Online Joint Master’s Program Agreement Signed

International Scientific Educational Center (ISEC) at the National Academy of Sciences of RA and the Public Administration Academy of RA will offer an online Master’s degree program on Business Administration (Administration). The graduates will get a joint diploma of both institutions. It is the best option for getting master education for those who want to become a specialist in Business Administration, as well as to establish and improve their own business but have no time or is unable to attend classes.
Armenia has almost no experience in conducting distance education with the exception of short-term courses organized by some educational institutions. So, this program which is jointly carried out by finance of RA Higher Education Competitiveness Foundation, the ISEC NASRA and PAARA, is an unprecedented event in our country and pretends on becoming a model for other institutions.
On September 14, two-day seminars in the Public Administration Academy of RA gave start to the program 'Online Master’s Degree Program with Joint Diplomas'. The PAARA rector Arsen Lokyan welcomed the participants of the seminar and considered the program an essential event for two institutions.
The PAARA rector thanked the heads of Higher Education Competitiveness Foundation, the staff, the professors and those who had worked hard, drafted educational programs or contributed to the program.
The Director of ISEC NASRA Albert Sargsyan also congratulated on the start of the program and mentioned that distance education contains more risks. “Nevertheless, the intellectual potential and technological capacities of both institutions let us assume this responsibility, – he said. These unique institutions set up friendly environment for education and personal interrelations. I am sure, the successful realization of the program is greatly conditioned with the activities of the professors”.
The representative of Center for Education Projects PIU Zhanna Andreasyan congratulated on successful continuation of the program and wished further success and efficiency. She attached importance to the project not only from the perspective of both academies but also of availability of higher education.
"This program is a green light for other institutions which try to make first attempts to carry out distance education" Mrs. Andreasyan said.
Afterwards, the PAARA Rector Arsen Lokyan and Director of ISEC NASRA Albert Sargsyan signed an agreement on the implementation of joint online Master’s degree program.
The program was introduced by PAARA vice-rector, head of the program Tereza Khechoyan and Head of Foreign Affairs Department of ISEC NAS RA, program coordinator Arusyak Harutyunyan.
It is worth mentioning that the pre-organizational activities of the program have started without having any document on distance education in legal field. But now the concept of 'online education' is included in legislative drafts that are presented to the National Assembly. During this period 26 course programs have been designed by the professors of both academies and the teaching will be conducted on Moodle platform. One of the innovations of the program is joint diploma.
"There is a formula which contradicts to the rules of mathematics where 1+1=1. It means that two entities unite and create a single joint product" Arusyak Harutyunyan summed up.
On the second day of the seminar the participants met at ISEC NASRA where the professors of ISEC presented the distance courses that have been designed by them.