This ETF assessment was prepared in 2019 on behalf of national authorities in Armenia with the help of a standardised framework questionnaire called the NRF. The assessment summarises the main challenges to the development and use of human capital in the country and discusses how education, in particular VET, and labour market policies can help address them.
This ETF assessment comes at an important time, as the country prepares for the next Eastern Partnership (EaP) multiannual programme. Launched in 2009 as a joint policy initiative, EaP aims to deepen and strengthen relations between the European Union (EU), its member states and its six Eastern neighbours: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. In May 2020, all six EaP countries and the EU will launch the third phase of the initiative and agree on a new ambitious workplan, revising the 20 deliverables for 2020. It will aim to bring tangible benefits to the lives of citizens across the region. In this context, cooperation between the EU and its EaP partners will focus on building stronger economies, stronger governance, stronger connectivity and stronger societies.
The assessment process included an extensive phase of desk research based on responses to the NRF and the preparation of an issues paper with an overview of themes to be discussed in the present report. These were then finalised in consultation with the country and thematic teams responsible for Armenia at ETF. An advanced draft of the ETF assessment was circulated to national stakeholders and international partners and discussed at a consultation meeting in Erevan on 26-27 November 2019 to verify the findings and recommendations.
Like other ETF assessments, this paper is not meant to be exhaustive. The National Torino Process Report on Armenia covers a broad selection of problems related to human capital development and use. The focus here is on challenges and recommendations considered to be priorities by the ETF.
The problems featured in the assessment share three common features. First, they obstruct the development and use of human capital. Secondly, they can be resolved at least in part through education and training - actions that fall under the purview of VET decision-makers, practitioners and stakeholders. Thirdly, in the view of the ETF, they require immediate attention.