RA Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports Araksia Svajyan attended today the national launch meeting of the “Torino Process: Towards Lifelong Learning”.

Armenia is an active participant in the new round of the Torino Process. The European Training Foundation (ETF) has launched the process with a specific focus on monitoring the performance of education and training systems from a lifelong learning perspective, and on reviewing policies for lifelong learning.

ESCS Deputy Minister Araksia Svajyan expressed gratitude to the European partners represented by the European Training Foundation for the monitoring of the concept of education and lifelong learning in Armenia, the existing mechanisms and the outcomes obtained.

“Thanks to monitoring, we have the opportunity to record all the issues and achievements and start the second round of the process based on them. It is also an opportunity to make the necessary changes to the concept and provide our citizens with more favorable conditions for lifelong learning,” said Araksia Svajyan.

The Deputy Minister highlighted the importance of implementing the process for both formal and informal education, as an opportunity for developing the capacities of people with different professions, or choosing a new profession at any stage of life and directing the potential for the development of the country's economy.

Head of the Cooperation Department, representative of the EU delegation to Armenia Frank Hess, Head of the Department for Primary (Handicraft) and Secondary Vocational Education of the MoESCS, Torino Process National Coordinator Armenuhi Poghosyan, Senior Specialist in the Development of Human Capital Mihailo Milovanovic also delivered welcoming speeches at the workshop.

During the event, the results of monitoring the VET concept in Armenia through the Torino Process and its systemic progress were presented and discussed. The event was also the launch of the review of the concept of lifelong learning by the Torino Process in Armenia and the engagement of Armenia in the follow-up stage of the Process.

According to the Head of the Department for Primary (Handicraft) and Secondary Vocational Education of the MoESCS Armenuhi Poghosyan, Armenia has joined the Torino Process since 2010: “This is a very important tool for us, thanks to which we can analyze and evaluate the progress achieved in VET and outline all reforms and programs based on it. The analytical documents and reports of the previous years of the Torino Process greatly contributed to the process of developing the “RA Education Development State Program until 2030” and the action plan, and also helped to clearly assess what we have and how we should move forward to achieve our goals.”

Armenuhi Poghosyan emphasized the importance of the European Training Foundation's continuous assistance to the development of the VET system in Armenia, implementing a number of programs aimed at both improving the content and management, developing social partnerships, and introducing an institutional system in VET.

The representatives of the EU Delegation to Armenia and the European Training Foundation highly appreciated Armenia's participation in the Torino Process, stressing that our country has created quite good opportunities to increase the attractiveness of the VET system and ensure the engagement of people.