JoPScip final conference at YSU highlights joint master's program outcomes and prospects

The "Capacity Building in Higher Education Curriculum Development-Joint MA Program in Political Science" (JoPScip) project brought together universities from four countries to advance political science education and strengthen the capacities of higher education institutions in the Eastern Partnership region. The initiative also aims to promote effective governance, peace, security and active citizenship through education.

A key outcome of the project is the development of the joint master's program "Political Science-Integration and Governance" (PoSIG). The program provides for international academic cooperation and opportunities for students to study at universities in different countries, promoting academic mobility, knowledge exchange and the internationalization of higher education.

During the conference, YSU Rector Hovhannes Hovhannisyan addressed the challenges encountered during the project's implementation, emphasizing that the partners' collective efforts and the principle of keeping academic cooperation free from political influence had been essential to the initiative's success.

"The academic sphere must remain free from political influence and be guided solely by academic objectives. During the project's implementation, despite changes in the higher education sector and revisions to licensing procedures, the ministry supported the initiative and granted the necessary license. This was an important demonstration of government support. I believe the closing conference marks the end of the project's first phase, with the next phase still ahead," Hovhannisyan said.

Anano Gorgodze, JoPScip Coordinator and representative of the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA), presented the project's three years of work and key outcomes. She explained that, from the outset, the project had aimed not only to build university capacity but also to strengthen political science education in the region and expand opportunities for the comparative study of political processes in different countries.

"Our goal was not only to build the capacities of universities. We wanted to contribute to strengthening governance, peace and security in the region by training a new generation of leaders who could take part in these changes," she said.

Other key areas of the project included developing faculty members' professional capacities, introducing new teaching methods and establishing digital educational infrastructure. Over the three years, training sessions and experience-sharing meetings were organized, while representatives of partner universities worked together to develop curriculum content and modules and improve teaching approaches.

The project also established a virtual learning environment designed to support joint learning, teaching and academic cooperation among partner universities. The platform will continue to serve the institutions after the funding period ends, providing additional opportunities for collaboration and knowledge exchange.

Another outcome of the project is the external evaluation of the joint master's program and the accreditation process. In his remarks, the YSU rector noted that an external evaluation by AQ Austria had confirmed the program's compliance with applicable standards. The jointly developed curriculum comprises six modules and 85 courses designed to expand educational opportunities across partner institutions.

Mariana Sargsyan, Coordinator of the National Erasmus+ Office in Armenia, also highlighted the importance of international cooperation and sharing the project's outcomes with the wider educational community.

Reflecting on the significance of JoPScip, she emphasized: "What matters is not only the outcomes produced through the project, but also the knowledge and experience participants gain and later share with the academic community. Through the project, partner universities have strengthened their capacity to develop joint master's programs. Sharing this experience can encourage new initiatives and create opportunities for international cooperation for other universities as well."

According to Sargsyan, Erasmus+ projects enable universities to introduce new approaches through the exchange of regional, European, and broader international experience and establish partnerships that can continue after funding ends. In this context, JoPScip will lay the groundwork for new educational cooperation initiatives.

The conference also explored opportunities for further cooperation in political science. In particular, participants discussed developing cooperation at the bachelor's degree level and designing new initiatives under Erasmus+, which would expand the connections established through the project and contribute to the further dissemination of international educational experience.

Beyond presenting the results of three years of work, the final conference provided an opportunity to discuss how to sustain cooperation among partner universities and put the experience gained into practice. Although the project's implementation phase is coming to an end, the establishment of the joint master's program and digital academic environment will lay the foundation for continued development and new opportunities for students, faculty members and researchers in political science.