of its institutional capacity in continuing the process of modernisation and innovation of VET through consolidation and development of the activities carried out so far.

The conditions which were approved under TACIS AP 2006 in Armenia are structured along two main areas: (1) institutional capacity building and (2) sector policy.

Description of Actual Services Provided by Your Staff:

Technical assistance was relevant to the Ministry of Education and Science in the following areas / subjects:

• Sector policy formulation / process, with particular attention to policy dialogue and social partnership; strategy and policy; implementation planning and monitoring
• Revision of VET provision present network in the country through assessment and proposal for optimisation
• Analysis of skills map and identification of gaps in particular, in the VET department
• The sector based approach: evolving approach, requirements for recipient governments

Technical assistance was based on deployment of short term expertise as well as complementary institutional capacity building and awareness raising activities in order to cover ad hoc training needs on specific themes and study visits/exchange/seminars/workshops.

The thematic fields covered by the short term experts included:

• labour market needs analysis,
• national qualification framework
• curricula development
• social dialogue
• certification and assessment
• education financing
• public expenditure management in education sector
• programme budgeting