ArmENIC Presents Armenia’s Micro-Credentials Developments and MICRO-GEAR Project at Tampere University

On August 13–14, 2026, ArmENIC participated in the Nordic-East Asia Higher Education Research Symposium 2026 at Tampere University, Finland, held under the theme “Turbulent times in Higher Education and Society.”

The symposium brought together researchers, higher education experts and practitioners from different countries to discuss the challenges facing higher education in a rapidly changing global environment, including resilience, internationalisation and mobility, digital transformation, quality assurance, artificial intelligence, equity and inclusion, and the changing role of higher education in times of crisis.

Representing ArmENIC, Gayane Harutyunyan, Director of ArmENIC, and Ani Hovhannisyan, International Relations and Strategic Development Coordinator, contributed to the academic programme with a presentation entitled “Beyond Procedure: Qualification Recognition in Armenia’s Multi-Crisis Context.”

The presentation examined qualification recognition beyond its traditional administrative and procedural function, highlighting its role in higher education resilience, academic mobility and social inclusion in contexts affected by multiple and overlapping crises.

Moreover, the presentation focused on the recognition of micro-credentials and their growing relevance for higher education and lifelong learning. The presentation highlighted how recognition systems are increasingly required to respond not only to traditional degrees and qualifications, but also to new and flexible forms of learning that support upskilling, reskilling and lifelong learning.

Micro-credentials can provide flexible and modular learning opportunities, respond to changing labour-market needs, complement formal qualifications with targeted competencies, and create new opportunities for mobile, displaced and vulnerable learners. At the same time, their development raises important questions for recognition authorities and higher education institutions concerning quality assurance, recognition, their place within qualifications frameworks, and the interpretation of their value by learners, institutions and employers.

In this context, Armenia’s ongoing work on micro-credentials was presented through the Erasmus+ MICRO-GEAR project, which supports efforts to embed micro-credentials into national policy, the qualifications framework and higher education practice in line with European approaches and standards.

The presentation also highlighted the new Armenian Law on Higher Education and Science, which introduces a definition of micro-credentials and provides an important legal basis for their further development and regulation within the Armenian higher education system.

The discussion at Tampere University provided an opportunity to share Armenia’s current developments with an international academic audience and to highlight the role of the MICRO-GEAR project in supporting the development of a coherent and sustainable micro-credential ecosystem in Armenia.