The RA ESCS Minister Vahram Dumanyan received today head of the EU Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Andrea Victorin. The meeting was also attended by the Deputy Minister Arthur Martirosyan.

Welcoming the Ambassador, Vahram Dumanyan noted the importance of the programs implemented with the assistance of the EU, and the partnership in the fields of education, science, culture and youth.

Touching upon the recent Artsakh war, the Minister stated that as a result of this, a significant part of the cultural heritage of Artsakh, being outside the Armenian oversight, is now under direct threat.

“At present, the protection of these universal values is critical and a priority, and we expect the EU's assistance to prevent any danger that threatens these values,” noted Dumanyan underlining that in the context of recent events, the reforms in the field of education are a priority for the RA Government as a guarantee of the country's security.

“In this regard, we also expect the EU's assistance to conduct long-term research at an international level in the field of higher education, both in terms of professions and the structure of the higher education system,” noted the Minister emphasizing that the development of the Education Development Strategy is underway, which is currently under review. According to Vahram Dumanyan, this is due to the consequences of the war and post-war stages: during the review, the main priorities of the fields development will be re-evaluated, and the steps aimed at their solution will be defined.

Ambassador Andrea Victorin, in her turn, noted that the EU shares the challenges facing Armenia: “2020 was truly a tough year. COVID pandemic has taught us all to further develop our digital capabilities and infrastructure. To this end, the European Union has provided assistance to the ESCS Ministry for the organization of distance learning. The EU also shares the concern about the cultural heritage of Artsakh, highly appreciating the fact-finding activities of the UNESCO in this regard.”

The Ambassador highlighted the importance of the VET Development Budget Support Program “Better Skills for Better Jobs.” In this context, she underlined the issue of the engagement of citizens with disabilities as a result of the war, in terms of ensuring their social reintegration.

Andrea Victorin also referred to "EU4Innovation in Armenia", Erasmus + and "Horizon 2020" inter-university cooperation programs as good examples of cooperation․ She informed that the EU has started the process of outlining the programs to be planned for the coming 7 years, emphasizing the need to implement them with the Armenian Government.

At the end of the meeting, Minister Vahram Dumanyan once again highlighted the importance of the EU's assistance, noting that he expects close cooperation as a key partner in the development of ESCS fields.