December 25, 2012 - 14:32 AMT
Armenia to have university ranking lists

General Manager of VivaCell-MTS mobile operator Ralph Yirikian and Armenian Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan gave a joint press conference Dec 25, with Deputy Minister Karine Harutyunyan and head of the company’s department of development programs and monitoring Robert Stepanyan present.

The initial measures taken to create ranking lists of Armenian schools and universities were in the focus of the discussion.

The ranking lists of Armenia’s educational institutions are presently based on public opinion, which cannot be fully void of subjectivity. This way of ranking will henceforth be replaced with an approved professional method. The reform is in line with the Law on General Education System and the efforts to integrate into Bologna process.

Localization of the best international practice was noted as the most effective way to develop an efficient national model of ranking. The tools developed this year will be introduced in 2013 as a pilot program, with the method to be finalized only upon the completion of the testing.

“VivaCell-MTS supports educational initiatives with a special commitment and aims to make the scientific potential of the country serve to the best of the nation,” Mr. Yirikian said.

Armenia’s national system of university ranking (the methodology, indices, and the mechanisms of calculation) was presented by Karine Harutyunyan, with Robert Stepanyan presenting the ranking system of the general educational institutions, VivaCell-MTS press service reported.