TOPAS Erasmus+ international project: a working meeting in Armenia

    A working meeting was held at Yerevan State University (Armenia) on February 12-13, 2020 as a part of the Erasmus+ international educational project “From Theoretical-Oriented to Practical Education in Agrarian Studie/TOPAS”. The meeting was attended by representatives of the following partner universities: National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, Sumy National Agrarian University (Ukraine), Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences (Germany), Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences (Poland), University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Iaşi (Romania), Writtle University College (UK), Andizjan Branch of Tashkent State Agrarian University (Uzbekistan), Samarkand Institute of Veterinary Medicine (Uzbekistan), Armenian National Agrarian University, and Yerevan State University (Armenia).

   The delegation from NUBiP of Ukraine consisted of Dean of the Faculty of Economics, Professor Anatoliy Dibrova, Head of the Education and Scientific Center for International Activity, Olexander Labenko, Associate Professor of the Department of Administrative Management and Foreign Economic Activity, Natalia Kovalenko and Associate Professor of the Department of Economic Cybernetics, Kateryna Tuzhyk.

    The meeting began with a panel discussion between the employers and the academic international community, which was devoted to the problems and peculiarities of organizing student internships in Armenia. The participants discussed practical aspects of project implementation at partner universities and, as a result, developed the guidelines for improving the quality of students' practical training. Partners from Writtle University College (UK) shared their experience in applying the latest techniques and technologies in teaching economic subdisciplines.
    Much attention was also paid to updating curricula and programs in line with the Bologna criteria, enhancing the practical component of training and improving the organization of practices.

   The participants also discussed the issues of improving the TOPAS best practices guide, updating the content of the project's official website and enhancing dissemination of information about the project on social networks and other means of information. Particular attention was paid to the use, testing and improvement of the MOOC course created by the project participants.

   Project manager Anatoliy Dibrova suggested to hold a training workshop for teachers of the Faculty of Economics, which will disseminate important information about the achievements and tasks of TOPAS project, such as improvement of students' practical skills, creating a database for students and teachers, using new teaching methods in the educational process, and, in general, presenting the benefits of international projects for university development.

Olexander Labenko,
Head of the ERC for International Activity