Quality Assurance Center

YSTFI's quality assurance policy defines the principles, benchmarks, and procedures for implementing quality assurance processes at the university. Strengthening quality assurance activity is one of the key strategic goals set by YSTFI's 2018–2022 development strategy, the implementation of which will enable the formation of an interwoven and harmonious interaction among education, science, and society—aimed at meeting the needs of internal and external stakeholders. This is ensured through the work of YSTFI's Quality Assurance Center.

The quality assurance policy derives from YSTFI's mission and must contribute to the effective realization of its strategic objectives, the compliance of professional academic programs and awarded qualifications, the achievement of intended learning outcomes by learners, alignment of the provided education with the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), and the overall improvement of institutional performance.

The purpose of the quality assurance policy is to ensure the continuous enhancement of institutional quality through clear mechanisms directed toward fulfilling YSTFI's mission. It encompasses four core actions:

1. Planning – problem identification, formulation of possible solutions.

2. Implementation – execution of measures based on the established plan.

3. Evaluation – ongoing assessment of implemented actions.

4. Improvement – summary of results and review of subsequent steps.

The objectives of the quality assurance policy are:

• Improve the quality of educational services provided.

• Continuously improve and update the quality assurance system, mechanisms, tools, and other documents related to quality assurance.

• Ensure compliance of the quality policy with YSTFI's mission and key objectives.

• Continuously improve the toolkit for quality assurance, monitoring, and improvement.

• Continuously improve the quality and content of educational programs, striving to align educational programs and their outcomes with labor market, employer, internal and external stakeholder needs, and evolving societal demands.

• Ensure YSTFI's accountability to internal and external stakeholders.

• Ensure the transparency of YSTFI's quality assurance processes.

• Ensure YSTFI's high reputation and business standing in the field of professional higher education.

• Ensure regulatory framework.

Quality Management Policy.

Manifestations of cognition in the learning process at different levels of complexity were first classified by American scholar Benjamin Bloom in 1956. This hierarchical classification of cognitive forms became known as Bloom's Taxonomy, which has six levels of increasing complexity—from simple recall and reproduction of facts at the lower level up to analysis and evaluation.

Each of these levels presupposes a specific set of student skills:

1. Knowledge – memory and reproduction of certain facts and data.

2. Comprehension – ability to understand and interpret facts and data.

3. Application – application of knowledge and comprehension in the context of performing a task or solving a problem.

4. Analysis – comparison of information or facts, separation of constituent parts or meanings to understand their meaning, significance, and interrelationships.

5. Synthesis – new combination of information or facts to achieve a desired characteristic for creating a new whole.

6. Evaluation – making judgments and conclusions based on available information or facts, and valuing the results.

At YSTFI, the development of an educational program is targeted toward solving the following key issues:

• Defining the learning outcomes.

• Introducing a student-centered approach.

• Applying methods focused on teaching and learning outcomes.

• Assessing the outcomes.

Typically, course learning outcomes are formulated according to the following classifications:

• Professional knowledge and cognition,

• Practical professional competencies and skills,

• General competencies and skills.

This policy enables the development of learning outcomes aligned with labor market needs and provides clarity in self-evaluation regarding the employment fields and levels accessible to graduates holding the given qualification.

Educational programs at YSTFI are oriented toward learning outcomes, a shift driven by evolving societal demands in recent years—emphasizing not only graduates' knowledge but also their skills and competences.

The outcome can be defined as a specified description of the knowledge, skills, and competencies expected from the learner at the end of a course or educational program, which shows what the student should specifically know, understand, be able to do at the end of the learning process.

In recent years, the transition toward a student-centered approach and, consequently, the formation of outcome-based educational programs has become a widespread trend among Bologna Process member countries. Accordingly, such a transition became necessary for YSTFI as well. The requirement for outcome-based program development is also dictated by the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). Both the national and the overarching European Qualifications Frameworks call for institutions to systematically review their educational programs to clearly define expected learning outcomes. The main goal of formulating learning outcomes is to ensure the measurability of the expected scope and content of knowledge.

Quality assurance procedures.

Internal quality assurance is one of the core elements of the quality assurance system of the Republic of Armenia's professional education. It is viewed as a mechanism for continuous monitoring. Students, graduates, employers, and society expect educational institutions to fulfill the objectives of the educational services they offer. YSTFI's internal quality assurance system adheres to the fundamental principles set out in the European Standards and Guidelines (ESG). These include:

• YSTFI bears primary responsibility for ensuring the quality of education.

• YSTFI is accountable for the quality of education to its students, employers, and other stakeholders.

• YSTFI must be able to certify the quality of the education it provides nationally and internationally.

• YSTFI must ensure continuous improvement of education quality in line with student and other stakeholder expectations.

To implement its principles, YSTFI defines the following main objectives for internal quality assurance:

• Development, implementation, and continuous improvement of internal quality assurance mechanisms at YSTFI.

• Promote continuous improvement of teaching quality and development of quality culture at YSTFI.

• Ensure accountability and transparency regarding YSTFI's education quality to students, employers, founders, and other funding organizations.

Based on these objectives, YSTFI develops the following key tasks for the internal quality assurance system:

• Ensure the creation and continuous improvement of quality assurance policy for educational programs and their implementation processes, and related procedures.

• Ensure accountability and transparency regarding YSTFI's education quality to students, employers, founders, and other funding organizations.

• Create methodological and organizational foundations for external evaluation and accreditation of YSTFI and its educational programs.

• Promote continuous improvement of teaching quality.

• Contribute to the implementation of YSTFI's mission in accordance with its vision, strategic objectives, and tasks.

• Promote the formation, rooting, and further development of quality assurance culture at the Institute.

• Form and continuously improve the toolkit for quality assurance, monitoring, and improvement.

• Introduce quality assurance policy for educational program implementation processes.

• Ensure its implementation, formation of related procedures, and continuous improvement.

• Implement discovery and dissemination of best practices corresponding to international quality assurance standards.

• Organize institutional capacity and educational program self-analysis and self-assessment.

• Collect, systematize, and process information about YSTFI's education quality assurance system.

• Ensure YSTFI's transparency and accountability to internal and external stakeholders.

• Evaluate the effectiveness of educational services.

Internal quality assurance concept.