STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT FACILITATING INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF ARMENIA

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 the Republic of Armenia became a free and independent country which meant that all important areas of economy became independent as well. Since then highly-qualified professionals are used to improve economic prosperity and public services. However, having limited natural resources, considerable achievements can only be reached by developing the scientific sphere.
The quality of education, according to the international and national surveys, was high during the Soviet period. However, the educational system of Armenia has experienced a lot of transformations and reforms and is seriously jeopardized at this current phase of social- economic transformation.
Recent emphasis is placed on improving the quality of the educational system and on aligning it with modern international educational systems. One of the most important examples of this is the participation of Armenia in the Bologna processes since 2005. However, research on best practice and innovative methods in education is needed in order to avoid pitfalls and introduce systemic sustainable change aiming to create skilled citizens with motivation and commitment to meet the needs of the society.
In this paper we explore not only the theoretical base of the educational system in Armenia but also practical and strategic management of the educational system. By considering educational systems in other countries, as well as experience and best practice, we try to extract useful aspects for further implementation in the Armenian educational system in order to modernize it and bring in new innovative ideas and contribute in the creation of a more efficient and sustainable educational system for Armenia.
The original contribution of this paper includes a comparison of features between the educational systems of five European countries and a discussion of innovative features and challenges, such as improved teaching quality and classroom practice through assessment, personalized student centered learning, as well as initial vocational training, which is new for the Armenian educational system.