Data and evidence-based policy making and progress monitoring play an important role in European strategy development on lifelong learning. In 2020-2021 Armenia has directed considerable stock-taking efforts to document the comprehensive picture of adult learning and education (ALE) in the country, its prerequisites and challenges. Three studies were conducted, including Qualitative Study on Adult Education in Armenia, Adult Education in Armenia: Study of Policies and Practices, Expert Assessment of Implementation Status of 2014-2017 Strategy of Continuous and Supplementary Education in Armenia. The relevant reports have documented progress over the last two decades looking at such aspects of ALE framework as legal, governance and financing, institutions and providers, access and participation, relevance to international and European context, in particular.  Progress over the last two decades was revised, while also pointing out to areas for improvement for lifelong learning (LLL), ALE and non-formal education to play a transformative role in the Armenian society. The location and promotion of ALE within the overall context of the country’s education system has been examined allowing to assess current situation against the background of education policy objectives and to develop political strategies for improving the ALE system and ensure its compatibility with the European standards and best practice. The methodological approach to conducting the above studies included a comparative focus on international/European and local context, review of historical developments and the documentation of current state of affairs with respect to ALE with respect to above noted aspects (legal framework and governing structure, financing, institutions and providers, participation and perceptions). Desk reviews of documents, interviews and focus groups were used to collect the information and data to inform these aspects of ALE in Armenia.

The proposed panel will bring together three key stakeholders of these studies, i.e. educational expert community (co-author Serob Khacatryan), development partner (Ester Hakobyan, DVV International country office director in Armenia) and government (Gohar Mamkionyan, head of department, Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports) to discuss a number of key questions/findings of these substantial and substantive reports on ALE, including:

-        Is ALE fully represented in the education system of Armenia, is the legal framework conducive, are there relevant policies?

-        What are the challenges and gaps to be addressed for ALE to play a transformative role in Armenia in response to global and local developments?

To what extent ALE framework in Armenia is compatible with international/European ecosystem and what needs to be done to ensure such compatibility?

Against the background of EU and UNESCO definitions, the studies followed a broad conception of adult education, which considers all forms of formal adult learning and education (ALE) after the initial education cycle (such as compensatory education and vocational education and training (VET)) and all intentional non-formal and informal forms of further and continuous training and community, popular or liberal education and learning aiming at professional or personal development. Information on the various topics reflected in these three studies, i.e. ALE terminology, historical development, legal framework, financing, providers, programs, participation, professionalization, international/European context was gathered using the following methods: -desk-based research which included review and analysis of policies regulating ALE in Armenia, review and assessment of the 2014-2017 Strategy on Supplementary and Continuous education, review of terminology used in the context of ALE in Armenia and its comparison with international/European terminology, European and international documents on the topic, other relevant documents and materials. -Information gathered through desk research was then verified and complemented through over 25 interviews (all three studies), 5 focus groups, one validation meeting with stakeholders so as practical knowledge and on-site experience has been incorporated into the main analysis, findings and recommendations. -International experts from Germany and Italy were involved in two of the studies bringing a broader understanding of ALE. -Stakeholder validation meeting was organized with respect to Expert Assessment of Implementation Status of 2014-2017 Strategy of Continuous and Supplementary Education in Armenia, which to a certain extent included findings from the other two studies. -The findings and recommendations of all these documents were used to propose an ALE Action Plan Framework to the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports. A number of sources consulted include, but are not limited to: CEDEFOP (2014). Terminology of European education and training policy (2nd edition). https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/files/4117_en.pdf Charters, A. N. & Associates (1981). Comparing adult education worldwide. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers. CRRC-Armenia (2021). Adult Education Survey 2020-2021. DVV (2019). Youth and Adult Education in the agenda 2030. http://www.anc.edu.ro/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/DVV19002_Studie_SDG_WEB.pdf DVVI Armenia (2020b). Adult Education Network Study. Yerevan: DVVI. DVV Armenia PrisonOff (2020). Current Situation of Education of Prisoners/Inmates in the Penitentiary Institutions of the Republic Of Armenia. http://prison-off.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Armenia_Research-short_en.pdf