During the University Scientific Council (SC) Session, Dr. Samvel Avetisyan – Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, outlined the major issues within undergraduate education at Yerevan State Medical University.
Having analysed the academic results of 2010-2011 year exam sessions, Dr. Avetisyan stated about the importance of making relevant reforms in the educational sphere so that the academic gaps could be filled be they occurred for subjective or objective reasons. The Vice-Rector also provided broad coverage and comprehensively summarized the outcome of the academic activities currently implemented within the university Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree Programmes.
“We, the doctors, comprehend the utmost importance of correct diagnosing more than anyone else on earth, so that to provide efficient treatment afterward. Hence, we diagnose the urgent issues first, and secondly, outline the possible solutions toward these issues. We maintain constant cooperation across our faculty and students in the belief joint efforts will undoubtedly bring forth unbiased and successful solutions. We are the ones to initiate relevant academic reforms for the achievement of our common goals and interests,” said the Vice-Rector. He also informed about the necessity of obtaining practical skills for those studying within the Master’s Programme. “Though the practical working corpus (also working with patients) has been expanded throughout the major clinical departments separated into Bachelor’s and Master’s, the departmental heads should implement operational follow-up of this specific academic component,” the Vice-Rector stated.
It was as well highlighted that one way of solution, though not cost-saving and distant, but efficient at the same time, can lay a foundation for creation of university centre of practical skills advancement, where students can obtain and develop practical skills on phantoms, simulators and other medical appliances. Testing and evaluation of student knowledge can be achieved through the mentioned medical assets. Currently, the University conducts respective workings toward acquiring these appliances through grants and relevant projects.
“We have always put decent working qualities across academic and medical service provision at the forefront maintaining those qualities afterward as well. Namely, the expulsion of university 12 students from different faculties because of multiple absences without any reasonable excuses (within two months of 2011-2012 academic year) can serve the illustration of what has been said.
Another issue concerning proper quality assurance and control in the field of education is of great importance gaining the utmost attention of the university faculty and administrative officials.
All the workings we undertake and conduct and the operational follow-up consistently managed by respective specialists in the mentioned field have already outlined significant positive outcome; yet, much more should be done in order to improve the present results. To this end, specific centre for education quality assessment and assurance has been created with relevant subdivisions, strategic working plan has been drawn; central and faculty committees have been formed. Several major changes have also been made in the grading system resulting in the positive approval among the students,” said the Vice-Rector during the Council Session.
On how to improve teaching quality – Dr. Avetisyan stated this is the backbone of education needing comprehensive coverage and clarification about the management system and faculty assessment criteria. He noticed that several standards for quality assessment have been developed and already implemented aiming at the improvement of the teaching quality.
The importance of integration into the international education area was also highlighted; university library resources need to be enriched with up to date literature; research laboratories and university clinical profile should be strengthened and advanced – all these urgent issues were thoroughly discussed during the SC Session.
Summarizing the workings conducted by the SC, the university Rector Prof. Dumanyan expressed his thankfulness for thorough and comprehensive coverage of a vast array of issues related to the university life.
“We put the university academic programs at the forefront taking into account their importance and urgency. The programme gaps occur for objective reasons; furthermore, the decree issued by RA Government according to which several academic changes should be made, was delivered to the university officials only within April-May of 2011. It is our obligation and responsibility to develop, entirely upgrade, review and introduce the Bachelor’s and Master’s programs according to international standards.
There are two forms of higher education recognized throughout the world going as Bachelor’s Degree Programme and Master’s Degree Programme, which are constituent components of the Bologna Declaration on higher education. Bachelor’s Programme culminates in the attainment of a Bachelor’s Degree and presupposes enrolment in a relevant labour market after graduation. Master’s Programme is an integrated academic course in which Bachelors are enrolled after passing graduation exams. Since there is no relevant labour market in our country for Bachelors currently, we are designing a project to be presented to RA Government aiming at approving integrated Master’s Programme within university education.
What concerns the education materials, medical literature, as well as examination tests and papers; I strongly recommend that all these resources be available to students from other education institutions. We should promote the education and training of highly qualified physicians and healthcare specialists throughout the whole country. In the meantime, we should be in the pursuit of maintaining leadership in providing medical education. This is more than ever possible after the postgraduate platform of RA National Institute of Health has been adjoined to the university education infrastructure,” said the Rector.
Numerous other issues included in the Session agenda were as well discussed and summarized.
