The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of Armenia, CEPFA (French-Armenian Vocational Education Center) and SEPR (Rhone Vocational Training Center) signed Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) on promotion and development of future projects.
The deputy minister Araksia Svadjyan, CEPFA director Gohar Grigoryan and SEPR president Christian Droz were present at the signing ceremony. The Ambassador of France to Armenia Anne Louyot and Embassy officials were present at the meeting too.
The deputy minister Araksia Svadjyan highlighted the importance of the MoC for vocational education, it would foster French-Armenian collaboration. Svadjyan was sure that the MoC would improve the efficiency of ongoing reforms in the field.
“RA State Program for Development of Education until 2030 has been already approved. A number of its actions refer to vocational education development. In the frame of this program, it is planned to have resource centers, colleges of state importance. With this respect we emphasize CEPFA capacity building and new opportunities”, said the deputy minister.
In relation to signing of MoC the deputy minister emphasized activities aimed at fostering participation of regional establishments. She assured that collaboration of regional colleges of Armenia with CEPFA and educational centers in France would become a chance to introduce new professions and develop existing ones.
The development of CEPFA is related to creation of Skills Campus in Yerevan. It will be the place for implementation of new pilot educational projects, work-based learning and life-long learning (education for adults). The Campus is planned to become VET resource center. The project of VET Campus creation has been already approved at the meeting of CEPFA board of trustees.
SEPR president Christian Droz mentioned that the MoC would make further initiatives come true.
“Last week we were with a mission in the regions of Armenia, we crossed more than 1600 km, visited 15 colleges, 2 regional municipalities, 5 city municipalities. This MoC defines the goals that have to be achieved jointly”, said Christian Droz. He spoke about the MoC as a document that would strengthen collaboration of Yerevan and Lyon.