The "Developing tools for lifelong learning in Transcaucasus regio: e-Learning" ('''ARMAZEG''') project was selected in 2013, and funded from 1 December 2013 until 30 November 2016 by the European Commission, under the TEMPUS programme - Joint Projects.

The ARMAZEG web site is at http://www.armazeg.com/

== Summary ==
The Tempus project ARMAZEG aims to stimulate educational reform in Armenian and Georgian universities in order to answer the challenges posed by globalization. The main goal is to further implement e-learning with a focus on developing lifelong learning methodologies. The project will be realized in consecutive steps:
# An assessment of the current situation
# The development of a vision and implementation strategy;
# The establishment of e-learning centres in the participating Armenian and Georgian institutions;
# Professionalisation of teaching staff in the field of e-learning;
# Set-up of concrete pilot projects.
For the realization of this step-by-step plan the Armenian and Georgian institutions can count on the support and expertise of three European Partners (KU Leuven, University of Granada and University of Florence.)

== Outcomes ==
Outcomes of the project will include

- A shared vision on e-learning and lifelong learning

- E-learning centers with qualified staff in 7 universities of Armenia and Georgia

- Online courses in different disciplines

- Teacher training and a long term strategy for capacity building of the academic staff

- Training material on the implementation of e-learning for academic staff

- Local workshops in Armenia and Georgia

- Quality assurance framework for e-courses

Two reports are currently available:

- The [http://www.armazeg.com/media/documents/Stateoftheartreport_ARMAZEG.pdf State-of-the Art Report] on e-learning in Armenia and Georgia describes the current situation of development and use of e-learning and lifelong learning tools in [[Armenia]] and [[Georgia]] . It includes the monitoring analysis of lifelong learning and e-learning on a national level in Armenia and Georgia, as well as an analysis of the situation on the partners’ institutional level.

- The [http://www.armazeg.com/media/documents/D13_final.docx ARMAZEG Project Vision, Strategy and Goals Document] highlights a future when higher education institutions in [[Armenia]] and [[Georgia]] will use technology to enhance education for students and lifelong learners. More specifically e-learning will serve as an important tool: (1) to ensure a flexible organization of and easy access to learning; (2) to improve the learning process by supporting activating teaching methods; (3) to support research-based education; (4) to support the internationalization of higher education; and (5) to facilitate the process of lifelong learning in Armenia and Georgia.
The document points out the consecutive strategic and operational goals for the realization of this project vision.

== Partners ==
* [[Katholieke Universiteit Leuven]] - [[Belgium]]
* [http://www.seua.am/eng/ State Engineering University of Armenia] – [[Armenia]]
* [http://www.gov.am/en/structure/9/ Ministry of Education and Science of Armenia State Committee of Science] – [[Armenia]]
* [http://www.iiap.sci.am/ Institute of Informatics & Automation Problems of NAS RA] – [[Armenia]]
* [http://www.physiol.sci.am/ Orbeli Institute of Physiology of NAS RA] – [[Armenia]]
* [http://www.armspu.am/home/ln/en/ Armenian State Pedagogical University after Kh. Abovian] – [[Armenia]]
* [http://en.sangu.edu.ge/index.php St. Andrew the First-Called Georgian University] – [[Georgia]]
* [http://www.gtu.ge/Eng/ Georgian Technical University] – [[Georgia]]
* [http://www.tsu.edu.ge/en/Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University] – [[Georgia]]
* [http://www.unifi.it/changelang-eng.html University of Florence] – [[Italy]]
* [[University of Granada]] - [[Spain]]
* [[European Distance and E-learning Network]] - [[UK]]

----

 
> [[Programmes]]

[[Category:VC supported by EC]]
[[Category:Armenia| ]]
[[Category:Georgia| ]]

Belgium

2015-07-09T15:44:34Z

IOpdebeeck:

You can go directly to the [[Virtual Campuses in Belgium]] wiki page.

''by [[Nikki Cortoos]] and [[Tom Levec]] and others''


''For entities in Belgium see [[:Category:Belgium]]''

== Partners and Experts in Belgium ==


* [[AVNET_-_K.U.Leuven| AVNet - K.U.Leuven]]
* [[EUROPACE| EuroPACE]]
* [[ATiT| Audiovisual Technologies, Informatics and Telecommunications bvba (ATiT)]]

Note: One of the universities in Belgium is [[K.U.Leuven]].

== Belgium in a nutshell ==


[[Image:Belgium_map.gif|frame|left|Source: Original gif on: [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/be.html the CIA's "The World Factbook" / Belgium]]]
The Kingdom of Belgium is a country in northwest [[Europe]]. It is a founding member of the [[European Union]] and hosts its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, including NATO. Belgium covers an area of 30,528 km2 (11,787 square miles) and has a population of about 10.5 million. Belgium is a federal state in Europe with a constitutional monarchy, founded in 1830, and its capital is Brussels.

The citizens of Belgium are called Belgians. Straddling the cultural boundary between Germanic and Latin Europe, Belgium is home for two main linguistic groups, the Dutch speakers/Flemings and the French speakers, mostly Walloons, plus a small group of German speakers. Belgium's two largest regions are the Dutch-speaking region of '''[[Flanders]]''' in the north, with 59% of the population, and the French-speaking southern region of '''[[Wallonia]]''' with 31% of the population. The '''Brussels-Capital Region''', officially bilingual, is a mostly French-speaking enclave within the Flemish Region and near the Walloon Region, and has 10% of the population. A small German-speaking Community exists in eastern [[Wallonia]]. Belgium's linguistic diversity and related political and cultural conflicts are reflected in the political history and a complex system of government.

<div style="padding: 2px; border:solid 4px #FEF2BF; background-color: #FEE6BF; color: #000000">
'''This Belgium page is a merger of the information found on the [[Flanders]] and [[Wallonia]] pages, but you can still visit those separate pages for your convenience. </div>

'''History'''

The name 'Belgium' is derived from Gallia Belgica, a Roman province in the northernmost part of Gaul that was inhabited by the Belgae, a mix of Celtic and Germanic peoples. Historically, Belgium, [[the Netherlands]] and [[Luxembourg]] were known as the Low Countries, a somewhat larger area than the current Benelux group of states. From the end of the Middle Ages until the 17th century, it was a prosperous centre of commerce and culture. From the 16th century until the Belgian revolution in 1830, many battles between European powers were fought in the area of Belgium, causing it to be dubbed "the battlefield of Europe" and "the cockpit of Europe" - a reputation strengthened by both World Wars. Upon its independence, Belgium eagerly participated in the Industrial Revolution. Its King privately possessed the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congo_Free_State "Congo Free State"] in [[Southern Africa]] until it was later annexed by the Kingdom of Belgium as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgian_Congo the Belgian Congo]" until it became independent as the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo]. The second half of the 20th century was marked by the rise of communal conflicts between the Flemings and the Francophones fuelled by cultural differences on the one hand and an asymmetrical economic evolution of [[Flanders]] and [[Wallonia]] on the other hand. These still-active conflicts have caused far-reaching reforms of the unitary Belgian state into a federal state. There is constant speculation by observers that this process of devolution might lead to the partition of the country.

'''Source''' [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgium Wikipedia's page on Belgium]

'''Regions and Communities'''

Belgium is a double federation of:
[[Image:268px-Belgium_provinces_regions_striped.png|frame|right|Source: Original png on: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Belgium_provinces_regions_striped.png]]

*3 Communities which are responsible for the person-related issues such as '''education''', welfare, public health and culture:
**    the Dutch-speaking Community / Vlaamse Gemeenschap: [http://www.flanders.be Government], [http://www.vlaamsparlement.be/vp/engels.html Ministry and Parliamant]
**    the French-speaking Community / Communauté Française: [http://www.gcf.be/ Government], [http://www.cfwb.be/ Ministry] and [http://www.pcf.be Parliamant]
**   the German-speaking Community / Deutschsprachige Gemeinschaft: [http://www.dglive.be Ministry] and [http://www.dgparlament.be/ Parliament]

*3 Regions which are responsible for the territorial issues such as economy, infrastructure, agriculture, environment and employment
**   [http://www.flanders.be the Flemish Region]
**    [http://www.wallonie.be/ the Walloon Region]
**   [http://www.bruxelles.irisnet.be/ the Brussels-Capital Region] (officially bilingual)

*There are four language areas:
**   the Dutch area: the provinces* in Flanders: [http://www.antwerpen.be/ Antwerp], [http://www.limburg.be/ Limburg], [http://www.vlaamsbrabant.be/ Flemish Brabant], [http://www.west-vlaanderen.be West Flanders], [http://www.oost-vlaanderen.be East Flanders]
**   the French area: the provinces* in Wallonia: [http://www.hainaut.be Hainaut], [http://www.brabantwallon.be/ Walloon Brabant], [http://www.namur.be Namur], [http://www.province.luxembourg.be/ Luxembourg], [http://www.liege.be Liège]
**   the bilingual area in [http://www.brucity.be/ Brussels-Capital] with 19 municipalities
**   the German area: the 9 municipalities of the “East Cantons” / [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eupen-Malm%C3%A9dy Eupen-Malmedy]

<nowiki>*</nowiki> The most important or most frequent optional '''responsibilities''' of the provinces are '''education''' (the provinces organise educational institutions, secondary or higher), culture, social welfare, heritage sites and assets, etc.

'''Source''': [http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/ressources/eurydice/eurybase/pdf/section/BN_EN_C1_1_1.pdf The Education System in the Flemish Community of Belgium] (PDF - EN - 5 pages), 2006/07

== Education in Belgium==


[http://www.dekamer.be/kvvcr/pdf_sections/publications/constitution/grondwetEN.pdf Article 24 of the Belgian Constitution (p. 11/60 - EN - PDF] lays down the principle of the freedom of education and provides for the existence of state-organised teaching. Within this constitutional framework, two networks of institutions of higher education have developed extensively:
* Public institutions set up by the state and administered by the (linguistic) communities, or by the provincial or municipal authorities.
* Private institutions of which the majority is ''denominational'' (such as Roman Catholic) and which receive financial aid from the state, subject to certain conditions. The minority is not affiliated to a particular religion: the Freinet schools, Montessori schools or Steiner schools, which adopt particular educational methods and are also known as ‘''method schools''’.

For details about education in belgium, visit http://www.expatarrivals.com/belgium/education-and-schools-in-belgium

Such as referenced in Article 24, "Access to education is free until the end of compulsory education". In Belgium, both primary and secondary education is obligatory.

{| class="wikitable" border="1" style="background:#f0f0f0;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5"
| align="center" style="color:#FFFFFF;background:#4682B4; width:200px"|'''Level'''
| align="center" style="color:#FFFFFF;background:#4682B4;"|'''Age'''
| align="center" style="color:#FFFFFF;background:#4682B4;"|'''Year'''
| align="center" style="color:#FFFFFF;background:#4682B4;"|'''Compulsory'''
| align="center" style="color:#FFFFFF;background:#4682B4;"|'''stages and cycles*'''
| align="center" style="color:#FFFFFF;background:#4682B4;"|'''Additional information'''
|-
| ||2||||||||
|-
| rowspan="3"|'''Kindergarten'''/Nursery/pre-primary / ''maternel'' (FR) or ''kleuteronderwijs'' (NL) ||3||1||
| rowspan="3"|stage 1, 1st cycle
| rowspan="3"|children that are 2 years and 6 months on 30 September can enter Kindergarten
|-
| 4||2||
|-
| 5||3||
|-
| rowspan="6"|'''Primary education''' / ''primaire'' (FR) or ''basisschool/lagere school'' (NL) ||6||1||c
| rowspan="2"|stage 1, 2nd cycle
| rowspan="6"| ''Note'': in the French Community, the schools where Kindergarten and primary education are combined are called ''les écoles fondamentale''
|-
| 7||2||c
|-
| 8||3||c
|rowspan="2"|stage 2, 3nd cycle
|-
| 9||4||c
|-
| 10||5||c
|rowspan="2"|stage 2, 4nd cycle
|-
| 11||6||c
|-
| rowspan="6"|'''Secondary education''' / ''secondaire'' (FR) or ''secundair/middelbaar'' (NL) ||12||1||c
| rowspan="6"|stage 3, 5th cycle
| rowspan="6" style="font-weight:normal;"|
* general (G) / ''algemeen (ASO)'' (NL) ;
* technical (T) / ''technisch (TSO)'' (NL) ;
* artistic (A) / ''kunst'' (KSO) (NL)
* vocational (P) / ''professionnel'' (FR) or ''beroeps (BSO)'' (NL) ;
* special needs / ''buitengewoon (BuSO)'' (NL)
|-
| 13||2||c
|-
| 14||3||c
|-
| 15||4||c
|-
| 16||5||c
|-
| 17||6||c
|-
| rowspan="5"|'''Higher Education''' / ''supérieur'' (FR) or ''hoger'' (NL) ||18||1||
| rowspan="3"|cycle1: Bachelor (3 yrs)
! rowspan="5" style="font-weight:normal; text-align: left;"|
* in Wallonia: Universities, Colleges, Colleges of Arts and Higher Education Institutions of Architecture
* in Flanders: Universities, University Colleges and Colleges (''Hogescholen'')
|-
| 19||2||
|-
| 21||3||
|-
| 22||4||
|rowspan="2"|cycle 2: master (1-2yrs)
|-
| 23||5||
|-
|}
<nowiki>*</nowiki>: [http://www.enseignement.be/index.php?page=24223&navi=1687 stages and cycles]

'''Pre-primary Education'''
* Dutch Speaking Community: kleuteronderwijs
* French Speaking Community: enseignement maternelle
* German Speaking Community: Kindergarten

Free pre-primary school facilities are provided for children who have reached age two and a half. Where places are limited, priority is given to mothers working full-time. These pre-schools are often attached to a primary school. Attendance is not compulsory but it is very popular (it is clearly cheaper than other childcare alternatives, for example) and more than 90 percent of children in this age bracket attend. By age five 99 percent of children are in school.

There are few formal lessons. As children get older there are supervised tasks and specialised lessons in subjects such as music, a second language and gym, and everything is done with an emphasis on play.

Special needs education is also provided on this level.

'''Primary Education''' or in the:
* Dutch Speaking Community: lager onderwijs
* French Speaking Community: enseignement primaire
* German Speaking Community: Grundschule

Primary school education begins on the 1st September of the year in which a child reaches the age of six (although some children are admitted at age five if they are considered ready) and is free to all. It lasts for six years and a whole range of academic subjects are studied. There is a strong language emphasis. For example schools in the German community must teach French from the first or second year and in Brussels Dutch schools must teach French and French schools must teach Dutch – commune schools start this during the last year of pre-school.

Primary education consists of 3 cycles:
* First cycle (years 1 and 2)
* Second cycle (years 3 and 4)
* Third cycle (years 5 and 6)

Homework is given from an early age and a high level of parental involvement is encouraged.

Special needs education is also provided on this level. Pupils can then go to [http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/dvo/buitengewoon/buitengewoon_basis/index.htm special needs primary schools] or follow integrated education (''[http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/gidsvoorouders/specifiekesituaties/geintegreerd/01.htm geïntegreerd onderwijs (GON)]'') in which primary schools and special needs primary schools work together. The pupils that, although they have special needs, are able to take part in ordinary primary schools, can follow some or all lessons and activities there, and this either permanently or for a period of time.

'''Secondary Education''' or in the:
* Dutch Speaking Community: secundair onderwijs
* French Speaking Community: enseignement secondaire
* German Speaking Community: Sekundäre Erziehung

Secondary education is also free and begins at around age 12. It lasts for six years and consists of three cycles each lasting two years. Parents may be expected to make a contribution towards the cost of text books.

In the first year of secondary education all pupils follow the same programme. From the second year onwards a range of options can be chosen according to preference and ability. These will lead to education of a general nature or with a more technical, artistic or professional slant. Often schools will specialise in one of these streams or will have different sections for different streams. Within the streams pupils continue to choose from further options throughout secondary school resulting in a broad education weighted towards their preferred subjects or career.

Assessment is ongoing throughout secondary education and students receive a diploma at the end of their studies. For those who have followed a general range of subjects the next step is normally higher education.

Technical students often go to university or college to study related subjects or may start working straight after school. Vocational students typically begin working part-time to complement their studies from age 16 and then move into full-time employment.

Those who have followed the artistic options usually go on to higher education, for example to art colleges or specialist music conservatories but may go to university or college, depending on the options they choose. Some art colleges have a secondary section starting from the third year of secondary school and pupils study for the first two years in a general school.

Special needs education is also provided on this level, pupils then follow special needs secondary education (''[http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/dvo/buitengewoon/buitengewoon_secundair/ov3/indexOV3.htm buitengewoon secundair onderwijs (BuSO)]''.

''Doubling (repeating a year)''

Children are tested at the end of each year of pre-school, primary and secondary school to decide if they are ready for the next year. The testing takes the form of assessment and supervised tests for younger children and exams for older children. If they are not ready to move up, they repeat the year or "double". The system continues in secondary school, although students are also given an alternative to doubling, which is to go to another study or school form (for instance: from ASO to TSO, ...). Because "doubling" is common, there is usually very little stigma attached to it.

A broad view of the educational landscape in the flanders including general education principles, levels of education, support and quality control, education policies and social developments, as well as useful addresses can be found via the following link: http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/publicaties/eDocs/pdf/107.pdf

More information on legal documents for the French Community can be found on the [http://www.adm.cfwb.be/index.php?m=docs_search portal of the circulars, issued by the French Community] (FR).

=== Education Policy in Belgium ===

The '''Belgian Constitution''' stipulates in Article 24 that everyone has the '''right to education''' and therefore established compulsory education for children between 6 and 18 years old. Belgium also provides that access to '''education is free''' of charge up to the end of secondary education.

'''Source''': [http://www.dekamer.be/kvvcr/pdf_sections/publications/constitution/grondwetEN.pdf the Belgian Constitution] (EN - PDF - 60 pages), 2009, - Article 24, p. 11

Primary and secondary education is compulsory for all children that are living on Belgian territory, which includes:
* foreign children must attend school from the 60th day after they are registered in the “aliens’ register” (vreemdelingenregister) or the citizen’s register (bevolkingsregister) of the city or town they live in
* children without a fixed residence (children living on boats or travel trailers, children of fair or circus organisers or artists, gypsies, ...)

--> sourced from http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/gidsvoorouders/specifiekesituaties/default.htm#migr

To respect their right to education, special care is also taken that long-term ill children can still follow their lessons, from home or from their hospital.

Two groups organise the educational structure: the public sector (the communes, provinces and communities) and the private sector. In the public sector there are 3 educational networks:
* '''community schools''': neutral on religious, philosophical or ideological convictions
* '''subsidised publicly run schools''': organized by communes and provinces
* '''subsidised privately run schools''': denominational schools and schools which are not affiliated to a particular religion: the Freinet schools, Montessori schools or Steiner schools, which adopt particular educational methods and are also known as ‘method schools’.

Education that is organised for and by the government (community education and municipal and provincial education) is known as publicly run education. Recognised education organised on private initiative is called privately run education.

'''Use of languages in education'''

As a result of the constitutional reform in Belgium the Dutch-speaking and the French-speaking higher education systems were separated. The Parliaments of the Flemish and French Communities regulate, by federate law, education, with the exception of the setting of the beginning and of the end of compulsory education, minimum standards for the granting of diplomas, the pension scheme (according to Article 127, p. 37). And they regulate by federate law, the use of languages for education in the establishments created, subsidised or recognised by the public authorities (according to Article 129, p. 38). This is the same for the Parliament of the German-speaking Community (according to Article 130, p. 38). The language of education is mostly conformant to the language area.

'''Sources''':
* [http://www.dekamer.be/kvvcr/pdf_sections/publications/constitution/grondwetEN.pdf the Belgian Constitution] (EN - PDF - 60 pages), 2009: Article 127, p. 37 and Article 129 and Article 130, p. 38
* [http://www.cdadoc.cfwb.be/cdadocrep/pdf/1963/19630730s04329.pdf '''The law of 30 July 1963''' (PDF)] concerning use of language in education

'''Objectives of Education'''

The '''primary and secondary education''' missions were stipulated in the [http://www.cdadoc.cfwb.be/RechDoc/docForm.asp?docid=764&docname=19970724s21557 Decree of 24 July 2997] (FR).

The Higher Education Acts in Belgium states that the three main tasks of '''higher education''' are: cooperation with society; education and research.

'''Source''' “The organisation of the academic year in higher education - 2008/09”. [http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/Eurydice/showPresentation?pubid=093EN Chapter 2: Structures of Higher Education Governance] ([http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/ressources/eurydice/pdf/091EN/091EN_005_C02.pdfPDF] – EN)

==== Education policy in Flanders====

As a result of the constitutional reform in Belgium the Dutch speaking and the French-speaking higher education systems were separated. The Flemish government wanted to do things ‘differently and better’. This led to a new higher education legislation in the early 1990s and to a policy based on the principles of deregulation, autonomy and accountability.

The Flemish government wanted to treat all institutions on an equal basis. In general, there are two types of institutions: universities and university colleges or "''hogescholen''". New legislation made the former state universities autonomous and gave them almost the same responsibility as the ‘free’ universities. In terms of deregulation, autonomy and accountability the same principles were introduced for the hogescholen. This led in conjunction with the merger operation in 1995 to a fundamental change in the relationship between the government and the hogescholen. Former centralised and detailed regulations were replaced by a management regime aimed at achieving a balanced combination of broad autonomy and responsibility for the hogescholen. The higher education regulations as a whole – universities and hogescholen – became more integrated. The previous government wanted to bring the decree on universities (1991) and the decree on the hogescholen (1994) into line with each other without affecting the nature of the university and college education. This integration process has been stimulated even more by the 2003 legislation on the restructuring of higher education in order to implement the [[Bologna Process]].

In terms of policy preparation the following organisations play an important role in [[Flanders]]:

* The '''Flemish Education Council ([http://www.vlor.be/ Vlaamse Onderwijsraad - VLOR])''', founded in 1991, is the advisory and consultative body for all educational matters. All draft decrees in the field of education must be submitted to the VLOR. Furthermore, the VLOR can give advice to the Flemish government on its own initiative. The VLOR consists of separate councils for primary, secondary, higher and adult education and a general council, which is composed of representatives of the organising bodies, school staff, parents and socio-economic organisations, university experts and Education Department representatives.

* The '''Flemish Socio-Economic Council ([http://www.serv.be/ Sociaal-Economische Raad van Vlaanderen - SERV])''', composed of representatives of employers and employees, gives advice on all draft decrees, including those in the field of education. The SERV plays an important role in the relationship between education and the world of work.

* The '''Flemish Interuniversity Council ([http://www.vlir.be/ Vlaamse Interuniversitaire Raad - VLIR])''' is an autonomous body of public utility with its own corporate status. It acts as a defender of the universities and as an advisor to the Flemish government on university issues (consultation, advice and recommendations).

* Similar for the institutions of non-university HE there is the '''[http://www.vlhora.be/ Flemish Council for hogescholen ([VLHORA)]''', founded during the academic year 1996-1997, represents the hogescholen and gives advice and makes proposals to the Flemish government with regard to the education in the hogescholen. At the same time it can provide consultation among the hogescholen.

* The '''[http://www.vvs.ac/ National Union of Students in Flanders (VVS)]''', the umbrella organisation of student unions at Flemish universities and hogescholen, gives advice at the request of the Flemish government.

==== Education policy in Wallonia====
* The HEIs in the Flemish Community of Belgium are free to draft long-term strategic or development plans and they are free to take the governmental priorities into account or not, as they decide.
* The decree defining higher education in the French Community of Belgium provides the higher education objectives and the mission of the institutions.
* In the German-speaking Community of Belgium, the mission and strategic priorities of the ''[http://www.ahs-dg.be/ Autonome Hochschule]'' were not established by the institution, but by official decree in 2005.

'''Source''' “The organisation of the academic year in higher education - 2008/09”. [http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/Eurydice/showPresentation?pubid=093EN Chapter 2: Structures of Higher Education Governance] ([http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/ressources/eurydice/pdf/091EN/091EN_005_C02.pdfPDF] – EN)

In terms of policy preparation the following organisations play an important role in [[Wallonia]]:
* [http://www.fef.be The Federation of the French-speaking Students in Belgium] / ''Fédération Des Etudiants Francophones'' (FEF) represents local student unions. It engages in debates and defends ideas around the central concept of the democratization of HE. This concept includes free access, participation of students in the decisions regarding them, adequate public financing, a reflection about pedagogy and the quality of teaching in HE. '''Source''' [http://www.esib.org/index.php/About%20ESU/fullmembers/25-belgium-fration-des-etudiantes-francophones-fef European Students’ Union (ESU) web site (EN)]
* [http://www.cref.be The Council of Rectors of the French-speaking universities of Belgium] / ''Conseil des Recteurs des universités de la Communauté française de Belgique'' (CREF)
* [http://www.cpeons.be/ The Council of the Organising Powers of Official Public Funded Education] / ''Conseil des Pouvoirs organisateurs de l'Enseignement Officiel Neutre Subventionné'' (regional and local level)] (FR)
* [http://www.felsi.be/ The Federation of the Independent subsidized “Free” Schools] / ''La Fédération des Etablissements Libres Subventionnés Indépendants'' (FELSI) (FR), including HEIs
* [http://www.segec.be/FEDESUC The Federation of Catholic Higher Education] / ''Fédération de l’enseignement supérieur catholique'' (FédESuC) (FR)
* [http://www.ciuf.be The Inter-University Council of the French Community of Belgium] / ''Le Conseil Interuniversitaire de la Communauté française de Belgique'' (CIUF), created by the [http://www.ciuf.be/cms/decret-du-9-janvier-2003.html Decree of 9 January 2003], is a public agency comprising all nine universities and university faculties of the French Community. CIUF’s main missions are to:
** submit opinions on any matter related to university education;
** organize the dialogue between academic institutions and vis-à-vis students and other institutions of higher education;
** promote inter-university and inter-faculty collaboration;
** ensure the representation of the higher education institutions of the French Community in various national or international institutions.

== Schools in Belgium==





A list of all schools in in Belgium can be found via http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_schools_in_Belgium

'''Schools in the Brussels Region'''

A list of all schools from nursery schools to universities in the region of Brussels can be found via the link below. The educational opportunities in Brussels are unlimited since Brussels is a bilingual city with both Dutch and French as the official languages. All schools in Brussels teach in either one or the other and each one teaches the basics of the other language. A center of international presence in the post-war period, Brussels has a number of international schools, among them the International School of Brussels and the three European Schools for children of parents working in the EU institutions. These provide education along British, American, French, German, Dutch, Scandinavian and even Japanese lines. Brussels is home to several universities and two drama schools. In addition, there is a choice of nine major Business Schools where students receive a quality training and education. For more information and list of all pre-schools, primary schools, secondary schools, universities, colleges, polytechniques, art schools and other vocational institutions, go to: http://www.europe-cities.com/en/588/belgium/brussels/schools/

'''Nursery Schools in Wallonia'''

In the French speaking Community, kindergarten or nursery education is for children between the age of 2.5 to 5 years old. This period of education is not compulsory but it helps to develop social skills in the children and also allows the identification of potential difficulties and disabilities in children before they become older and get into primary school.

In Wallonia, the nursery is part of the pedagogical continuity of the three stages of learning objectives included in developing core skills from kindergarten, primary and then finally secondary education.

For a list of nursery schools in the French speaking Community, visit the following site:

http://www.enseignement.be/index.php?page=23836&navi=149

'''Primary Schools in Wallonia'''

Both pre-school (nursery) and primary education in Wallonia are seen as very fundamental even though the former is not compulsory. Compulsory primary education is between the ages of 6 and 12 years of age and is based mainly on the teaching of language, reading and mathematics. It culminates with the 'Certificate of Basic Education' (CEB). This certificate gives access to secondary education.

In Wallonia, learning a second language other than French is compulsory from the fifth year. In the Brussels region, learning a second language starts from the third year of primary school.

Some kindergarten and primary schools teach some subjects in another language other than French. This is part of what is known as the 'Language Immersion Programme'. For more information about the immersion programme and a list of schools carrying out the programme, visit the following link:

http://www.enseignement.be/index.php?page=23801&navi=33

A list of all secondary schools is also available via the following link:

http://www.enseignement.be/index.php?page=23836&navi=149

You can also find a list of all school and public holidays observed by all nursery, primary and secondary schools in wallonia on the same link as above.

'''Secondary Schools in Wallonia'''

For a list of all schools in Wallonia including all French speaking schools in Wallonia, visit the following links:
*http://www.liensutiles.org/ecolebe.htm
*http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_des_%C3%A9coles_secondaires_en_Belgique
*http://www.wallonie.be/fr/citoyens/apprendre-et-se-former-tout-au-long-de-la-vie/enseignement-secondaire/index.html
*http://www.enseignons.be/actualites/2011/04/06/secondaire-liste-ecoles-completes/

'''Independent Private Schools in Belgium'''

Independent private schools in Belgium are mostly international schools serving the expatriate community. However, some Belgian children also attend the schools. Instruction is usually in English. The schools typically draw students from many countries so that children receive a truly global perspective. Some of the private schools in Belgium include the Antwerp International School, Brussels International School, St John's International School, Brussels Junior Academy, Da Vinci International School, British International School. There are a good number of British International schools. A list of independent private schools in Belgium can be obtained via the following links:
* http://www.independentschools.com/belgium/
* http://privateschool.about.com/od/belgiumschools/Belgian_Schools_Online.htm

A list of all international schools in belgium is found via the following link:
* http://www.expatarrivals.com/belgium/brussels/international-schools-in-brussels

'''British Schools in Belgium'''

British schools in Belgium are established as independent international schools with each school developing and following its own mission. Most normally follow British National Curriculum and offer a broad based educational program. The provide education integrated with childcare provision, creating a foundation for individual development and a sound basis for life-long learning. Capitalising on small class sizes, allowing a high degree of individual attention, most British schools in belgium success in an atmosphere where pupils and students feel cared for and valued. There are strong French language and music programs in some of the schools, excellent Information Technology facilities, Special Needs provision and a wide range of extracurricular activities.

They normally admit children of all nationalities, cultures and religions affiliations and is ideal for children who just relocated to Belgium. Most British Schools in Belgium are members of the European Council of International Schools and their programs usually include French, Dutch, English, Information Technology, Art, Music, Swimming, amongst others. The fees are usually very expensive ranging from EUR 6,000 to EUR 17,000.

For a list of all British Schools in Belgium from pre-Kindergarten /toddlers - 18 months to 2½ years, kindergarten nursery - 3 to 5 years, reception - 4 to 5 years, primary - 5 to 11 years, secondary middle school and secondary high school, visit the following link: http://www.expatica.ru/education/school/british-schools-1427_8454.html

'''Special Needs Schools'''

Children with speical needs and disabilities and/or learning difficulties are catered for within mainstream schools. However, there are separate specialist schools available and in the case of severe disability, children may be taught at home or be exempt from compulsory schooling. Both inclusion and equality is Belgium's approach in dealing with the issue of special needs in education and there is an unwavering commitment to giving every child the right to an education which maximises their potential. For a complete information on and list of special needs schools, visit the following website: http://belgium.angloinfo.com/countries/belgium/specialneeds.asp or visit the Flemish Ministry of Education and Training [http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/gidsvoorouders/specifiekesituaties/buitengewoon/02.htm web page on special needs education]

'''Special Needs School Type 4: education for children with a physical disability''' (also financed by the government)

* An example of such a state-financed school is the physical rehabilitation centre for children and youth [http://www.revapulderbos.be. Pulderbos] where special needs, secondary education is given to patients staying temporarily at the centre - in collaboration with the patient's own school. Nursery and primary education is also given there, but this is financed by the state as a type 5 school:

'''Special Needs School Type 5: education for children staying in a hospital or institution''' (also financed by the government)

* Hospital Schools: [[I learn at the hospital‎]] is an umbrella non-profit organisation consisting of Belgian hospital schools and specialised institutions that provides education to long-term ill, hospitalised children at nursery, primary and secondary education level. This is subsidised by the government as it provides special needs education type 5 (long-term ill children and hospitalised children).
* Video chat session from home to class:
**[[Bednet]], as mentioned below, is a Flemish initiative in which primary and secondary school pupils that have a long-term illness, can still participate in class and connect with their classmates through video-chat sessions.
** [[Take Off]] asbl, also mentioned below, enables children in the French-speaking Community who have been sick for a long time to continue their education at home or while in hospital through connecting to the class and teacher via videoconferencing.

* 1:1 education at home
**[[Temporary Education At Home]] (''Tijdelijk Onderwijs Aan Huis (TOAH)'' in Dutch) enables temporary primary and secondary education for children that are not hospitalised but absent from school for more than 21 days or on a weekly basis due to illness or an accident. The teacher or a staff member goes to the child’s home to teach for 4 hours “class time”.
**[http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/wetwijs/thema.asp?id=90&fid=2 Permanent Education At Home] (''Permanent onderwijs aan huis (POAH)'' in Dutch) provides education to children who cannot follow the special needs primary or secondary education on a permanent base and due to their special needs, but can they learn though certain "lesson hours" given at their own home.
** [http://www.s-z.be School and Illness] (''School & Ziekzijn vzw (S&Z)'' in Dutch), provides 1:1 education at home on a voluntary basis (transport costs are charged)
* Relevant initatives/organisations are: the Platform for Education for Ill Children in Flanders (or ''Platform van Onderwijs aan Zieke Leerlingen in Vlaanderen (PoZiLiV) in Dutch)'', the foundation [http://www.kbs-frb.be/fund.aspx?id=246736&LangType=2067 Ivens-Boons Fonds] in Mechelen (Flanders), ...

'''Initiatives for underprivileged people (young as well as old), prisoners, ... or "those left out"'''

* Auxilia is a volunteer organisation in [http://www.auxilia-vlaanderen.be/ Flanders] and [http://www.asblauxilia.net/ Wallonia] that enables 1:1 education for underprivileged people or for people that are being left out by existing literacy courses, primary or for who second-chance education is not within their reach or fit to their specific needs. Students can be young people preparing for an exam for the "central exam commission", special needs students that have specific educational interests, prisoners, ... and volunteer teachers then provide personal and customised lessons (on location if needed but transportation costs are charged). The initiative is also present in [http://www.auxilia.es Spain] and [http://www.auxilia-formation.org/ France].

'''French school in Belgium'''
The [[Lycée Français International]] (French International School of Antwerp) is a private school located in Antwerp, Belgium that follows the French curriculum, has a covenant with the French National Education Ministry and pupils graduating from secondary school receive the French degree « baccalauréat ». Instruction languages vary between (combinations of) French, English and Dutch.

'''Homeschooling'''
* in Flanders
* for information on Wallonia, you can read more [http://www.enseignement.be/index.php?page=26100 here]

== Further and Higher education ==
In Dutch: hoger onderwijs

In French: enseignement superieure

Higher education in Belgium is organised by the Flemish and French communities via state or private institutions (often linked to religious bodies). German speakers typically enrol in French institutions or pursue their studies in [[Germany]].

There are six universities in Belgium which offer a full range of subjects. In most cases students are free to enrol at any institution as long as they have their qualifying diploma. However, those wishing to continue their studies in medicine, dentistry, arts and engineering sciences may face stricter entrance controls including additional examinations.

The government sets the registration fee for each establishment and reviews it annually. There are three fee levels depending on the student's financial situation and that of their family.

The higher education system in Belgium follows a Bachelor/Master process with a Bachelor's degree obtained after three years and a Master's degree after a further one or two years. Both universities and colleges can award these degrees.

Students from outside Belgium coming to study in one of these establishments will have to prove that they have the appropriate entrance qualifications and that they can financially support themselves during their studies.

In higher education, the academic year begins between mid-September and 1 October, depending on the course.

=== Universities and Polytechnics in Belgium===



:'''Remark''': Polytechnics are called University Colleges or "Hogescholen" in Flanders.

On 4 April 2003 the Flemish government approved the Decree on the restructuring of higher education in Flanders. A new qualification structure was introduced. One-cycle programmes have been converted to the level of bachelor’s degree. Two-cycle programmes in hogescholen are academic education: academic bachelor courses and master courses in association with a university. The system should be regarded as a binary system: professional higher education at the ‘hogescholen’ and academic higher education at the universities and at the hogescholen (associations). The ‘hogescholen’ can award academic degrees in cooperation with a university. Still the universities have the monopoly of awarding doctor’s degrees.One of the consequences is that co-operation between universities and hogescholen is increase considerably with the development of associations. Universities and university colleges cooperate intensively, especially in the field of research, in the Associations. These are formed by one university and at least one university college. As a third kind, the Flemish government has recognised a number of "registered" institutes of higher education, which mostly issue specialised degrees or provide education mainly in a foreign language.
The educational provision in Flemish tertiary education is laid down in the [http://www.highereducation.be Higher education register] that contains all the accredited higher education programmes in Flanders. There are 39 recognised Higher Education Institutions. The Universities and Colleges are divided into 5 associations. The registered Institutions are not a member of an Association. A few tertiary education institutes are not regulated by the corresponding laws on tertiary education. The Faculty of Protestant Theology in
Brussels and the Evangelical Theological Faculty (in Heverlee award degrees in Protestant Theology. They are recognised as private institutes.
Whatever their origin, all institutions mentioned above are officially recognised by the Flemish authorities. The following postgraduate institutions have the same status:
* Institute of Development Policy and Management,
* Institute of Tropical Medicine,
* Vlerick Leuven-Gent Management School

We refer to [[the overview of all Flemish HEI's]] to get a complete overview.

In Flanders, the following higher education courses are provided:
* Bachelor courses( Professional bachelor courses and Academic bachelor courses)
* Master courses
* Further training programmes
* Postgraduates and updating and in-service training courses
* Doctoral programmes

Higher professional education exclusively consists of professionally oriented bachelor courses, which are only organised at colleges of higher education. Academic education comprises bachelor and master courses, which are provided by universities. Also colleges of higher education belonging to an association are allowed to provide academic education.

'''Adult Education'''
In Flanders there are several publicly funded education, training and developmental provision schemes for adults. Within part-time adult education, 3 different actors can be distinguished:
# '''continuing education (OSP)''': with more than 250,000 course participants, continuing education is the most important pillar in adult education. Continuing education is provided in centres for adult education which are recognised and funded by the authorities.
# '''supervised individual study (BIS'''): [[BIS]] has discontinued. It is however published in our research list.
# '''adult basic education''': the 29 centres for basic adult education try to provide a broad and varied range of basic education programmes: languages, mathematics, social orientation, ICT, introduction in French and English and stimulation and student counselling activities.

In contrast with continuing education and BIS, courses in basic education are free of charge.

'''Lifelong Learning'''

On 31 March 2003, the Training and Alignment Information Service /Dienst Informatie Vorming en Afstemming (DIVA) was launched. DIVA co-ordinates the educational provision for adults in Flanders. DIVA facilitates the co-operation between the policy fields Education and Training, Employment, Culture and Economy. DIVA’s partners are the educational networks, [http://vdab.be/ Flemish Employment and Vocational Training Agency (VDAB)], [http://www.syntravlaanderen.be/Syntravlaanderen/IndexTwoCol.aspx Flemish Institute for the Self-Employed (VIZO)] and [http://www.socius.be/ Support Centre for Socio-cultural Work (Socius)]. These partners represent respectively adult education (including further higher education, OSP, basic education, BIS and DKO), the training courses set up by [http://vdab.be/ VDAB], by [http://www.syntra.be Syntra] and socio-cultural adult work. An awareness-raising campaign was launched: http://www.wordwatjewil.be (“Become what you want”)

==== Universities and Polytechnics in Wallonia ====

In Wallonia distinctions are made between:
* '''University education''' at Universities (''Universités'') & University-Faculties (''Facultés Universitaires''). Scientific research is an important aspect of university education. The universities, recognised and subsidised by the French Community of Belgium, are grouped together in the form of university academies or associations.
* '''Non-university education''' at Colleges (''Hautes Ecoles''), which are equivalents of the Flemish “Hogescholen”, Institutes of Higher Education, Colleges of Art/Art Academies (''Les écoles supérieures des arts'') and Higher Institutes of Architecture (''Les Instituts Supérieur d'Architecture'').

We refer to [http://www.virtualschoolsandcolleges.eu/index.php/The_overview_of_all_Wallone_HEI%27s| the overview of all Walloon HEIs] to get a complete overview.

A list of all art schools in both the Flanders and Wallonia is available via the following link:

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_des_%C3%A9coles_d'art_en_Belgique

== Education reform ==

=== Schools ===

=== Post-secondary ===





The [http://www.wallonie.be/en/discover-wallonia/education/index.html language partition] in Belgium is still apparent to this day. The language, used in education in [[Belgium]] today, depends on the language area the institution is located in, as mentioned in [[Belgium#Belgium in a Nutshell| Belgium in a Nutshell / Communities & Regions]]: you have the obvious division of the 3 language-defined communities and the capital Brussels, which is bilingual. The dominant languages in the HEIs in these separate entities are accordingly.

==== Higher education reform in Wallonia====

Recent mergers in 2007-2008 created the [http://haute-ecole.prov-liege.be The University-College of the Province of Liege / La Haute Ecole de la Province de Liège (HEPL)] from Rennequin Sualem, Léon-Eli Troclet and André Vésale, as well as the new [http://www.henam.be The University-College of Namur / La Haute Ecole de Namur] from The Catholic University-College of Namur / Haute école namuroise catholique (HENAC) and University-College of Teaching of Namur / la Haute école d’enseignement supérieur de Namur (IESN). In 2008/2009, 29 University-Colleges became 25: [http://www.helmo.be La Haute Ecole libre mosane (HELMo)] was the result of the merger of la Haute Ecole mosane d’Enseignement supérieur (HEMES) and la Haute Ecole ISELL. Future mergers are also being planned.

'''Source''' http://www.enseignement.be/index.php?page=23811&navi=2537

==== The Bologna Process in Belgium====
The '''Decree of 31 March 2004''' defined the Higher Education for Belgium and promoted its integration into the European area of higher education and universities refinancing.

The [[Bologna Process]] has stimulated Flanders in a move towards greater internationalisation. The concept of internationalisation has changed from a focus on the individual to a focus on the ‘system level’, namely the formal structures of higher education. A Flemish credit system based on the '''[[ECTS]]''' and a Diploma Supplement were already implemented in the early 1990s. More recent changes are:
* implementation of a bachelor and master structure,
* accreditation system in co-operation with the Netherlands,
* more flexible study paths.

The Bologna Process lead to some significant changes in the Belgian educational system, including in the French Community:
* The [[ECTS]] (European Credit Transfer System), in which a "credit" is a unit corresponding to the time spent by the student on a learning activity within a programme of studies in a given discipline (a study year is reference point@: 60 credits)..
* Bachelor-master structure or ''“baccalauréat-maîtrise”'' structure:
** First cycle - the bachelors with a minimum of three years of study (180 credits)
** Second cycle - the master degree with one to four additional years after obtaining a bachelors degree.
** Third cycle: the doctorate, which only applies to university education and is accessible to students who have completed at least 300 credits.
* Cooperation to ensure the quality of higher education etc.
* Mobility of the students and academic staff

As mentioned earlier, the French Community now distinguishes between universities (offering bachelor, master and doctoral courses) and higher education outside the universities (offering only bachelor courses): colleges (Hautes Ecoles), arts colleges, and institutes of architecture.

'''Sources'''
* [http://www.enseignement.be/index.php?page=23673&act=search&mots=bologna Information and presentations on The Bologna Declaration] at the Enseignement.be web site
* [http://www.studyinbelgium.be/start.php?lang=en&rub=10&PHPSESSID=2067aa8b9f9d406933535fc311114322 The Wallonia-Brussels Community and the European Higher Education Area”], 1 web page (English) by [http://www.studyinbelgium.be StudyInBelgium.be].

'''Relevant Documents'''
* Re.ViCa wiki page on the [[Bologna Process]]
* [http://www.bologna.msmt.cz/PragueSummit/report%20Belgium-French%20Community.doc The Bologna Process - State of the art in the French Community of Belgium (DOC)]
* [http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/bologna/links/National-reports-2005/National_Report_BE_Flemish_Community_05.pdf Towards the European Higher Education Area - Bologna Process - National Reports 2004 – 2005 - Belgium -Flemish Community (PDF)]

== Administration and finance ==

=== Schools ===


=== Post-secondary ===



For Belgian and European students, higher education is financed to a very large extent by the public authorities.

'''Funding in Flanders'''

The Flemish higher education system is predominantly a public funded system. The Ministry of Education and Training directly funds the HEIs. There is no intermediate independent statutory body.

The public funding system distinguishes three main funding streams:

- the first flow: a core recurrent funding for teaching and research which covers costs of staff, material, equipment, buildings and social facilities of students;

- the second flow: an additional funding for basic research and a funding for basic research allocated by the research council and a funding allocated by the federal state (research networks of universities of both linguistic communities);

- the third flow: public funding for specific research programmes developed by the government, other public organisation, EU, cities and the provinces: such as for justice, social security, energy, sustainability, …. There are also funds for policy oriented research linked to the main policy domains.

'''Tuition Fees in Belgium'''

Every year, students must pay a registration fee. University enrolment fees were laid down in a clause in the Law of 27 July 1971 on the financing and supervision of university institutions. Subject to fulfilment of certain educational and financial conditions, students can benefit from student grants or loans. This assistance is supplemented by other benefits such as low-priced meals, assistance granted by welfare services linked to the universities, season tickets for transport, etc.

'''Source''' [http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/Eurydice/PubContents?pubid=041EN&country=BF French Community - Structures of education, vocational training and adult education systems in Europe, 2003 Edition] – [http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/ressources/eurydice/pdf/041DN/041_BF_EN.pdf PDF – EN]

'''Tuition fees in Flanders'''

In Flanders, the tuition fees are low compared to many other countries:
- maximum 100 euro for students from the lower socio-economic background (students who are eligible for a grant – about 25% of the student population);
- maximum 515 euro for the other students; there is a deduction for students whose parental income is a little bit above the eligible income limit).

The HEIs can raise tuition fees for non-EU students and for advanced master study programme in order to cover the costs of attracting specialists (these programmes are also internationally oriented).

Every student who qualifies for study financing can be supported financially for two bachelors, a master, a preparation programme, a bridging programme and a teacher training programme. As study paths have become more flexible, so too has study financing been made more flexible. A system of study credits has replaced the study year system. The study financing amount is linked to the number of study credits for which the student is enrolled. The new decree extends the possibilities of taking study financing beyond Flanders into the wider Higher Education Space. In the past funding could only be taken across the border if students opted for foreign studies that were not provided in Flanders.

Relevant source on the legal framework is the [http://www.cdadoc.cfwb.be/RechDoc/docForm.asp?docid=812&docname=19950805s19109 Decree of 5 August 1995 (FR)] established the general organisation of Higher Education in the University-Colleges and was amended by the [http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi/article_body.pl?numac=2006029101&caller=list&article_lang=F&row_id=1&numero=1&pub_date=2006-08-14&ddfm=06&set3=set+character_variant+%27french.ftl%27&language=fr&dt=DECRET&choix1=ET&fr=f&choix2=ET&fromtab=+moftxt&ddda=2006&sql=dt+%3D+%27DECRET%27+and+bron+%3D+%27MINISTERE+DE+LA+COMMUNAUTE+FRANCAISE%27+and+dd+between+date%272006-06-01%27+and+date%272006-06-30%27+&rech=14&tri=dd+AS+RANK+&trier=promulgation&ddfa=2006&bron=MINISTERE+DE+LA+COMMUNAUTE+FRANCAISE&dddj=01&dddm=06&ddfj=30&set1=set+stopfile+%27MOF.stp%27#top] Decree of 30 June 2006 which modernised the operation and the finances of the University-Colleges.

'''Tuition Fees in Wallonia'''
In the French Community of Belgium the amounts of tuition fees are determined by the central education authorities. Donations made to HEIs may be the object of tax relief for donors.

'''Source''' “The organisation of the academic year in higher education - 2008/09” [http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/Eurydice/showPresentation?pubid=093EN Chapter 4: Private Funds Raised By Higher Education Institutions] ([http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/ressources/eurydice/pdf/091EN/091EN_007_C04.pdf PDF] – EN)

The amount of the registration fee varies depending on the higher education establishment and the type of programme followed. For example, for the academic year 2008-2009, the registration fee for Belgian and EU students is set as follows to register with:
* A university HEI: € 811.00.
* An non-university HEI: from € 165,03 to € 428,56, depending on the duration of the course and if a degree will be obtained during the academic year.
* Non-EU students are required to pay additional annual fees, of which the sum amounts to around € 1,500.00 for the first cycle and € 2,000.00 for the second and third cycles.

'''Sources'''
*[http://www.studyinbelgium.be/start.php?lang=en&rub=9&PHPSESSID=c7bcc6684eb63a2f695c404f75a1ce55 Study in Belgium - Registration fees] (EN)
*[http://www.enseignement.be/index.php?page=4302&navi=951 minerval rates 2007-2008 (FR)]

'''Costs'''

In the French Community, the unit costs established per student correspond to a normative cost per student, which is established by considering various factors such as, for example, optimal student/staff ratios and other standardised efficiency measures used to calculate what the costs per student ought to be, rather than what they are on an actual or average basis.
The French Community of Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany and Malta use an approach based essentially on input in the award of basic funding for research.

While in the German-speaking Community of Belgium, a new funding system for operational costs at the only
HEI (Autonome Hochschule) is being prepared and will be applied from 2009/10. Initiatives in the fields of training and research, taken by this HEI since 2005, can be taken into account for the annual lump sum.

'''Source''' “The organisation of the academic year in higher education - 2008/09.” [http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/Eurydice/showPresentation?pubid=093EN Chapter 3: Direct Public Funding Of Higher Education Institutions] ([http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/ressources/eurydice/pdf/091EN/091EN_006_C03.pdf PDF] - EN)

Students who enrol in higher non-university education must pay fees (the [http://www.enseignement.be/index.php?page=4302&navi=951 minerval]). The minimum payment is set by regulations (there are special fees for certain foreign students). Subject to certain pedagogical and financial conditions, students can be awarded study grants or loans. The forms of assistance offered also include other benefits, such as low-cost meals, assistance by the social services connected with hautes écoles, season tickets for transport, etc.

'''Grants'''

# The Wallonia-Brussels Community grants: grants can be awarded by the French Community of Belgium and by the universities. Web site: [http://www.wbri.be Wallonia-Brussels International (WBRI)]
# The European Union grants: grants are also awarded within the framework of European programmes :
## [http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/socrates/erasmus/erasmus_fr.html The SOCRATES/ERASMUS and LEONARDO programmes]
## [http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/mundus/index_fr.html The ERASMUS MUNDUS programme]
## The [http://www.programalban.org ALBAN grant programme] for students from Latin America. In 2002, the [http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/projects/alban/information/ies_fr.htm European Commission adopted this programme].
# The Grants of the [http://www.auf.org/rubrique15.html University Agency of Francophony] targeting students, teachers and researchers

'''Source''' [http://www.studyinbelgium.be/start.php?lang=en&rub=9&PHPSESSID=2067aa8b9f9d406933535fc311114322 StudyInBelgium: Financial aspects]

'''Relevant Sources for Wallonia''': [http://www.enseignement.be/index.php?page=0&navi=2303&rank_navi=2303 Financial aspects]](FR) on Enseignement.be, with subpages on [http://www.enseignement.be/index.php?page=23669&navi=374 school fees] (FR), [http://www.enseignement.be/index.php?page=25537&navi=2645 social benefits] (FR), [http://www.enseignement.be/index.php?page=25839&navi=2832 discount on public transport subscriptions] (FR)

== Quality assurance, inspection and accreditation ==

=== Schools ===

==== In Flanders ====

The system of quality control and promotion by the government is built on 3 pillars:

* '''The curriculum entity''': Final objectives are minimum goals which the government considers necessary and achievable for a particular group of pupils. In concrete terms, this concerns knowledge, insight, attitudes and skills. They are subject-related final objectives but also cross-curricular ones. Final objectives are developed by the Curriculum entity within AKOV. They are submitted to advice by the VLOR, then approved by the Flemish government and finally validated by an Act of the Flemish Parliament. Every governing body or school board must include the final objectives in the school learning programmes.

* '''The inspectorate''': The educational inspectorate of the Flemish Ministry of Education and Training acts as a professional body of external supervision by assessing the implementation of these final objectives.

* '''Educational guidance''': Each educational network has its own educational guidance service (Pedagogische Begeleidingsdienst - PBD), which ensures professional internal support to schools and centres. Schools can call on them for educational and methodological advisory services (innovation projects, self-evaluation projects, support initiatives). Educational guidance works across schools for the in-service training and support of head teachers. Educational guidance also has an important role in the establishment of new curriculums and supports their implementation. If the inspectorate detects shortcomings in schools, the educational guidance service may be called on to address them.

Schools in elementary and secondary education are submitted to a regular external review by the inspectorate. In secondary education, the schedule is drawn up with a focus on school communities (all schools affiliated to one school community are inspected during one particular period). The Parliament Act on Quality Assurance in Education states that every institution has to be inspected at least once every 10 years. To ensure uniformity, all inspection teams use the same set of instruments. Moreover, inspection procedures are identical throughout the Flemish Community. The inspectorate uses the CIPO (Context – Input – Process – Output) model. This model has been used for a while, but is officially obliged by the Parliament Act on Quality Assurance in Education in 2009. The global framework is defined in the Parliament Act, the concrete content in implementation decrees. The interpretation of the different aspects of the model is as follows:

* Context: stable information regarding location, organising body, physical and structural conditions under which the school must operate and on which it hardly has any influence at all.

* Input: information on the conditions under which and the resources with which the school must develop its processes, but which it can influence to a certain extent such as staff (profile, further training and training), financial resources, courses of study offered, pupils (offer, profile)…

* Process: all the pedagogical and school-organisational characteristics which indicate what efforts the school makes to achieve the objectives laid down by the government.

* Output: both the hard output data which show to what extent the objectives (final objectives, curricula, progression/transition...) to be attained are achieved and the softer output data such as the well-being of pupils and teachers.

This choice of model implies that the inspectorate sees the performance of the teachers and principal within the overall school performance and that the school performance is placed within the local context. This model is used from a perspective of accountability and school development. The school inspection is both a means to check data within the school (accountability) and may be an occasion for the school to optimise the quality of the education it provides (development). In addition, the inspection team checks whether the school’s infrastructure is adequate and whether statutory provisions are properly adhered to.

An inspection can result in three types of advice:

* favourable;

* favourable but for a limited time only: in that case a number of shortcomings have been established which must be rectified within a pre-set time frame. Once that period has expired, a progress check will be carried out in relation to said shortcomings;

* unfavourable; this will lead to the rescission of a school’s recognition or part thereof.

Each inspection consists of three phases:

* Pre-analysis of existing sources and on-the-spot

* Actual inspection, consisting of a 3 to 6 days visit at the school. The methods that are used during the inspection visit are interviews, document analyses and observations.

* Inspection report: The conclusions of the inspection team are elaborated in an inspection report. This also contains the final advice. In line with administrative openness, all inspection reports are published on the Internet (www.schooldoorlichtingen.be).

Follow-up procedures were revised in 2006. When a school has been fully inspected a follow-up inspection will take place after three school years. Intermittent follow-ups are only possible if, due to very specific problems, this was so agreed with the inspection team and if it features in the inspection advice. The follow-up will be based on an adjustment plan the school has drawn up.

:'''Source:''' http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/.../Koppelingsrapport_EN_0.4.pdf

==== In Wallonia (French Community) ====

There is no systematic assessment of educational institutions in the French Community of Belgium. However, there is a multiple oversight system made up of different bodies.

For compulsory education (basic and secondary), an Education Steering Committee (Commission de pilotage du système éducatif) chaired by the General Administrator for Education and Scientific Research has been put in place. It is made up of the general education inspectors, education experts, the representative of the French Community education system, and representatives of the organising authorities, trade union organisations and parent associations. The Steering Committee's many tasks include "providing information, on its own initiative or on request, to the government and Parliament of the French Community, particularly about the state and evolution of the education system, present or foreseeable problems and shortcomings with respect to plans and projections. If the committee has information suggesting that an institution is not implementing or is applying in an obviously unsatisfactory way its recommendations intended to guarantee the quality and equivalence of the education provided in the system's schools, it sends a report to the government, which must take the necessary measures or sanctions."

For tertiary education, an Agency for Assessment of the Quality of Tertiary Education organised or grant-aided by the French Community (Agence pour l'évaluation de la qualité de l'enseignement supérieur organisé ou subventionné par la Communauté française) has the task of ensuring the implementation of the assessment procedures required by law, taking various measures to improve the quality of tertiary education and informing the government, actors and beneficiaries of tertiary education about its quality. The assessment concerns the quality of teaching in the different first- and second-cycle curricula organised by institutions. The curricula to be evaluated and the institutions concerned are determined by the agency based on a 10-year plan, established in such a way that each curriculum is evaluated at least every 10 years. The first 10-year plan covers the period 2008-2018. The assessment is based on a set of indicators that cover all the training and organisation processes to be taken into consideration. It focuses on determining the training objectives sought by the different curricula and the suitability of the means implemented to achieve them. The assessment of the quality of a curriculum in an institution includes the drafting of an internal assessment report, an external assessment carried out by a committee of experts, publication of the results of the assessment (or the refusal to publish) on the agency's site, definition by the academic authorities of a calendar and follow-up plan for the recommendations contained in the final report and their transmission to the agency. The agency then carries out a transversal analysis of the quality of the curriculum in the French Community. In addition, a Higher Education Observatory (Observatoire de l’enseignement supérieur) is responsible for steering tertiary education and developing analysis instruments, scientific reports on the evolution of the student population and indicators on success rates and other aspects.

A General Inspectorate (Service général de l’inspection) made up of specific departments at the different levels and categories of education (ordinary basic, special, social advancement, etc.) is charged with a variety of assessment tasks, including monitoring the level of studies, conformity with the requirements of different decrees, detection of possible segregation measures, and so on. Furthermore, the inspectorate assesses, at the request of the head of the establishment in education organised by the French Community and by the organising authority for grant-aided education, the teaching aptitudes of members of its teaching staff. The members of the General Inspectorate base their assessment and monitoring on facts established through attendance at classes and activities, a review of pupils' work and documents, the results obtained in external assessments that do not lead to qualifications, interviews with pupils, analysis of qualitative data related to failure rates, repeat years or reorientation to other schools and a review of preparations. When the government has decided to carry out an inquiry in one or more schools, the coordinating Inspector General may send one or more staff members of the General Inspectorate to the establishments. Detailed reports are drawn up on the inspections, which may concern a class or one or more schools in whole or in part, and are transmitted to the competent authorities. They may also be detailed in a briefing note transmitted to the relevant service in charge of advising and teaching support. When an organising authority does not take follow-up action on an unfavourable report drawn up by the General Inspectorate, it is obliged to state the reasons for its decision within one month following receipt of the report.

Government commissioners (Commissaires du gouvernement) ensure that decisions taken in higher education institutions are in conformity to legislation.

In compulsory education (l’enseignement obligatoire) each school must have a school work plan that determines all teaching choices and specific actions that the school's teaching staff intends to implement in collaboration with all actors and partners to achieve the organising authority's educational aims. The participation council set up in each school (see section 1.2) is in charge of periodically evaluating implementation of the school's plan, proposing adjustments and submitting an opinion on the school's activity report. For each of the schools it organises, the organising authority must transmit to the Steering Committee by 31 December an annual activity report for the previous school year. The annual activity report includes the assessment of measures taken to achieve the general objectives in the framework of the organising authority's programme, information on success and failure rates, information on appeals against the decisions of class councils and the results of this procedure, and information on the number and reasons for refusals to enrol pupils.
Tertiary education establishments are also obliged to draw up and submit an annual report. In colleges of higher education (hautes écoles), the authorities transmit to the Community Education Commission a complete annual report and undergo a quality control inspection every three years on the teaching activities they organise and their other tasks. The curriculum assessment procedure includes two essential phases: an internal self-assessment and an external assessment by a committee of independent experts. Each college of higher education has an education council which can send a reasoned request to the executive board when the majority of its members representing either staff or students consider that the authorities of the college of higher education have failed to implement one or more means foreseen by the plan. A specific procedure is then followed, which in the case of failure may culminate in a reduction of allocations granted to the college of higher education. Each university is also obliged to draw up an annual report containing a description of measures taken for the benefit of students and various statistical data, which is transmitted to the competent minister. In each art college, a staff member is responsible for coordinating quality assessment.

:'''Source:''' http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/education/eurydice/documents/eurybase/structures/041_BF_EN.pdf

=== Post-secondary ===



==== In Flanders ====
Assessing the quality of the services that universities provide has become an overriding priority. The Quality Assessment is different in Wallonia and Flanders.

Quality assessment in '''Flemish higher education''' is organised at different levels

1. The decretal internal self-evaluation.

2. An external assessment of a particular programme (or cluster of programmes), starting from those self-evaluation reports, carried out by external assessment panels which are coordinated by the Council of Flemish University Colleges, (Vlaamse Hogescholenraad – VLHORA) (www.vlhora.be) and the Flemish Interuniversity Council (Vlaamse Interuniversitaire Raad – VLIR) (www.vlir.be).

Accreditation by the '''Dutch-Flemish Accreditation Organisation''' (Nederlands-Vlaamse Accreditatieorganisatie – NVAO), which starts from the assessment carried out by the quality-assurance agency. When positively assessed, programmes are accredited for a period of eight academic years. However, when the NVAO issues a negative decision, institutions may apply for temporary accreditation which is valid for a period of one year and which can be extended twice (research.

In exchange for greater autonomy Flemish universities and hogescholen have implemented a system of internal and external quality assessment. The aim is to improve the quality of study programs. The government has made the institutions themselves responsible for creating the appropriate means for doing this. The so-called “visitations” consist, firstly, of a very important self-assessment (on the basis of a detailed guide) and secondly, the visit and assessment (on the basis of interviews) by an external commission which draws up the final report. As laid down by decree, a visitation for each study program must take place at least once every 8 years. For universities, the first round was completed in 2001; a new round started in 2002 (for non-university tertiary education, a new round started in 2004). Recommendations are, generally speaking, acted upon quite well by the individual institution in question.

At the institutional level, the quality assessment with regard to teaching primarily concerns the evaluation of the individual courses.

The students’ assessment of teaching performance takes the form of a standardised questionnaire, to be filled in anonymously, which provides information regarding, for example, the teaching materials and methods used, the match between the content and the final objectives of the course, the teaching style, etc. Finally, the students may add general comments (such as suggestions, strengths and weaknesses of the course) by means of open questions.

Although the educational authorities in Flanders are greatly in favor of collective research assessments,quality assurance with regard to research is at present mainly the responsibility of the individual universities. The Department of Education has, however, recently commissioned an evaluation of the universities’ research management and quality assurance processes, while the universities themselves were asked to report on their experiences with regard to the research policy management of the authorities.As laid down by decree, a systematic research assessment by each individual university, resulting in a public report, must be carried out at least once every 8 years. From 1999 onwards, most universities have been carrying out bibliometric studies on research output on the basis of publications and its visibility in the natural and (bio)medical sciences. Recently, pilot studies have also been commissioned in some domains of the humanities and social sciences (linguistics, economics, law). Furthermore, self-assessment reports at the level of individual research teams, supplemented by data on commissioned research and output of the teams, are regularly used in internal and external peer reviews. Only one university (Free University of Brussels – VUB) is at present running a systematic research assessment program consisting of complementary bibliometric studies and on site peer review.

==== In Wallonia====
Quality Assessment in the Walloon Higher Education is arranged by The Decree of [http://www.cdadoc.cfwb.be/RechDoc/docForm.asp?docid=4368&docname=20070308s31929 8 March 2007], which created a Pedagogical Support and Advice Service for the education organised by the French Community. On 1 September 2007 the decree was enforced, reforming the '''General Inspectorate Service''', which is headed by a General Coordinator under the authority of the Director General of the General Administration of Education and Scientific Research. Some of its Inspection Services are also for Higher Education (Enseignement supérieur) such as the [http://www.adm.cfwb.be/index.php?m=doc_view&do_id=2206 Inspection Service of Social Welfare Education (FR)] and the [http://www.adm.cfwb.be/index.php?m=doc_view&do_id=2202 Inspection Service of the Arts Education (FR)]. On the web site [http://www.enseignement.be Enseignement.be] you can find an overview of the several inspection divisions: [http://www.enseignement.be/index.php?page=25753&navi=2426 The annual administration: inspection] (FR).
'''Sources'''
* http://www.restode.cfwb.be/pgens/sup/superieur.htm?i=mEtsitem_4
* http://www.restode.cfwb.be/pgens/org_cf/insp/inspection.htm

'''The [[Agency for the Evaluation of the Quality of Higher Education]]''' (''l'Agence pour l'Evaluation de la Qualité dans l'Enseignement supérieur'') was created by the [http://www.cdadoc.cfwb.be/cdadocrep/pdf/2002/20021114s27175.pdf Decree of 14 November 2002] and is organised or subsidised by the French Community.

== Information society ==



In Belgium, the development of the e-learning knew a notable evolution since the beginning of the years 2000, under the impulse of several public funding, of regional, national or European origin. The large universities of the country have all internal teams in charge of stimulating and adapting existing course to e-learning platforms; some of them have even created innovating platforms now used worldwide; others play an important part in the definition of public policies related to e-learning use, especially concerning training for the unemployed and workers in activity. Common research projects, carried on by public authorities and research centres aim at exploring specific dimensions of e-learning practices, such as the motivation of the participants to continue a course, barriers to the adoption, etc., and to draw some the conclusions useful for the general diffusion of the tools. Their exists a very differentiated uses of e-learning between institutions, reflecting both particular internal dynamics, and choices of platforms and, therefore, training strategies. We refer for the complete list to the "Virtual campus Initiatives list beneath this page.

Contributing to the development of e-learning is also very present in other universities, such that of Universiteit van Gent and Vrije Universiteit Brussels which collaborate very narrowly in the development of the open source e-learning platform called “Dokeos”. This platform has been based initially on the Claroline source code but is now having its own way. The Dokeos solution is currently used in many institutions, and is controlled at the present time by a private company based in Brussels. The software is targeted either to university and high schools uses but also other diversified customers (administrations, companies, projects, etc).

If the e-learning forms now part of the life of all the Belgian universities, this mode of training also gradually penetrated the activity of other training operators, such as the
organizations of vocational training. Those are often helped by the university research centers to develop their strategies, to conceive and coordinate projects, to provide support in the
development of contents.

The principal actors on the matter are the public organizations in charge of training for the unemployed. The practice of self-tuition indeed constitutes a traditional tool often used historically as a mean of training.
Since the end of the year 2006, the Walloon Agency of Telecommunication (AWT), became the public authority in charge of the global coordination of the e-learning offer for the Walloon region. The AWT carry on this activity within the framework of a regional program (program Prométhée II), whose objective is to develop economic activity through the ICT appropriation by the greatest number. This program gathers the DG of the research of the Walloon region (DGTRE), Forem and the Centers of competences specialized in ICT.

Similar strategies are also pursued by the VDAB – Vlaasmse Dienst voor Arbeidsbemiddeling in Beoepsopleiding – and the ORBEM – Office Régional Bruxellois de l’Emploi –, both in charge of training for the unemployed for the Flemish and Brussels region, although their specific contexts (in particular the kind of grid of centers of competences) differ. The platforms of development selected are also different (Lotus CMS for the VDAB; NetG for ,Brussels Formation (ORBEM)), which makes the exchange of contents difficult.

'''Connectivity'''

BELNET is the Belgian national research network that was established in 1993 as part of the Federal Science Policy Office. With its network, that has an extremely high capacity, BELNET guarantees Belgian universities, recognised research centers, and educational establishments the very best possibilities with regard to Internet connection and use of the research network. Since 1995, Belgian public bodies and departments can also make use of the services of BELNET.

At present, approximately 625.000 end users in more than 185 Belgian institutions have a high-speed Internet connection via BELNET.

In addition, BELNET manages the Belgian Internet exchange BNIX ("Belgian National Internet Exchange"). This node is a centralised infrastructure that enables Internet Service Providers (ISPs) active in the Belgian market to exchange traffic between one another. Thanks to BNIX, the traffic between Belgian Internet users does not have to make a detour over any foreign countries.

'''Relevant organisations'''

[http://www.restode.cfwb.be RESTODE] is the pedagogical server/portal, organised by the French Community of Belgium. It is the acronym for (in French) ''RÉSeau Télématique de l'Organisation Des Études'' (Telematic resources for the organisation of education) and contributes, through its own resources and the Internet, to the realisation and implementation of educational and pedagogical projects in the French Community’s educational field. One of its objectives is to encourage the development and use of ICT applied to education. It proposes among others to provide a data base with pedagogical documentation (pedagogical resources such as articles, a list of pedagogical servers by country and notebooks for different subject matters).

'''Source''' http://www.restode.cfwb.be

== ICT in education initiatives ==
'''ICT Initiatives in the French Community - 'The WIN Project''''

The Walloon government in June 1996 passed the Win Project (Wallonie Intra Net), initiated by the Ministry of National and Regional Development, Equipment and Transport. In July 1997, its implementation phase agreement was signed. In November of the same year, the telecommunications chapter of the ‘Complementary Regional Political Declaration’, published by the Walloon government in November 1997, introduced a very precise program of action, which aimed to develop the use of telecommunication services as well as the cultural integration of ICT into the social and economic life of Wallonia.

In February 1998, the Walloon Region signed an agreement of cooperation with the French Community and the German Community. The agreement was based on the following principles:
*Belgium is intent on boosting its economy;
*The development of telecommunications is a major objective of this policy;
*The effective implementation of this policy requires young people to be trained in the use of ICT;
*The use of ICT by students, within different schools, is a new resource for learning and a necessary condition for a policy of equity.

The agreement was thought to require the following to meet the imminent changes:
*Active support to be given to providing computer equipment throughout schools, so allowing each student to be trained in the use of ICT;
*The training of personnel, including one resource-person for each school;
*The establishment of educational servers so that each school has access to Internet;
*The establishment of one organization to supervise the deployment of equipment, and to ensure the development of this equipment. This work also required re-evaluating and renewing materials intended for teaching and learning purposes.

''ICT in Primary and Secondary Schools in Wallonia''

In 1998, Minister/President of the French Community both in Wallonia and in the Brussels Region finalised a plan to provide ICT facilities and the training of young people in the use of new information and communication technologies, through the famous Win Project (Wallonie Intra Net). A resource person for this purposes was appointed for each school in the both regions (Wallonia and Brussels) not only as a priority in boosting the economy, but also as compulsory incorporation into the education system. Therefore, the main aim is the determination to develop a policy that guarantees equal opportunities and ensuring that all pupils and students can secure access to ICT during the time of their education.

The strategy used is quite innovative. It is not the introduction of ICT as a core subject, but rather the incorporation of ICT into the vary many different subjects and disciplines, teacher training and other professional and vocational trainings, as well as the provision of multimedia equipments.

Each region, Wallonia and Brussels, provides computers and telecommunication equipments to their respective schools and the idea was that they were also going to maintain and provide insurance for them for three years against theft, damage and deterioration.

In Wallonia, this scheme was originally managed by the Ministry of Technical Equipment and Transport (MET) while in Brussels it was controlled by the Computer Center for the Region of Brussels (CIRB). The private partner in this initiative, Belgacom, offers preferential rates for internet access to schools via I-line.

The French Community continues to implement a scheme to provide all primary and secondary schools with enough multimedia and e-learning equipments. Since 2001, almost all primary and secondary schools in Wallonia have ICT and multimedia equipments. All secondary schools have also been able to secure free access to the internet via the Information Processing Centre’s intranet network and with the major help through a partnership with Belgacom. In 2000, there was an agreement between the French Community and Belgacom which sought to provide 1665 schools with an I-line for two years at an annual cost of EUR 245 and similar initiatives have continued to date making internet connection in secondary schools permanent.

An official training programme of computer science for primary school teachers already existed as far back as 1985 for teachers of grades 7 to 9 because the implementation of ICT programs in Belgium-French schools was given a high priority. Today, there is almost a 100% teacher computer knowlege for teachers in primary and secondary schools making the implementation and incorporation of ICT in teaching methodology for various subjects easier.

''The Cyber Media Center (CMC) Concept''

The Win Project supported the creation within each school of a Cyber Media Center fully equipped for individual and collective use for both students and teachers. The CMC is also equipped with projectors, video conference cameras to aid e-learning and distance education, a TV set, an Internet decoder as well as servers allowing access to the common internal network. It also made available a bank of CD-ROMs and other softwares including a web navigator and e-mail access for all students and teachers. The Win Project asked the schools in return to ensure that teachers are trained in the use of ICT and other multimedia equipments so that they can carry out ICT technical responsibilities within their respective schools. By the year 2000, most primary and secondary schools within Wallonia and the Brussels region already had an operational Cyber Media Center.

More information on ICT initiatives in schools can be found via the following links:
*http://www.namsmat.is/ranns/sites_ensk/chapter2.doc
*http://ddi.cs.uni-potsdam.de/HyFISCH/Informieren/politik/ICT_EN.pdf

=== Virtual initiatives in schools ===


* In Flanders:
** [[Bednet]] is a regional project in Flanders, Belgium, which enables virtual learning for 6 to 18 year old children who are suffering from long term and chronic diseases who can then follow lessons and interact with their class through videoconferencing (from home or the hospital). Its predecessor is the [[ASCIT]] project.

* [[Junior College]] is a cooperation between [[K.U.Leuven]] and more than 70 secondary schools in Flanders. K.U.Leuven offers participating schools (at least) an introductory and a concluding seminar where students get the chance to attend and participate in lectures. In between the face-to-face sessions professors, teachers and students together build up a strong knowledge base using a wiki which consists of academic articles, documentaries, expert interviews, weblectures and interactive learning materials.

* In Wallonia:
** [[Take Off]] asbl is a regional project in the French-speaking Community of in Belgium which enables virtual learning to enable children who are suffering from long term and chronic diseases to lessons and interact with their classmates and teacher through videoconferencing (from home or the hospital). There is also the option for individualised teaching, in which the pupil only interacts with the teacher.

There have been numerous traditional virtual initiatives in the French-speaking part of Belgium since 1960. Interest in Open and Distance Education (ODE) in the French Community of Belgium is based on great importance that is place on education and training, especially on self-directed learning, where different objectives apply to both learners and trainers. Direct transmission of knowledge in physical campuses is no longer the most efficient way of training. Rather, self-learning has become a necessary innovation that infers cultural, social, organizational and technological levels of organization and companies. This self-learning process takes place in virtual schools and campuses with the use of sophisticated softwares and hardwares (telematics), traditional mail conveyed handbooks, internet and intranet blackboard learning systems, video/audio conferencing, etcetera.

Open and Distance Education is not new in Belgium, since as early as 1959, the Ministry of Education Le Service de L’Enseignement à Distance (SED) in the Belgian French Community, had already initiated self-learning through ODE. The aim is to democratize studies and life-long education and to prepare learners for examinations equivalent to the diploma of secondary education. The Open and Distance Education centre also offers services to children living outside of Belgium for the primary school level and to teachers continuing professional development. Courses also include computer literacy and languages. Special courses are also offered to address different target public special needs such as patients in hospitals and prisoners.

Learners are drawn from a variety of different categories of people including the unemployed, students, workers, teachers, military, prisoners, patients in hospitals, persons with disabilities and overseas Belgian citizens. About 200 courses are being offered by the institution. The center is involved also with a number of universities in research into the use of telematics for ODE. Examples of the partnership include the TELERGON project providing a course on management. The center also participates in the LEARN-NETT project. Current initiatives can be found via the following links:

http://www.cfwb.be/

For more information about distance education in wallonia, check the following link:

http://www.enseignement.be/index.php?page=24335&navi=72

=== Virtual initiatives in post-secondary education ===


Go to the [[Virtual Campuses in Belgium]] wiki page.

== Lessons learnt ==


=== General lessons ===

=== Notable practices ===


== References ==

Belgium:
# [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgium Wikipedia on Belgium]
# [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communities%2C_regions_and_language_areas_of_Belgium Wikipage on the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium]
# [http://www.belgium.be/nl/Leren/onderwijs/hoger_onderwijs/ Information about Higher Education on Belgium.be]
# [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_universities_in_Belgium Wikipedia’s page on Belgium Universities and Colleges]
# [http://www.elearningeuropa.info/extras/pdf/virtual_models.pdf Studies in the Context of the e-learning Initiative: Virtual Models for European Universities Final Report to the EU Commission, DG Education & Culture (PDF - EN - 228 pages)], [http://ec.europa.eu/education/archive/elearning/doc/studies/virtual_annex_a_en.pdf Annex F Country profiles (PDF - EN - 200 pages)]

Flanders:
# [http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/ The web site for the Ministry of Education and Training]
# [http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/publicaties/eDocs/pdf/120.pdf “EDUCATION IN FLANDERS - The Flemish educational landscape in a nutshell”], PDF
# [http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/publicaties/?get=int Publications in English on the website of the Ministry of Education and Training]
# [http://www.highereducation.be/home Higher Education in Flanders Register]
# [http://www.studyinflanders.be/ Study in Flanders]
# [http://www.nvao.net/introduction-accreditation Introduction to (initial) accreditation] (EN)
# [http://www.nvao.net/accreditation Accreditation] (EN)
# [http://www.nvao.net/download.php?id=495 Accredidation Framework for Flanders] (EN)
# [http://www.nvao.net/recognition-of-qualifications Automatic recognition of qualifications] (EN)
# [http://www.nvao.net/download.php?id=446 Joint declaration automatic recognition qualifications December 2005 (PDF)] (EN)

Other:
# For corporate e-learning there's the [http://www.be-odl.org Belgian network for Open & Distance learning (BE-ODL)]
# Interesting country reports concerning e-learning: [http://www.easy-elearning.net/downloads/e-learning_in_Belgium.pdf State of the art of e-learning in Belgium]

Wallonia:

'''Quality Assurance'''
'''Relevant documents'''
* [http://www.formadis.be/formadis07/uploads/smartsection/29_article4.pdf Quality Criteria As A Powerful Tool For Training, Awareness Raising And Evaluation – Ilustrations Through Contrasted Use (PDF – EN)], 2003, by Marianne POUMAY, University of Liège.
* [http://www.ciuf.be/cms/media/Higher_Education_CfB.pps Higher Education in the French Community of Belgium (PPT)], Statistics observatory; Higher Education Quality Evaluation Agency
* [http://www.reactionconference.ugent.be/Powerpoints/Marc%20Troch.ppt Comparative analysis of validation policies in France, Wallonia (PPT)], Higher Education, education for adults – comparison Flanders, Wallonia and France

'''Relevant sites'''
* [http://www.impeqes.be/ Initiative de Mise en Partage des Expériences Qualité dans l'Enseignement Supérieur (IMPEQES)]
*[http://www.publicquality.be PublicQuality.be] offers a Common Assessment Framework for public office which can be used as a self-assessment. ([http://www.publicquality.be/pubqual/joomla/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=15&Itemid=79 documentation in English])
*[http://belgium.angloinfo.com/countries/belgium/schooling.asp AngloInfo (expat network): Education & Schooling in Belgium]

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2015-07-09T15:38:40Z

IOpdebeeck:

The ''Deer Leap Programme'' was launched in 2005 by the Ministry of Education and Science of [[Georgia]] as a national programme for integrating ICT into teaching and learning in Georgian schools. The aim of the Program was defined to facilitate the modernization of the education system in Georgia by creating a country-wide school-based ICT infrastructure and building capacity in modern information technology. The Deer Leap was approved to be a three-year programme (2005-2008) with a strong prospective of at least one more 4- year extension phase. Prior to Deer Leap program (data from 2003/2004) Georgian schools possessed 2600 unequally distributed outdated computers. Internet connection was very rare with a very low speed (33kbps) and high cost (sometimes up to 20 times higher than in the EU). Informatics was a compulsory subject in all secondary schools, the content of this subject was programming– frequently taught without computers. ICT was rarely used in other subjects and in school management.

After the needs assessment Deer Leap initial phase (2005-2008) was established to provide:
*access to computers and Internet in each school;
*availability of educational software and services;
*availability and quality of technical support;
*ICT skills of teachers and students;
*integration of ICT into curriculum;
*integration of Education Management Information System on school, district and national levels.

During the three-year period (2005-2008), the programme has been financed mainly from the state budget (36,7 MGEL), with additional support from private sponsors (7,8 MUSD).

By the end of 2008 the main achievements of Deer Leap programme were as follows:

'''Development of ICT infrastructure in schools''': more than 26 520 new computers were provided to schools, increasing the average pupil/computer ratio from 250 to 22. All computers were equipped with Linux operating system and a set of open-source software applications. Internet connectivity was provided to more than 300 schools so that 60% of all primary and secondary pupils have access to Internet at school. Web-based collaboration environment for educational projects was developed and integrated with LeMill.net portal in order to support authoring and sharing the learning objects.

'''Teacher training''': introductory-level computer literacy courses for teachers were developed and implemented nationwide, 21 540 teachers (out of 70 000) have passed these courses.

'''Digital learning resources:''' 310 Web-based learning resources have been developed for literature studies, music and art; 70 Web-based school journals have been published, 70 Web sites have been produced by pupils under social sciences project ‚My Environment‘. Georgian teachers have contributed 173 digital learning resources to the largest international educational repository LeMill.net.

'''Administration and support:''' most of the schools have hired IT managers.

'''Educational projects:''' Deer Leap Foundation has conducted several successful projects on the national level for integrating ICT into teaching and learning. In addition, schools have participated in international projects of iEARN and Global Gateway. Some collaborative learning projects have been carried out between Georgian and Estonian schools.

'''My First Computer program''': 8 158 laptops have been provided for excellent pupils under presidential programme “My First Computer”

An action plan for 2009-2012 was also provided but the programme has been now scrapped.

----
> [[Georgia]]
 
> [[Transcaucasia]]
 
> [[Eastern Europe]]
 
>> [[VISCED]]

[[Category:Georgia| ]]

[[Category:VISCED]]

Deer Leap Programme

2015-07-09T15:37:58Z

IOpdebeeck:

Adjara

2015-07-09T15:36:00Z

IOpdebeeck:

''Adjara'' (Georgian: აჭარა), officially the '''Autonomous Republic of Adjara''' (აჭარის ავტონომიური რესპუბლიკა), is an autonomous republic of [[Georgia]].

Adjara is located in the southwestern corner of Georgia, bordered by [[Turkey]] to the south and the eastern end of the [[Black Sea]]. Adjara is a home to the Adjar ethnic subgroup of Georgians.

Adjara is also known as '''Ajara''', Adzhara, '''Ajaria''', Adjaria, Adzharia, or as Achara. Formerly Adjara was known as Acara under Ottoman rule and '''Adjarian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic''' (Adjar ASSR) under the Soviet Union.

----
> [[Georgia]]
 
> [[Countries]]
 
>> [[Main Page]]

[[Category:Georgia|!Adjara]]

Abkhazia

2015-07-09T15:35:34Z

IOpdebeeck: /* Higher Education */

''Abkhazia'' (Abkhaz: Аҧсны '''Apsny''', Georgian: აფხაზეთი '''Apkhazeti''', Russian: Абха́зия '''Abkhazia''') is a political entity on the eastern coast of the [[Black Sea]] and the south-western flank of the [[Caucasus]] whose status is disputed.

Abkhazia considers itself an independent state (the Republic of Abkhazia), but this status is recognised only by [[Russia]] and a few other UN members - and by [[South Ossetia]] and [[Transnistria]], both of which are themselves in a situation similar to Abkhazia.

The government of Georgia and most of the world consider Abkhazia part of Georgia's territory. In Georgia's official subdivision it is an autonomous republic (whose government sits in exile in Tblisi). In 2008, the Parliament of Georgia passed a resolution declaring Abkhazia a "Russian-occupied territory".

In reality there is little likelihood of Abkhazia becoming a full part of Georgia in the near future.

For further background on this situation and its history see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abkhazia as a starting point.

The population is hard to estimate but sources suggest that it is around 160,000 - in the 2003 census it was over 200,000.

The capital is Sukhumi.

Abkhazia is divided into nine "raions" named after their centers: Gagra, Gudauta, Sukhumi, Ochamchira, Gulripsh, Tkvarcheli and Gali. These districts are the same as under the [[Soviet Union]], except that the Tkvarcheli district was created only in 1995, from parts of the Ochamchira and Gali districts.

The demographics of Abkhazia were very strongly affected by recent wars, which saw the expulsion and flight of over half of the republic's population. The population of Abkhazia remains ethnically very diverse. At present the population seems mainly made up of ethnic Abkhaz, Georgians (mostly Mingrelians), Hamshemin Armenians, and Russians.

Most inhabitants (some say 60%) of Abkhazia are nominally Christian (Eastern Orthodox and Armenian Orthodox), Sunni Muslim or irreligious. The influence of traditional Abkhaz religion also remains strong among Christians, Muslims and non-believers. According to the constitutions of both Abkhazia and Georgia, the adherents of all religions (as well as atheists) have equal rights before the law.

== Education ==

Children in Abkhazia begin their education at the age of 6, and graduate at 17. Education is under the control of the Ministry of Education and Culture.

=== Higher Education ===

The '''Abkhazian State University''' is the only university in Abkhazia. It was founded in 1979 on the basis of the Sukhumi Pedagogical Institute (which was founded in 1932 as the Sukhumi Agro-pedagogical Institute and one year later renamed the Maxim Gorky Pedagogical Institute). The university consists the departments of physics and mathematics, biology and geography, history, philology, economics, law; pedagogical and agro-engineering departments. There is further information (in Russian) at http://www.abkhaziagov.org/ru/state/culture/university.php

----
> [[Georgia]]
 
> [[Countries]]
 
>> [[Main Page]]

[[Category:Georgia|!Abkhazia]]
[[Category:European former CIS]]
[[Category:Europe]]

[[Category:Transcaucasian countries]]

[[Category:Asia]]
[[Category:Asian former CIS]]

[[Category:Commonwealth of Unrecognized States]]
[[Category:Partially recognized countries]]

[[Category:Countries in stubs]]

Abkhazia

2015-07-09T15:34:07Z

IOpdebeeck:

''Abkhazia'' (Abkhaz: Аҧсны '''Apsny''', Georgian: აფხაზეთი '''Apkhazeti''', Russian: Абха́зия '''Abkhazia''') is a political entity on the eastern coast of the [[Black Sea]] and the south-western flank of the [[Caucasus]] whose status is disputed.

Abkhazia considers itself an independent state (the Republic of Abkhazia), but this status is recognised only by [[Russia]] and a few other UN members - and by [[South Ossetia]] and [[Transnistria]], both of which are themselves in a situation similar to Abkhazia.

The government of Georgia and most of the world consider Abkhazia part of Georgia's territory. In Georgia's official subdivision it is an autonomous republic (whose government sits in exile in Tblisi). In 2008, the Parliament of Georgia passed a resolution declaring Abkhazia a "Russian-occupied territory".

In reality there is little likelihood of Abkhazia becoming a full part of Georgia in the near future.

For further background on this situation and its history see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abkhazia as a starting point.

The population is hard to estimate but sources suggest that it is around 160,000 - in the 2003 census it was over 200,000.

The capital is Sukhumi.

Abkhazia is divided into nine "raions" named after their centers: Gagra, Gudauta, Sukhumi, Ochamchira, Gulripsh, Tkvarcheli and Gali. These districts are the same as under the [[Soviet Union]], except that the Tkvarcheli district was created only in 1995, from parts of the Ochamchira and Gali districts.

The demographics of Abkhazia were very strongly affected by recent wars, which saw the expulsion and flight of over half of the republic's population. The population of Abkhazia remains ethnically very diverse. At present the population seems mainly made up of ethnic Abkhaz, Georgians (mostly Mingrelians), Hamshemin Armenians, and Russians.

Most inhabitants (some say 60%) of Abkhazia are nominally Christian (Eastern Orthodox and Armenian Orthodox), Sunni Muslim or irreligious. The influence of traditional Abkhaz religion also remains strong among Christians, Muslims and non-believers. According to the constitutions of both Abkhazia and Georgia, the adherents of all religions (as well as atheists) have equal rights before the law.

== Education ==

Children in Abkhazia begin their education at the age of 6, and graduate at 17. Education is under the control of the Ministry of Education and Culture.

=== Higher Education ===

The '''Abkhazian State University''' is the only university in Abkhazia. It was founded in 1979 on the basis of the Sukhumi Pedagogical Institute (which was founded in 1932 as the Sukhumi Agro-pedagogical Institute and one year later renamed the Maxim Gorky Pedagogical Institute). The university consists the departments of physics and mathematics, biology and geography, history, philology, economics, law; pedagogical and agro-engineering departments. There is further information (in Russian) at http://www.abkhaziagov.org/ru/state/culture/university.php

----
> [[Georgia]]
 
> [[Countries]]
 
>> [[Main Page]]

[[Category:Georgia| ]]
[[Category:European former CIS]]
[[Category:Europe]]

[[Category:Transcaucasian countries]]

[[Category:Asia]]
[[Category:Asian former CIS]]

[[Category:Commonwealth of Unrecognized States]]
[[Category:Partially recognized countries]]

[[Category:Countries in stubs]]

Adjara

2015-07-09T15:33:34Z

IOpdebeeck:

Abkhazia

2015-07-09T15:32:18Z

IOpdebeeck: /* Higher Education */

''Abkhazia'' (Abkhaz: Аҧсны '''Apsny''', Georgian: აფხაზეთი '''Apkhazeti''', Russian: Абха́зия '''Abkhazia''') is a political entity on the eastern coast of the [[Black Sea]] and the south-western flank of the [[Caucasus]] whose status is disputed.

Abkhazia considers itself an independent state (the Republic of Abkhazia), but this status is recognised only by [[Russia]] and a few other UN members - and by [[South Ossetia]] and [[Transnistria]], both of which are themselves in a situation similar to Abkhazia.

The government of Georgia and most of the world consider Abkhazia part of Georgia's territory. In Georgia's official subdivision it is an autonomous republic (whose government sits in exile in Tblisi). In 2008, the Parliament of Georgia passed a resolution declaring Abkhazia a "Russian-occupied territory".

In reality there is little likelihood of Abkhazia becoming a full part of Georgia in the near future.

For further background on this situation and its history see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abkhazia as a starting point.

The population is hard to estimate but sources suggest that it is around 160,000 - in the 2003 census it was over 200,000.

The capital is Sukhumi.

Abkhazia is divided into nine "raions" named after their centers: Gagra, Gudauta, Sukhumi, Ochamchira, Gulripsh, Tkvarcheli and Gali. These districts are the same as under the [[Soviet Union]], except that the Tkvarcheli district was created only in 1995, from parts of the Ochamchira and Gali districts.

The demographics of Abkhazia were very strongly affected by recent wars, which saw the expulsion and flight of over half of the republic's population. The population of Abkhazia remains ethnically very diverse. At present the population seems mainly made up of ethnic Abkhaz, Georgians (mostly Mingrelians), Hamshemin Armenians, and Russians.

Most inhabitants (some say 60%) of Abkhazia are nominally Christian (Eastern Orthodox and Armenian Orthodox), Sunni Muslim or irreligious. The influence of traditional Abkhaz religion also remains strong among Christians, Muslims and non-believers. According to the constitutions of both Abkhazia and Georgia, the adherents of all religions (as well as atheists) have equal rights before the law.

== Education ==

Children in Abkhazia begin their education at the age of 6, and graduate at 17. Education is under the control of the Ministry of Education and Culture.

=== Higher Education ===

The '''Abkhazian State University''' is the only university in Abkhazia. It was founded in 1979 on the basis of the Sukhumi Pedagogical Institute (which was founded in 1932 as the Sukhumi Agro-pedagogical Institute and one year later renamed the Maxim Gorky Pedagogical Institute). The university consists the departments of physics and mathematics, biology and geography, history, philology, economics, law; pedagogical and agro-engineering departments. There is further information (in Russian) at http://www.abkhaziagov.org/ru/state/culture/university.php

----
> [[Georgia]]
 
> [[Countries]]
 
>> [[Main Page]]

[[Category:Georgia|Georgia]]
[[Category:European former CIS]]
[[Category:Europe]]

[[Category:Transcaucasian countries]]

[[Category:Asia]]
[[Category:Asian former CIS]]

[[Category:Commonwealth of Unrecognized States]]
[[Category:Partially recognized countries]]

[[Category:Countries in stubs]]

Abkhazia

2015-07-09T15:31:28Z

IOpdebeeck: /* Higher Education */

''Abkhazia'' (Abkhaz: Аҧсны '''Apsny''', Georgian: აფხაზეთი '''Apkhazeti''', Russian: Абха́зия '''Abkhazia''') is a political entity on the eastern coast of the [[Black Sea]] and the south-western flank of the [[Caucasus]] whose status is disputed.

Abkhazia considers itself an independent state (the Republic of Abkhazia), but this status is recognised only by [[Russia]] and a few other UN members - and by [[South Ossetia]] and [[Transnistria]], both of which are themselves in a situation similar to Abkhazia.

The government of Georgia and most of the world consider Abkhazia part of Georgia's territory. In Georgia's official subdivision it is an autonomous republic (whose government sits in exile in Tblisi). In 2008, the Parliament of Georgia passed a resolution declaring Abkhazia a "Russian-occupied territory".

In reality there is little likelihood of Abkhazia becoming a full part of Georgia in the near future.

For further background on this situation and its history see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abkhazia as a starting point.

The population is hard to estimate but sources suggest that it is around 160,000 - in the 2003 census it was over 200,000.

The capital is Sukhumi.

Abkhazia is divided into nine "raions" named after their centers: Gagra, Gudauta, Sukhumi, Ochamchira, Gulripsh, Tkvarcheli and Gali. These districts are the same as under the [[Soviet Union]], except that the Tkvarcheli district was created only in 1995, from parts of the Ochamchira and Gali districts.

The demographics of Abkhazia were very strongly affected by recent wars, which saw the expulsion and flight of over half of the republic's population. The population of Abkhazia remains ethnically very diverse. At present the population seems mainly made up of ethnic Abkhaz, Georgians (mostly Mingrelians), Hamshemin Armenians, and Russians.

Most inhabitants (some say 60%) of Abkhazia are nominally Christian (Eastern Orthodox and Armenian Orthodox), Sunni Muslim or irreligious. The influence of traditional Abkhaz religion also remains strong among Christians, Muslims and non-believers. According to the constitutions of both Abkhazia and Georgia, the adherents of all religions (as well as atheists) have equal rights before the law.

== Education ==

Children in Abkhazia begin their education at the age of 6, and graduate at 17. Education is under the control of the Ministry of Education and Culture.

=== Higher Education ===

The '''Abkhazian State University''' is the only university in Abkhazia. It was founded in 1979 on the basis of the Sukhumi Pedagogical Institute (which was founded in 1932 as the Sukhumi Agro-pedagogical Institute and one year later renamed the Maxim Gorky Pedagogical Institute). The university consists the departments of physics and mathematics, biology and geography, history, philology, economics, law; pedagogical and agro-engineering departments. There is further information (in Russian) at http://www.abkhaziagov.org/ru/state/culture/university.php

----
> [[Georgia]]
 
> [[Countries]]
 
>> [[Main Page]]

[[Category:Georgia|Georgia]] [[Category:!Abkhazia|!Abkhazia]]
[[Category:European former CIS]]
[[Category:Europe]]

[[Category:Transcaucasian countries]]

[[Category:Asia]]
[[Category:Asian former CIS]]

[[Category:Commonwealth of Unrecognized States]]
[[Category:Partially recognized countries]]

[[Category:Countries in stubs]]

Armenia

2015-07-09T15:29:35Z

IOpdebeeck:

''For entities in Armenia see [[:Category:Armenia]]''

== Partners situated in Armenia==

None.

== Armenia in a nutshell ==
(sourced mainly from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenia (country) )
[[Image:Armenia.gif|right|thumb|250px]]

''Armenia'' (Armenian: Հայաստան, transliterated: '''Hayastan'''), officially the '''Republic of Armenia''' (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն, '''Hayastani Hanrapetut’yun'''), is a landlocked mountainous country in the [[Caucasus]] region of Eurasia. Situated at the juncture of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bordered by [[Turkey]] to the west, [[Georgia]] to the north, the de facto independent [[Nagorno-Karabakh]] Republic and [[Azerbaijan]] to the east, and [[Iran]] and the Azerbaijan exclave of [[Nakhchivan]] to the south.

The population of Armenia is 2.9 million.

Its capital is Yerevan.

A former republic of the [[Soviet Union]], Armenia is a unitary, multiparty, democratic nation-state with an ancient and historic cultural heritage. The Kingdom of Armenia was the first state to adopt Christianity as its religion in the early years of the 4th century (the traditional date is 301). The modern Republic of Armenia recognizes the Armenian Apostolic Church as the national church of Armenia, although the republic has separation of church and state with the Armenian Apostolic Church liable to the laws of the state. The native Armenian name for the country is Hayk’. The name in the Middle Ages was extended to Hayastan, by addition of the Iranian suffix -stan (land). The name has traditionally been derived from Hayk (Հայկ), the legendary patriarch of the Armenians and a great-great-grandson of Noah, who according to historians of the time defeated the Babylonian king Bel in 2492 BC, and established his nation in the Ararat region.

Armenia is a member of more than 40 international organisations, including the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the Asian Development Bank, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the World Trade Organization, the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, and La Francophonie. It is a member of the CSTO military alliance, and also participates in NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) programme. In 2004 its forces joined KFOR, a NATO-led international force in Kosovo.

It is also an observer member of the Eurasian Economic Community and the Non-Aligned Movement.

Armenia is classified as a country with medium human development and 10.6% of the population live below the international poverty line of US$1.25 a day.

Armenia is divided into ten provinces (marzer, singular marz), with the city (kaghak) of Yerevan (Երևան) having special administrative status as the country's capital. Within each province are communities (hamaynkner, singular hamaynk). Each community is self-governing and consists of one or more settlements (bnakavayrer, singular bnakavayr). Settlements are classified as either towns (kaghakner, singular kaghak) or villages (gyugher, singular gyugh). As of 2007, Armenia includes 915 communities, of which 49 are considered urban and 866 are considered rural. The capital, Yerevan, also has the status of a community. Additionally, Yerevan is divided into twelve semi-autonomous districts.

Armenia has a population of around 3 million and is the second most densely populated of the former Soviet republics. There has been a problem of population decline due to elevated levels of emigration after the break-up of the [[Soviet Union]]. However, in the past years, emigration levels have levelled and there is steady population growth.

Ethnic Armenians make up almost all of the current population.

Armenia has a relatively large diaspora (8 million by some estimates, greatly exceeding the 3 million population of Armenia itself), with communities existing across the globe.

The predominant religion in Armenia is Christianity. The roots of the Armenian Church go back to the first century. According to tradition, the Armenian Church was founded by two of Jesus' twelve apostles – Thaddaeus and Bartholomew – who preached Christianity in Armenia between AD 40–60. Because of these two founding apostles, the official name of the Armenian Church is Armenian Apostolic Church. Over 93% of Armenian Christians belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church, a form of Oriental (Non-Chalcedonian) Orthodoxy, which is claimed by some to be a very ritualistic, conservative church.

Armenians have their own distinctive alphabet and language. The alphabet was invented in AD 405 by Saint Mesrop Mashtots and consists of 38 letters, two of which were added during the Cilician period. 96% of the people in the country speak Armenian, while 75% of the population additionally speaks Russian - although English is becoming increasingly popular.

== Armenia education policy ==
(sourced from http://www.armenic.am/?laid=1&com=module&module=menu&id=83)

Education in Armenia is under the control of the '''Ministry of Education and Science in Armenia'''. Its web site is at http://www.edu.am (in Armenian).

The organizational basis of the state education policy is "The Education Development State Program", which has been approved by the RA National Assembly, upon presentation of the RA Government" (RA "Law on Education", Article 4, Yerevan, 1999).

The current stage of the reforms started in 2003. The most important state and national goal currently is the progressive development of the education system and ensuring its competitiveness in the international arena. Orientation of the education system to the needs of "knowledge-economy" is the head-stone of the current reforms.

Within the past ten years the state developed and enacted a whole set of laws and legal and normative documents, which have been serving as a basis for the education system development.

The National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia adopted the "Law on Education" on 14 April, 1999, which being based on the Constitution provisions, guided development of the reforming system.

The RA Law on Education was followed by the development and adoption of laws and legal and normative documents regulating separate levels of education. In particular, the following RA Laws served as basis for reforming the different levels of education: "[http://www.armenic.am/?laid=1&com=module&module=menu&id=97 On Higher and Post Graduate Professional Education]" (14.12.2004), "On Preliminary and Middle Level Professional (Vocational) Education" (08.07.2005), "On State Education Inspectorate" (15.11.2005), "On Preschool Education" (15.11.2005), and the GoA Protocol Decisions "On Strategy of the RA Higher Education Reforms" (21.11.2003), "On Approval of Concept of Aesthetic Education" (18.11.2004), "Inclusive Education Policy Paper" (25.05.2005), "Pedagogical Education Reform Policy Paper" (29.12.2005) and etc.

In addition to improving the legislation field, the state adopted the policy of mid-term and long-term development planning which is reflected in the Mid-Term Expenditure Framework and Education Development Programmes. Following its approval at the RA National Assembly, "The Education Development National Programme 2001-2005" was enacted for the first time in 2001, its goal was to ensure progressive development of the education system as a factor of strengthening the statehood and social-economic progress of the society. Preparation of the draft "Education Development National Programme 2008-2015" was launched in 2006.

== Armenia education system ==

The education system of Armenia includes:

- Pre-school education;

- General secondary education comprised of primary, middle level or basic and high school;

- Preliminary vocational, middle level vocational and higher professional education;

- Post-graduate education, specialist training and qualification improvement institutions;

- Education assessment and education services delivering institutions.

In 2006 Armenia converted to a three level 12 year general education system having the following sequence: elementary school (4 years), middle school (5 years) and high school (3 years).

More information on the education system can be found on

- http://erasmusplus.am/higher-educationhigher-education-in-armenia/higher-education-in-armenia/

- http://www.armenic.am/?laid=1&com=module&module=menu&id=101

- http://www.ibe.unesco.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/WDE/2010/pdf-versions/Armenia.pdf

== Higher education in Armenia ==
More information on Higher Education in Armenia can be found at the website of the Armenian National Erasmus+ Agency: http://erasmusplus.am/higher-educationhigher-education-in-armenia/higher-education-in-armenia/ and in the country report at: http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/tempus/participating_countries/overview/armenia_tempus_country_fiche_final.pdf

=== Higher education institutions in Armenia ===
(sourced from http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/tempus/participating_countries/overview/armenia_tempus_country_fiche_final.pdf)

According to higher education legislation, the types of higher education institutions in Armenia are the following:
# University: higher education institution providing higher, postgraduate and supplementary education in different branches of natural and sociological fields, science, technology and culture, as well as providing opportunities for scientific research and study.
# Institute: higher education institution, conducting specialised and postgraduate academic programmes and scientific research in a number of scientific, economic and cultural branches.
# Academy (education), the activity of which is aimed at the development of education, science, technology and culture in an individual sphere; it conducts programmes preparing and retraining qualified specialists in an individual field, as well as postgraduate academic programmes.
# Conservatory: higher education institution preparing specialists in the field of music, providing qualification development and postgraduate academic programmes.

A list of Armenian Higher Education Institutions can be downloaded at: http://erasmusplus.am/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/List-of-Armenian-Universities_NEO-AM_20141.pdf

== Higher education reform ==

=== The Bologna Process ===

Armenia joined the [[Bologna Process]] in 2005 in Bergen. Since then, the main foci of the Government of Armenia (GoA), the Ministry of Education and Science (MoES), and the Higher Education Institutions (HEI) are introduction of a two-cycle degree system, a credit transfer and accumulation system, and a Diploma Supplement system; strengthening of Doctoral Programmes as a bridge between higher education and research area; and creation of a recognition body and national quality assurance agency.

For more information on the Bologna Process in Armenia see http://www.armenic.am/?laid=1&com=module&module=menu&id=84

== Administration and finance ==
(sourced from http://erasmusplus.am/higher-educationhigher-education-in-armenia/higher-education-in-armenia/)

The main external stakeholder that claims significant formal power and influence in Armenian tertiary education sector is the Ministry of Education and Science of Armenia which is the authorised state body for education and responsible for developing and implementation of state policy/strategy and legislation in tertiary education. The Ministry is also a source of funding and exercises oversight and auditing function. Tertiary education in Soviet Armenia was highly centralised and strictly controlled by the Government. Nowadays, it is still a most regulated sphere. However, the general tendency is to confine the state to the general supervisory functions.
At present, the right to main decision making within the academic community is mostly reserved to the institutions of higher education. They are autonomous in determining the main spheres of activity, adopting budgets and supervising execution thereof, introducing new majors and upgrading the existing ones, adopting curricula and teaching methods. Rectors and deans are now elected by the academic community of each institution rather than being appointed by the Ministry as was the practice under the soviet regime. So, tertiary institutions themselves and state seem to share governance of the system, but responsibilities seem tangled and sometimes unclear. The Government issues a state seats order for enrolment by specialties and by institutions as well as appropriate funding. The higher educational institutions can establish quotes for tuition free and tuition paying enrolment of students based on the total quotas for academic admissions allocated by the Government, providing unpaid education for at least 10% of admission figure for each major. The Government approves the state educational standards and their formation mechanisms; the fields of study and the list of specialties to be taught; the state order for higher educational institutions. The Ministry defines state educational standards, issues licenses and state credentials; forms the list of the specialties provided; develops the state order for colleges and universities; approves the admission rules for the state and private accredited higher educational institutions and supervises their implementation; conducts state accreditation according to the institutions and their specialties (with no regard to the organisational-juridical and ownership form of the institution).

As a direct impact of joining Bologna Process, there have been certain structural changes in the Ministry. Department of Policy Development and Planning and also a Coordinating Committee of Bologna Promoters were formed.
In 2009, 5 Bologna committees, composed of the representatives of different Universities, were founded by the MoES on the development of the strategy on post-graduate education, qualification frameworks, ECTS, finance administration, and quality assurance.

Among the institutions responsible for the organisation and administration of the HE system are the State Licensing and Accreditation Service – the only intermediate body established by the Ministry by operating in the area of the central accreditation system – and National Center for Professional Education Quality Assurance Foundation (ANQA), established on December 28, 2008, as an independent foundation for promoting quality education at tertiary level.

There are also two main representative bodies in the tertiary education system: the Council of Rectors of State Higher Educational Institutions and the Council of Rectors of Private Higher Educational Institutions, which are advisory bodies to the Ministry.

== Quality assurance ==
(sourced from http://erasmusplus.am/higher-educationhigher-education-in-armenia/higher-education-in-armenia/ & http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/tempus/participating_countries/overview/armenia_tempus_country_fiche_final.pdf)

The external review of quality assurance of HEIs is done by the [http://www.anqa.am/am/ National Center for Professional Education Quality Assurance Foundation] (ANQA) – an independent foundation aimed at promoting quality education at tertiary level, being established on December 28, 2008. ANQA is founded and subsidized by the Armenian Government and is projected to be financed through entrepreneurial initiatives. It is governed by the board of stakeholders and is independent of the Ministry of Education and Science (MoES) and institutions at tertiary level. Among the objectives of the center are to accredit quality of the educational programmes and provide the decision to the MoES for state accreditation; make academic audit of HEI, evaluate and accredit HEI, provide the decision on accreditation to the MoES for state accreditation of HEIs, as well as evaluate quality assurance systems of HEIs and make recommendations, etc.

The Universities themselves are involved in the development of internal mechanisms for quality assurance. They are becoming increasingly introspective and analytical about their strengths and weaknesses and need to develop a culture of constant improvement through periodic evaluation.

== Armenia HEIs in the information society ==

=== Towards the information society ===

=== Information society strategy ===

== ICT in education initiatives ==
(sourced from the [[ARMAZEG]] project deliverable "[http://www.armazeg.com/media/documents/Stateoftheartreport_ARMAZEG.pdf State of the art regarding E-learning and ICT for lifelong learning])

Lifelong learning and e-learning are not new attitudes in Armenia. The Law of the
Republic of Armenia on “Higher and Postgraduate Professional Education” was adopted
in 2004. This law regulates the system of higher and postgraduate professional
education in the Republic of Armenia making certain reflections on lifelong education,
as well as on the growth of the level of professional qualification of the specialists and
their training. In 2008, within the framework of the State Program of the Republic of
Armenia on the development of education in 2008-2015, the Ministry of Education and
Science of the RA initiated the work on amendments to the “Concept Paper on Lifelong
Learning” and on a new law on “Adult Education” or to the existing laws, which are, at
present, in the development and implementation phases.
Under the conditions of absence of the Law on Adult Education in the Republic of Armenia, at present, a certain
system of state regulation of that field is also missing. However, a number of Ministries
(RA Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministries of Justice, Health Care, Culture
etc.) and agencies (RA Police, Custom’s, Tax and other services) organize training and
quality raising courses for the specialists, working in their respective fields as well as for
the unemployed and job seekers organized by the RA Ministry of Labour and Social
Affairs.
As a centralized system of governance in the field of adult education and
learning is missing, the adult education and learning in the Republic of Armenia is
decentralized. It is organized and implemented by the state as well as private
organizations and NGOs, like Lifelong Learning League, which is an umbrella for 12
non-governmental organizations experienced in education and training in Armenia. The
overarching goal of the League is to support the formation of lifelong learning culture in
the country by means of developing a coherent LLL system focused on
employability/adaptability, personal fulfillment, active citizenship and social inclusion.

There is also the Lifelong Learning Association which is implementing the main
activities in the sphere of LLL.
In the field of Adult Education and Learning Armenia
cooperates with a number of international organizations (dvv international, GIZ, World
Bank, USAID, UNDP, OSI AF Armenia, Eurasia Foundation, EC, British Council) and
with a number of countries ([[Germany]], [[Norway]], [[Denmark]], [[USA]], [[Netherlands]]). (http://www.unesco.org/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/INSTITUTES/UIL/confintea/pdf/National_Reports/Eur
ope%20‐%20North%20America/Armenia.pdf)
A huge input regarding e-learning comes from [http://www.giz.de/en/html/index.html GIZ] (German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development). Since 2008 the purposed training of trainers were
implemented for most Armenian educational organizations within the project of
"Capacity Building and Human Resource Development in Caucasus" on behalf of
InWent, and then GIZ.

Though many Armenian public and private organizations have their own strategy
and approaches to the implementation of e-learning, there was no formulated network
or coordinating organization yet. As a result of the cooperation within the mentioned
project the mission of e-learning was formed, potential partner institutions were defined
and pilot projects were implemented in 2008-2009. And finally, in 2010 the [[Armenian E-learning Network]] ([[ArmeLNet]]]) and E-learning centre was founded. Eight organizations
signed the official memorandums and became the full members of ArmeLNet:

- National Centre of Educational Technologies.

- Academy of International Education.

- “IATC" Educational Fund.

- Yerevan State Linguistic University.

- Yerevan State College of Humanities.

- Yerevan State College of Informatics.

- State Employment Service Agency of RA.

- [http://www.seua.am/eng/ State Engineering University of Armenia].

In 2011 the Armenian E-learning Network also became a full member of the
[[Caucasus E-learning Network]] together with [[Georgia]] and [[Azerbaijan]].
The annual
training of trainers regarding e-learning has been implemented for the Higher and
Vocational educational institutions of Armenia, and about 15 new organizations joined
the ArmeLNet. The mission of ArmeLNet became the promotion of e-learning to the
Armenian Educational landscape, and the goals are to support member organizations in
the development and deployment of e-learning activities and implement quality
assurance of e-learning courses and modules produced by its members by providing an
effective assessment tool (Caucasus e-Learning Quality Assessment). As a result of the cooperation between ArmeLNet and these trained organizations there was an exchange of experts, content, e-courses, trainings,
resources, design of new educational programs and e-courses, monitoring of e-learning
implementation and development process in educational organizations

=== Virtual initiatives in schools ===

=== Virtual initiatives in post-secondary education ===

'''ARMAZEG project - Developing tools for lifelong learning in Transcaucasus region: e-Learning'''

The TEMPUS project [[ARMAZEG]] - [[Developing tools for lifelong learning in Transcaucasus region: e-Learning]] aims to stimulate educational reform in Armenian and Georgian partner universities by establishing e-Learning centres and training involved staff members – with special attention to lifelong learning methodologies. The project runs from 1 December 2013 until 30 November 2016. The project website is at: http://armazeg.com/

The above-mentioned [[ARMAZEG]] project deliverable [http://www.armazeg.com/media/documents/Stateoftheartreport_ARMAZEG.pdf State of the art regarding E-learning and ICT for lifelong learning] aims to describe the current situation with regard to the level of
development and the use of tools of e-learning and lifelong learning in Armenia and provides an analysis of the situation on the institutional level for:

- [http://www.seua.am/eng/ State Engineering University of Armenia]

- [http://www.iiap.sci.am/ Institute of Informatics & Automation Problems of NAS RA]

- [http://www.physiol.sci.am/ Orbeli Institute of Physiology of NAS RA]

- [http://www.armspu.am/home/ln/en/ Armenian State Pedagogical University after Kh. Abovian]

The report also includes several interesting projects and initiatives on e-learning and/or lifelong learning in Armenia.

The [http://www.armazeg.com/media/documents/D13_final.docx ARMAZEG Project Vision, Strategy and Goals Document] on the other hand highlights a future in which higher education institutions in [[Armenia]] and [[Georgia]] will use technology to enhance education for students and lifelong learners.

== Lessons learnt ==

== References ==

# Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenia
# for others see the previous text

----
> [[Countries]]
 
>> [[Main Page]]

[[Category:Armenia| ]]
[[Category:Transcaucasian countries]]
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:European former CIS]]

[[Category:Asia]]
[[Category:Asian former CIS]]

[[Category:Countries of interest]]

[[Category:VISCED]]

Armenia

2015-07-09T15:29:23Z

IOpdebeeck: /* Armenia in a nutshell */

''Original [[Re.ViCa]] entry by [[Paul Bacsich]]''

''For entities in Armenia see [[:Category:Armenia]]''

== Partners situated in Armenia==

None.

== Armenia in a nutshell ==
(sourced mainly from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenia (country) )
[[Image:Armenia.gif|right|thumb|250px]]

''Armenia'' (Armenian: Հայաստան, transliterated: '''Hayastan'''), officially the '''Republic of Armenia''' (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն, '''Hayastani Hanrapetut’yun'''), is a landlocked mountainous country in the [[Caucasus]] region of Eurasia. Situated at the juncture of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bordered by [[Turkey]] to the west, [[Georgia]] to the north, the de facto independent [[Nagorno-Karabakh]] Republic and [[Azerbaijan]] to the east, and [[Iran]] and the Azerbaijan exclave of [[Nakhchivan]] to the south.

The population of Armenia is 2.9 million.

Its capital is Yerevan.

A former republic of the [[Soviet Union]], Armenia is a unitary, multiparty, democratic nation-state with an ancient and historic cultural heritage. The Kingdom of Armenia was the first state to adopt Christianity as its religion in the early years of the 4th century (the traditional date is 301). The modern Republic of Armenia recognizes the Armenian Apostolic Church as the national church of Armenia, although the republic has separation of church and state with the Armenian Apostolic Church liable to the laws of the state. The native Armenian name for the country is Hayk’. The name in the Middle Ages was extended to Hayastan, by addition of the Iranian suffix -stan (land). The name has traditionally been derived from Hayk (Հայկ), the legendary patriarch of the Armenians and a great-great-grandson of Noah, who according to historians of the time defeated the Babylonian king Bel in 2492 BC, and established his nation in the Ararat region.

Armenia is a member of more than 40 international organisations, including the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the Asian Development Bank, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the World Trade Organization, the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, and La Francophonie. It is a member of the CSTO military alliance, and also participates in NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) programme. In 2004 its forces joined KFOR, a NATO-led international force in Kosovo.

It is also an observer member of the Eurasian Economic Community and the Non-Aligned Movement.

Armenia is classified as a country with medium human development and 10.6% of the population live below the international poverty line of US$1.25 a day.

Armenia is divided into ten provinces (marzer, singular marz), with the city (kaghak) of Yerevan (Երևան) having special administrative status as the country's capital. Within each province are communities (hamaynkner, singular hamaynk). Each community is self-governing and consists of one or more settlements (bnakavayrer, singular bnakavayr). Settlements are classified as either towns (kaghakner, singular kaghak) or villages (gyugher, singular gyugh). As of 2007, Armenia includes 915 communities, of which 49 are considered urban and 866 are considered rural. The capital, Yerevan, also has the status of a community. Additionally, Yerevan is divided into twelve semi-autonomous districts.

Armenia has a population of around 3 million and is the second most densely populated of the former Soviet republics. There has been a problem of population decline due to elevated levels of emigration after the break-up of the [[Soviet Union]]. However, in the past years, emigration levels have levelled and there is steady population growth.

Ethnic Armenians make up almost all of the current population.

Armenia has a relatively large diaspora (8 million by some estimates, greatly exceeding the 3 million population of Armenia itself), with communities existing across the globe.

The predominant religion in Armenia is Christianity. The roots of the Armenian Church go back to the first century. According to tradition, the Armenian Church was founded by two of Jesus' twelve apostles – Thaddaeus and Bartholomew – who preached Christianity in Armenia between AD 40–60. Because of these two founding apostles, the official name of the Armenian Church is Armenian Apostolic Church. Over 93% of Armenian Christians belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church, a form of Oriental (Non-Chalcedonian) Orthodoxy, which is claimed by some to be a very ritualistic, conservative church.

Armenians have their own distinctive alphabet and language. The alphabet was invented in AD 405 by Saint Mesrop Mashtots and consists of 38 letters, two of which were added during the Cilician period. 96% of the people in the country speak Armenian, while 75% of the population additionally speaks Russian - although English is becoming increasingly popular.

== Armenia education policy ==
(sourced from http://www.armenic.am/?laid=1&com=module&module=menu&id=83)

Education in Armenia is under the control of the '''Ministry of Education and Science in Armenia'''. Its web site is at http://www.edu.am (in Armenian).

The organizational basis of the state education policy is "The Education Development State Program", which has been approved by the RA National Assembly, upon presentation of the RA Government" (RA "Law on Education", Article 4, Yerevan, 1999).

The current stage of the reforms started in 2003. The most important state and national goal currently is the progressive development of the education system and ensuring its competitiveness in the international arena. Orientation of the education system to the needs of "knowledge-economy" is the head-stone of the current reforms.

Within the past ten years the state developed and enacted a whole set of laws and legal and normative documents, which have been serving as a basis for the education system development.

The National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia adopted the "Law on Education" on 14 April, 1999, which being based on the Constitution provisions, guided development of the reforming system.

The RA Law on Education was followed by the development and adoption of laws and legal and normative documents regulating separate levels of education. In particular, the following RA Laws served as basis for reforming the different levels of education: "[http://www.armenic.am/?laid=1&com=module&module=menu&id=97 On Higher and Post Graduate Professional Education]" (14.12.2004), "On Preliminary and Middle Level Professional (Vocational) Education" (08.07.2005), "On State Education Inspectorate" (15.11.2005), "On Preschool Education" (15.11.2005), and the GoA Protocol Decisions "On Strategy of the RA Higher Education Reforms" (21.11.2003), "On Approval of Concept of Aesthetic Education" (18.11.2004), "Inclusive Education Policy Paper" (25.05.2005), "Pedagogical Education Reform Policy Paper" (29.12.2005) and etc.

In addition to improving the legislation field, the state adopted the policy of mid-term and long-term development planning which is reflected in the Mid-Term Expenditure Framework and Education Development Programmes. Following its approval at the RA National Assembly, "The Education Development National Programme 2001-2005" was enacted for the first time in 2001, its goal was to ensure progressive development of the education system as a factor of strengthening the statehood and social-economic progress of the society. Preparation of the draft "Education Development National Programme 2008-2015" was launched in 2006.

== Armenia education system ==

The education system of Armenia includes:

- Pre-school education;

- General secondary education comprised of primary, middle level or basic and high school;

- Preliminary vocational, middle level vocational and higher professional education;

- Post-graduate education, specialist training and qualification improvement institutions;

- Education assessment and education services delivering institutions.

In 2006 Armenia converted to a three level 12 year general education system having the following sequence: elementary school (4 years), middle school (5 years) and high school (3 years).

More information on the education system can be found on

- http://erasmusplus.am/higher-educationhigher-education-in-armenia/higher-education-in-armenia/

- http://www.armenic.am/?laid=1&com=module&module=menu&id=101

- http://www.ibe.unesco.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/WDE/2010/pdf-versions/Armenia.pdf

== Higher education in Armenia ==
More information on Higher Education in Armenia can be found at the website of the Armenian National Erasmus+ Agency: http://erasmusplus.am/higher-educationhigher-education-in-armenia/higher-education-in-armenia/ and in the country report at: http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/tempus/participating_countries/overview/armenia_tempus_country_fiche_final.pdf

=== Higher education institutions in Armenia ===
(sourced from http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/tempus/participating_countries/overview/armenia_tempus_country_fiche_final.pdf)

According to higher education legislation, the types of higher education institutions in Armenia are the following:
# University: higher education institution providing higher, postgraduate and supplementary education in different branches of natural and sociological fields, science, technology and culture, as well as providing opportunities for scientific research and study.
# Institute: higher education institution, conducting specialised and postgraduate academic programmes and scientific research in a number of scientific, economic and cultural branches.
# Academy (education), the activity of which is aimed at the development of education, science, technology and culture in an individual sphere; it conducts programmes preparing and retraining qualified specialists in an individual field, as well as postgraduate academic programmes.
# Conservatory: higher education institution preparing specialists in the field of music, providing qualification development and postgraduate academic programmes.

A list of Armenian Higher Education Institutions can be downloaded at: http://erasmusplus.am/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/List-of-Armenian-Universities_NEO-AM_20141.pdf

== Higher education reform ==

=== The Bologna Process ===

Armenia joined the [[Bologna Process]] in 2005 in Bergen. Since then, the main foci of the Government of Armenia (GoA), the Ministry of Education and Science (MoES), and the Higher Education Institutions (HEI) are introduction of a two-cycle degree system, a credit transfer and accumulation system, and a Diploma Supplement system; strengthening of Doctoral Programmes as a bridge between higher education and research area; and creation of a recognition body and national quality assurance agency.

For more information on the Bologna Process in Armenia see http://www.armenic.am/?laid=1&com=module&module=menu&id=84

== Administration and finance ==
(sourced from http://erasmusplus.am/higher-educationhigher-education-in-armenia/higher-education-in-armenia/)

The main external stakeholder that claims significant formal power and influence in Armenian tertiary education sector is the Ministry of Education and Science of Armenia which is the authorised state body for education and responsible for developing and implementation of state policy/strategy and legislation in tertiary education. The Ministry is also a source of funding and exercises oversight and auditing function. Tertiary education in Soviet Armenia was highly centralised and strictly controlled by the Government. Nowadays, it is still a most regulated sphere. However, the general tendency is to confine the state to the general supervisory functions.
At present, the right to main decision making within the academic community is mostly reserved to the institutions of higher education. They are autonomous in determining the main spheres of activity, adopting budgets and supervising execution thereof, introducing new majors and upgrading the existing ones, adopting curricula and teaching methods. Rectors and deans are now elected by the academic community of each institution rather than being appointed by the Ministry as was the practice under the soviet regime. So, tertiary institutions themselves and state seem to share governance of the system, but responsibilities seem tangled and sometimes unclear. The Government issues a state seats order for enrolment by specialties and by institutions as well as appropriate funding. The higher educational institutions can establish quotes for tuition free and tuition paying enrolment of students based on the total quotas for academic admissions allocated by the Government, providing unpaid education for at least 10% of admission figure for each major. The Government approves the state educational standards and their formation mechanisms; the fields of study and the list of specialties to be taught; the state order for higher educational institutions. The Ministry defines state educational standards, issues licenses and state credentials; forms the list of the specialties provided; develops the state order for colleges and universities; approves the admission rules for the state and private accredited higher educational institutions and supervises their implementation; conducts state accreditation according to the institutions and their specialties (with no regard to the organisational-juridical and ownership form of the institution).

As a direct impact of joining Bologna Process, there have been certain structural changes in the Ministry. Department of Policy Development and Planning and also a Coordinating Committee of Bologna Promoters were formed.
In 2009, 5 Bologna committees, composed of the representatives of different Universities, were founded by the MoES on the development of the strategy on post-graduate education, qualification frameworks, ECTS, finance administration, and quality assurance.

Among the institutions responsible for the organisation and administration of the HE system are the State Licensing and Accreditation Service – the only intermediate body established by the Ministry by operating in the area of the central accreditation system – and National Center for Professional Education Quality Assurance Foundation (ANQA), established on December 28, 2008, as an independent foundation for promoting quality education at tertiary level.

There are also two main representative bodies in the tertiary education system: the Council of Rectors of State Higher Educational Institutions and the Council of Rectors of Private Higher Educational Institutions, which are advisory bodies to the Ministry.

== Quality assurance ==
(sourced from http://erasmusplus.am/higher-educationhigher-education-in-armenia/higher-education-in-armenia/ & http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/tempus/participating_countries/overview/armenia_tempus_country_fiche_final.pdf)

The external review of quality assurance of HEIs is done by the [http://www.anqa.am/am/ National Center for Professional Education Quality Assurance Foundation] (ANQA) – an independent foundation aimed at promoting quality education at tertiary level, being established on December 28, 2008. ANQA is founded and subsidized by the Armenian Government and is projected to be financed through entrepreneurial initiatives. It is governed by the board of stakeholders and is independent of the Ministry of Education and Science (MoES) and institutions at tertiary level. Among the objectives of the center are to accredit quality of the educational programmes and provide the decision to the MoES for state accreditation; make academic audit of HEI, evaluate and accredit HEI, provide the decision on accreditation to the MoES for state accreditation of HEIs, as well as evaluate quality assurance systems of HEIs and make recommendations, etc.

The Universities themselves are involved in the development of internal mechanisms for quality assurance. They are becoming increasingly introspective and analytical about their strengths and weaknesses and need to develop a culture of constant improvement through periodic evaluation.

== Armenia HEIs in the information society ==

=== Towards the information society ===

=== Information society strategy ===

== ICT in education initiatives ==
(sourced from the [[ARMAZEG]] project deliverable "[http://www.armazeg.com/media/documents/Stateoftheartreport_ARMAZEG.pdf State of the art regarding E-learning and ICT for lifelong learning])

Lifelong learning and e-learning are not new attitudes in Armenia. The Law of the
Republic of Armenia on “Higher and Postgraduate Professional Education” was adopted
in 2004. This law regulates the system of higher and postgraduate professional
education in the Republic of Armenia making certain reflections on lifelong education,
as well as on the growth of the level of professional qualification of the specialists and
their training. In 2008, within the framework of the State Program of the Republic of
Armenia on the development of education in 2008-2015, the Ministry of Education and
Science of the RA initiated the work on amendments to the “Concept Paper on Lifelong
Learning” and on a new law on “Adult Education” or to the existing laws, which are, at
present, in the development and implementation phases.
Under the conditions of absence of the Law on Adult Education in the Republic of Armenia, at present, a certain
system of state regulation of that field is also missing. However, a number of Ministries
(RA Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministries of Justice, Health Care, Culture
etc.) and agencies (RA Police, Custom’s, Tax and other services) organize training and
quality raising courses for the specialists, working in their respective fields as well as for
the unemployed and job seekers organized by the RA Ministry of Labour and Social
Affairs.
As a centralized system of governance in the field of adult education and
learning is missing, the adult education and learning in the Republic of Armenia is
decentralized. It is organized and implemented by the state as well as private
organizations and NGOs, like Lifelong Learning League, which is an umbrella for 12
non-governmental organizations experienced in education and training in Armenia. The
overarching goal of the League is to support the formation of lifelong learning culture in
the country by means of developing a coherent LLL system focused on
employability/adaptability, personal fulfillment, active citizenship and social inclusion.

There is also the Lifelong Learning Association which is implementing the main
activities in the sphere of LLL.
In the field of Adult Education and Learning Armenia
cooperates with a number of international organizations (dvv international, GIZ, World
Bank, USAID, UNDP, OSI AF Armenia, Eurasia Foundation, EC, British Council) and
with a number of countries ([[Germany]], [[Norway]], [[Denmark]], [[USA]], [[Netherlands]]). (http://www.unesco.org/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/INSTITUTES/UIL/confintea/pdf/National_Reports/Eur
ope%20‐%20North%20America/Armenia.pdf)
A huge input regarding e-learning comes from [http://www.giz.de/en/html/index.html GIZ] (German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development). Since 2008 the purposed training of trainers were
implemented for most Armenian educational organizations within the project of
"Capacity Building and Human Resource Development in Caucasus" on behalf of
InWent, and then GIZ.

Though many Armenian public and private organizations have their own strategy
and approaches to the implementation of e-learning, there was no formulated network
or coordinating organization yet. As a result of the cooperation within the mentioned
project the mission of e-learning was formed, potential partner institutions were defined
and pilot projects were implemented in 2008-2009. And finally, in 2010 the [[Armenian E-learning Network]] ([[ArmeLNet]]]) and E-learning centre was founded. Eight organizations
signed the official memorandums and became the full members of ArmeLNet:

- National Centre of Educational Technologies.

- Academy of International Education.

- “IATC" Educational Fund.

- Yerevan State Linguistic University.

- Yerevan State College of Humanities.

- Yerevan State College of Informatics.

- State Employment Service Agency of RA.

- [http://www.seua.am/eng/ State Engineering University of Armenia].

In 2011 the Armenian E-learning Network also became a full member of the
[[Caucasus E-learning Network]] together with [[Georgia]] and [[Azerbaijan]].
The annual
training of trainers regarding e-learning has been implemented for the Higher and
Vocational educational institutions of Armenia, and about 15 new organizations joined
the ArmeLNet. The mission of ArmeLNet became the promotion of e-learning to the
Armenian Educational landscape, and the goals are to support member organizations in
the development and deployment of e-learning activities and implement quality
assurance of e-learning courses and modules produced by its members by providing an
effective assessment tool (Caucasus e-Learning Quality Assessment). As a result of the cooperation between ArmeLNet and these trained organizations there was an exchange of experts, content, e-courses, trainings,
resources, design of new educational programs and e-courses, monitoring of e-learning
implementation and development process in educational organizations

=== Virtual initiatives in schools ===

=== Virtual initiatives in post-secondary education ===

'''ARMAZEG project - Developing tools for lifelong learning in Transcaucasus region: e-Learning'''

The TEMPUS project [[ARMAZEG]] - [[Developing tools for lifelong learning in Transcaucasus region: e-Learning]] aims to stimulate educational reform in Armenian and Georgian partner universities by establishing e-Learning centres and training involved staff members – with special attention to lifelong learning methodologies. The project runs from 1 December 2013 until 30 November 2016. The project website is at: http://armazeg.com/

The above-mentioned [[ARMAZEG]] project deliverable [http://www.armazeg.com/media/documents/Stateoftheartreport_ARMAZEG.pdf State of the art regarding E-learning and ICT for lifelong learning] aims to describe the current situation with regard to the level of
development and the use of tools of e-learning and lifelong learning in Armenia and provides an analysis of the situation on the institutional level for:

- [http://www.seua.am/eng/ State Engineering University of Armenia]

- [http://www.iiap.sci.am/ Institute of Informatics & Automation Problems of NAS RA]

- [http://www.physiol.sci.am/ Orbeli Institute of Physiology of NAS RA]

- [http://www.armspu.am/home/ln/en/ Armenian State Pedagogical University after Kh. Abovian]

The report also includes several interesting projects and initiatives on e-learning and/or lifelong learning in Armenia.

The [http://www.armazeg.com/media/documents/D13_final.docx ARMAZEG Project Vision, Strategy and Goals Document] on the other hand highlights a future in which higher education institutions in [[Armenia]] and [[Georgia]] will use technology to enhance education for students and lifelong learners.

== Lessons learnt ==

== References ==

# Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenia
# for others see the previous text

----
> [[Countries]]
 
>> [[Main Page]]

[[Category:Armenia| ]]
[[Category:Transcaucasian countries]]
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:European former CIS]]

[[Category:Asia]]
[[Category:Asian former CIS]]

[[Category:Countries of interest]]

[[Category:VISCED]]