In the framework of the ARMDOCT project, 4 task force groups are formed to work on the development of corresponding legal documents: Revision of Regulation for the award of the degrees; Revision of Regulation for Admission and study; Development of Guidelines for Research Ethics in Science; Development of Credit system for the third cycle of higher education.

On April 14 and 15, 2022, a meeting-discussion with the members of the working groups took place to present the first draft versions of Doctoral Education regulatory framework developed within the WP2. We are happy that Karen Trchounian, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the RA and Karen Keryan, Chairman at Supreme Certifying Committee have taken part in the meeting to ensure the alignment between suggested reforms and the national priorities. The project coordinator Arevik Ohanyan welcomed participants and introduced the agenda of the meeting which was followed by the presentations.

The coordinator of the “Admission” task-force group Armine Avetisyan presented the main outcomes and decisions of the group work. It was stated that the group members have discussed the aim, objectives, and the general requirements for the admission to the third cycle of higher education, the education process, and the education programme curricula (including the joint ones). The main target changes proposed for the third-cycle of higher education were mentioned by the group coordinator and discussed with the participants of the meeting.

The coordinator of the “Improvement of Credit System” task-force group Roksana Zakharyan presented the main outcomes of the work of the group. It was pointed out that the members of the task-force group have studied the national, as well as international practices in the field. Different curricula have been examined; the main problems have been identified. It was recommended that in the third cycle of higher education, the research component should be given more credits to and placed more emphasis on.

The coordinator of the “Degree Awarding” task-force group Ruben Markosyan presented the main outcomes and decisions of the group work. It was stated that the group members have discussed the general criteria of the degree awarding process, the fundamental principles of the awarding procedure, the procedure preceding the degree awarding, the defence procedure, the requirements to the dissertations, and the board members.

Harutyun Vermishyan presented the main outcomes of the “Ethics” task-force group work. It was stated that the group members have discussed the ethical rules in science, their main principles, the fields they relate to, the mechanisms for preventing plagiarism. The participants of the meeting also specified the relation between the ethical rules and the sanction mechanisms. The members of the project noted the importance of having a national plagiarism checker software.

The second draft version of the documents should be ready at the beginning of May.