CAPACITY NEEDS FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN ARMENIAN HIGHER EDUCATION: FINDINGS FROM THE ERASMUS+ EU-BRIDGE MULTI-STAKEHOLDER ASSESSMENT

Abstract

The deepening internationalisation and Europeanisation of higher education requires Armenian higher education institutions not only to expand international cooperation but also to develop the individual and institutional capacities needed to design and manage European educational and research projects. This study aims to identify the main capacity needs and gaps in Armenia's higher education sector and assess their alignment with the components envisaged by the EU-BRIDGE project (“Strengthening Higher Education for European Project Management in Armenia”), implemented under the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education action.

The study uses a mixed-methods approach, combining data from three complementary components: a quantitative survey of 180 participants, a survey of 14 experts in higher education and quality assurance, and the results of a focus group discussion with representatives of 23 organisations, along with six in-depth interviews. The integration of data from different sources enabled a comparative analysis of the perspectives of different stakeholder groups and thematic triangulation of the findings.

The results demonstrate a high level of interest in participation in European programmes within the Armenian higher education sector; however, this interest is not always accompanied by sufficient practical experience and institutional support. The main capacity needs include identifying funding opportunities; developing project ideas and applications; budgeting and financial management; identifying international partners and building consortia; and project planning, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting. At the same time, limited access to information and advisory support, financial and time constraints, insufficient English-language proficiency, and a lack of institutional support mechanisms were identified as significant barriers.

The study shows that capacity development cannot be limited to short-term training activities. Stakeholder assessments highlight the need for practice-oriented learning, mentoring, simulation of real projects, international networking, experience sharing, and the development of a digital professional community. These findings broadly align with the EU-BRIDGE project’s components on training, experiential learning, social innovation, project simulation, and professional networking. The findings can contribute to the development of evidence-based mechanisms for capacity building and sustainable participation in European projects in Armenian higher education, as well as inform the design and implementation of similar Erasmus+ initiatives.