Showcasing the National Erasmus+ Office in Armenia and encouraging Armenian participation in TCAs
NEO AM is dedicated to spreading information on the Erasmus+ Programme opportunities to maximise its impact in Armenia. Through several means of communication with HEIs, VETs, students, ministries, NGOs, organisations, it facilitates awareness, dissemination, visibility and collaboration. In this article, you will discover the possible cooperation of NEO AM and Armenian HEIs in the frames of TCAs
ETRCOVERVIEW TO NEO Armenia
The main mission of the National Erasmus+ Office in Armenia (NEO AM) is to raise awareness, visibility, effectiveness, and impact of the international components of the Erasmus+ Programme and its dissemination in Armenia through newcomers, potential applicants, and beneficiaries. NEO AM serves as a platform for both local and international educational institutions and organisations to exchange best practices, contributing to the development and internationalisation of the education sector in Armenia.
For these purposes, NEO AM organises face-to-face and/or online conferences, seminars, information days, consultations, networking events, and other events to promote the Erasmus+ Programme and exploit its results. Sometimes it is done together with the Higher Education Reform Experts (HEREs), a national team, that provides a pool of expertise to promote reforms and enhance progress in HE.
More detailed information on NEO AM duties is available on the website.
Serbian-Armenian_Networking_event_online
ERASMUS+ PRIORITIES
In the last few years, digital transformation and green deal have become one of the most frequent topics of the events/projects Armenian beneficiaries of the Erasmus+ Programme are interested in. There are several capacity-building projects with Armenian participation or coordination (e.g. T4GREEN, KPI4HE, MEDIA, etc.) targeted to cover issues in these overarching priorities.
Inclusion and diversity are also at the center of their attention when designing their projects or activities. This intention is aimed to help address the barriers different target groups may face in accessing inclusion and diversity-related opportunities within Armenia and beyond.
COMMUNICATION
To facilitate effective communication with its target groups, NEO AM connects with them through the following channels:
● official website: www.erasmusplus.am, equipped with the necessary information and regularly updated news webpage,
● X (formerly Twitter) account,
● Facebook groups for HEIs and VETs.
Besides the above-mentioned communication channels, NEO AM maintains direct communication with the community of International Relations Offices (IROs) of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) through email as well. In case of any important invitation/announcement, IROs receive prompt notifications and it typically requires a couple of days to select suitable participants for the upcoming international event.
VISA PROCEDURE
As known, visa-related issues remain in the same situation for non-Schengen countries including Armenia. However, the representatives of HEIs, who frequently participate in such events typically already possess multi-entry Schengen visas. Consequently, it poses no significant obstacle for them to attend international events. In case the suitable participant lacks a Schengen visa, the average processing time to obtain it is 1-2 months, depending on the destination country.
Overall, the interest of HEIs in exchanging experiences and enlarging their international network and collaborations is significantly high.
PRACTICALITIES
It takes from several months (usually one to two) for the Armenian beneficiaries to obtain a Schengen visa. The time frame depends on the destination country and its embassy regulations. In general, travel intended for study or business purposes, are exempt from Visa fees. However, to prepare the whole documentation process around 20-50 Euros will be required.
In addition, as mentioned above, several experienced beneficiaries hold multi-entry Schengen visas so it might take a week for them to get prepared for the upcoming study trip.
More detailed visa information is available here.
Summing up, NEO Armenia is always keen to support cooperation between Armenian and international institutions in the frames of the Erasmus+ Programme. Collaboration with National Agencies and engagement in TCAs will be crucial to fostering cooperation and enhancing the quality of education in Armenia.
For more information:
Erasmus+ Programme in Armenia (with English subtitles)
