THE PROJECT IS ASSESSED “GOOD”

THE PROJECT IS ASSESSED “GOOD”

State Academy of Fine Arts of Armenia is happy to announce the successful closure of the project. The implementation of the project is assessed “good” by Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency. European Commission highlights the technical and financial management of the project and states that the results of the project are visible.

In the report sent to the coordinating institution, the executive agency mentions that the training activities carried out for the academic and administrative staff of HEIs and high school teachers are relevant for the achievement of the objectives. The quality assurance measures and quality plan are assessed positively as it has allowed a close monitoring of the work packages. EACEA appreciates the structural changes that the project has brought at institutional level so that to ensure the development of inclusive education at HEIs. The executive agency positively considers the website, which contains relevant information of activities and outputs achieved.

State Academy of Fine Arts of Armenia as a coordinating institution congratulates and is thankful to all the partners for the successful implementation of the project.

INCLUSION FINAL CONFERENCE

INCLUSION FINAL CONFERENCE

ERASMUS + INCLUSION final conference was organized on September 25, 2019. Coordinated by State Academy of Fine Arts of Armenia and hosted by American University of Armenia, the final conference presented the major achievements of the project highlighting the productive cooperation among countries.

Among the guests were Zaruhi Batoyan, Minister of Labor and Social Affairs of RA, Arevik Anapiosyan, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of RA, representatives from Erasmus Plus national office and organizations of the field, staff and faculty members from Armenian and Bosnian universities and high schools, as well as INCLUSION project consortium members from Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgium, Austria and London.

Randall Rhodes, AUA Provost, opened the conference welcoming all the participants and wishing productive discussions. Aram Isabekyan, SAFAA Rector, on behalf of the coordinating institution, briefly presented the impact of the project on the Academy’s activities focusing on the benefits. Zaruhi Batoyan and Arevik Anapiosyan also delivered welcoming speeches and highlighted the importance of the project on the Armenian educational system. Ruzanna Minasyan, INCLUSION project coordinator, presented the project, the activities implemented by the consortium during the 3 years and the major achievements.

The final conference provided a platform for fruitful and interactive discussions on the issues of organizing inclusive education in Armenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, providing examples of best practices in Austria, Belgium and Great Britain. The panel discussions were mainly focused on the following issues;

  • Panel discussion 1: What is inclusion? (concept, legislation, overcoming the stereotypes, policies and procedures, why inclusion matters, how do we address the issue of inclusion, what are the cultural differences and similarities).
  • Panel discussion 2: Teaching and Practicing Inclusion (teaching technologies, toolkit, best practices, quality assurance mechanisms).
  • Panel discussion 3: Future of Inclusion

During the panel discussions the consortium members presented the impact of INCLUSION project on their universities and the changes the institutions implemented taking into consideration the project’s outcomes.

The management team closed the conference extending its gratitude to all participants, project partners and NGOs and wished active cooperation in future.

FINAL COORDINATION MEETING

FINAL COORDINATION MEETING

On September 24, 2019 a coordination meeting was organized within ERASMUS PLUS INCLUSION project to highlight the activities to be implemented after the final conference.

Before the coordination meeting, the consortium members gathered at State Academy of Fine Arts of Armenia, visited laboratories of sculpture, ceramics, graphics, and fashion design, got acquainted with SAFAA students’ works and educational programs.

The second half of the day continued at American University of Armenia, where the SAFAA management team conducted a coordination meeting. They represented the main activities, including the preparation of a final report that each partner organization should do for the successful completion of the project.

The day ended with a cultural tour to Charents Arch, Garni and Geghard organized by coordinating institution to introduce guests the historical-cultural features of Armenia.

The coordination meeting was followed by INCLUSION final conference which was held on September 25, 2019 at AUA.

DISCUSSION ON FINAL CONFERENCE

DISCUSSION ON FINAL CONFERENCE

Armenian consortium members of INCLUSION project met on August 27 in AUA to discuss the preparatory activities to be implemented before the final conference.

The consortium members outlined the agenda for the final conference, defining the main format and the major topics to be discussed. It was agreed to have 3 panel discussions on the topics suggested by INCLUSION team during Graz workshop held in July. Management team will draft the agenda and send to the consortium members for further discussions.

The Armenian team looked through the “National Guideline on Inclusive Higher Education” and made final comments. The document should be finalized and published in both languages (Armenian and English) for dissemination.

P.S Final conference of ERASMUS + INCLUSION project is going to be held on September 25, in AUA, Yerevan. Management team will carry out a coordination meeting on September 24 for disusing the main financial and technical issues.

WORKSHOP ON INCLUSIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING METHODOLOGY TOOLKIT AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION GUIDELINES

WORKSHOP ON INCLUSIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING METHODOLOGY TOOLKIT AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION GUIDELINES

A 2-day workshop was organized within ERASMUS + INCLUSION project on July 9-10 to finalize the methodology toolkit on inclusive teaching and learning. Hosted by University of Graz, the consortium discussed the guidelines on inclusive education.

University of Graz invited a guest speaker, who represented the best practice, including the most recent tools/e-didactic and resources for ensuring inclusive education. Representatives from Armenian and Bosnian ministries briefly introduced the ways the national guidelines on inclusive teaching and learning should be circulated among other universities/stakeholders. Consortium members summarized the pilot teaching sessions held in partner institutions on inclusive education, representing the ways for ensuring the further use of inclusive methods. The first day ended with a discussion on self-evaluation reports to be conducted by each consortium partner.

The second day workshop was mainly focused on inclusive teaching and learning methodology toolkit, outlining the further steps to work with high schools to ensure better transition of students to universities. Armenian and Bosnian consortium members outlined activities for awareness raising campaign to be implemented for the academic communities in the respective countries.

State Academy of Fine Arts of Armenia, as a coordinating institution, conducted coordination meeting discussing project’s overall management, the first draft of the final conference meeting and dissemination strategy. The management team also represented the requirements for the final report.

LOCAL MEETING BEFORE WORKSHOP IN GRAZ

LOCAL MEETING BEFORE WORKSHOP IN GRAZ

Armenian consortium members of INCLUSION project had a meeting on July 1 to discuss the main activities to be implemented before workshop to be held in Graz, Austria.

Hosted by AUA, the consortium members looked through the initial variant of the agenda, made some comments and minor changes for the finalization of the agenda. The Armenian partners agreed to highlight several issues for the detailed discussion in Graz. Among those topics are; sustainability of the project, pilot of teaching and learning methodology guideline (presentation of results), the use of the toolkit, organization of awareness raising campaign, self- evaluation report and so on.

P.S A 2-day workshop is to be organized on July 9-10 in Graz, Austria. The workshop will mainly focus on Inclusive Teaching and Learning Methodology Toolkit and Inclusive Education Guidelines.

 

TRAINING FOR HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS ON INCLUSIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING METHODOLOGY

TRAINING FOR HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS ON INCLUSIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING METHODOLOGY

A two- day training was organized within Inclusion project on April 29-30 aimed at introducing inclusive approaches to teaching, learning and assessment for high school teachers in Yerevan. Hosted by American University of Armenia, the training was conducted for 50 high school teachers and principles. Among the guests were representatives from Ministry of Education and Science of RA (MOES), as well as experts on inclusive education practices, who presented the best practice in the field and shared with the teachers their experience.

During the first part of the training Lusine Arakelyan, Deputy Minister of MOES, and Anahit Muradyan, Senior Specialist at the Special Education Department of MOES, briefly represented the national regulatory framework of the sphere highlighting the main activities that have been already carried out and the existing gaps in the field of inclusive education.

The second part of the training included mainly sessions. Armen Alaverdyan, Executive Director of Unison NGO for Support of People with Special Needs, conducted a session on disability terminology and ethics. He represented the right terminology to be used while addressing disabled persons and the way of conduct. Besides, during the training the working group of INCLUSION project conducted sessions on awareness raising and toolkit developed within the project by the Armenian consortium. At the end, the representatives from AUA and SAFAA carried out a session on inclusive methodology.

LOCAL MEETING IN YEREVAN

LOCAL MEETING IN YEREVAN

Armenian partners of INCLUSION project gathered at American University in Armenia on April 16 to discuss the upcoming events to be carried out within the project.

AUA, being responsible for development of “Toolkit for Inclusive Teaching and Learning for High School Teachers”, shortly represented the draft of the document with a feedback received from the European partners. State Academy of Fine Arts of Armenia also provided feedback to the toolkit for further development. Armenian partners organized also Skype meeting with Bosnian colleagues on development of toolkit. Both countries set deadlines for the initial variants of the document to be published and disseminated during the training with high school teachers.

Armenian team of INCLUSION project also discussed organizational issues connected with the training for high school teachers on inclusive teaching, learning and assessment methodology to be held on April 29 and 30. Partners looked through the agenda and made some comments.

P.S A 2-day training is organized by INCLUSION project team for high school teachers in Armenia. The training is dedicated to the dissemination of “inclusive” culture and inclusive methods of teaching, learning and assessment at high schools. During the training the “National Guideline on Inclusive Higher Education”, “Guidelines for Inclusive Learning and Teaching in High Schools and Universities” and Toolkit for Inclusive Teaching and Learning for High School Teachers should be represented.

LOCAL MEETING IN YEREVAN

LOCAL MEETING IN YEREVAN

Local meeting was organized within INCLUSION project in Yerevan on April 1. The Armenian members of the consortium gathered AUA to discuss the activities to be implemented before the final conference in Yerevan.

The Armenian consortium discussed the development of the National Guideline on Inclusive Higher Education, which is already in the finalization process. The Armenian team set deadline for finalizing and translating the document (it should be in Armenian and in English).

SAFAA and AUA discussed the format of the training to be organized for high school teachers on implementation of inclusive education. AUA, as a responsible for developing toolkit, will finalize the document and disseminate it during the training.

SAFAA, as a coordinating institution, briefly represented some management

At the end of the meeting, the Armenian team of INCLUSION project discussed some organizational issues connected with the final conference.

COORDINATION MEETING AND WORKSHOP IN GRAZ

COORDINATION MEETING AND WORKSHOP IN GRAZ

University of Graz hosted ERASMUS + INCLUSION project consortium members for a two- day coordination meeting and workshop on March 12-13, 2019. The main aim of the meeting was to summarize the current progress of the project highlighting the gaps and activities to be implemented before the final conference.

The first day of the meeting started with a workshop on inclusive teaching and learning methodology. Consortium partners finalized Guideline on Inclusive Teaching and Learning Methodology and briefly represented the main points highlighted in the document. Armenian and Bosnian partners made presentations on the national guidelines for inclusive higher education and received feedback from the European colleagues for the further improvements. American University of Armenia, being responsible for WP4, represented draft of the toolkit for inclusive teaching and learning methodology for high school teachers.

Second day started with monitoring sessions with the partner universities. The main aim of the monitoring was to understand the progress achieved in addressing the challenges mentioned during the previous monitoring report and further activities the institutions plan to reach the goals of the project. The monitoring team discussed also the activities to be implemented by the institutions for ensuring sustainability of the project.

State Academy of Fine Arts of Armenia, as a coordinating institution, conducted coordination meeting discussing project’s overall management, sustainability, quality control and monitoring, as well as  financial and technical issues. Coordination meeting ended with the discussion of the final conference to be held in September, 2019.