2015 Ministerial Conference and Fourth Bologna Policy Forum have kicked off in Yerevan today, on May 14.
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan delivered a welcoming speech at the event: "Armenia acceded to the Bologna process back in 2005, and by that it designed a new platform of cooperation opportunities with the European area and attained new mechanisms to take advantage of the best international practices."
He said the assumption of the Bologna Secretariat by Yerevan back in 2012 had been an achievement for the Armenian education system, one that envisaged both responsibility and privilege. It provided the Armenian higher education institutions with an opportunity to share and practice European education values and get better integrated into this process.
"I believe that important decisions you are going to make in Yerevan will have a positive impact on the millions of the European students, and all education beneficiaries, thus paving the way for new progress, economic development and stability," the president said.
Marite SEILE, Minister of Education and Science of Latvia, in turn, said a significant progress has been made in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Students have become more mobile and competitive. The minister called for further efforts in the field, including towards introduction of the state-of- the-art technologies in education.
Illugi Gunnarsson, Minister of Education, Science and Culture, Iceland, pointed at the numerous challenges Europe has faced today, including high level of the youth unemployment. Meanwhile, he said, the education is a major mechanism of economic growth.
In his speech, Minister of Education and Science of Armenia Armen Ashotyan said the decisions to be adopted at the Summit in Yerevan will have a positive impact of the European system of education.
"Education reforms are not implemented easily. However, we can overcome any obstacles," the minister said.
Tibor Navracsics, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, made a point of establishing a dialogue between universities, saying higher education is an important component for enhancement of democratic values. He came out for higher mobility of students.
The Ninth Bologna Process Ministerial Conference together with the Fourth Bologna Policy Forum will continue on 14-15 May, in Yerevan. Belarus's EHEA membership has already been approved today.