On February 13, 2024 the 2nd Piloting of Module 5 (Pre-Modular Curriculum Development and Instructional Design and Module 6 (EMI Module Curriculum Development and Instructional Design) within the framework of the Erasmus+ SMARTI “Support for Innovative Methodology, Approaches and Tools for Teaching through the Medium of English in order to improve Educational Yield, Sustainability and Internationalization” was held at the EMI Centre of Goris State University. 32 representatives of the academic staff and students from different faculties participated in the training. Two experts from the European partner university Liverpool John Moors University of the SMARTI project Amanda Mason, and Casey Beaumont as well as representatives from ANQA were observing the lessons.

Naira Safaryan, Head of the Department of External Relations, Cooperation and Media, Local Coordinator of SMARTI project, Lilit Atabekyan, Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, Engineering and Economics, Project Subject Teacher and Naira Mezhlumyan, Assistant Professor at the Chair of Foreign Languages, Project Language Teacher-the designers and trainers of the modules, were holding the training sessions.

The training covered the following topics: Curriculum design models-traditional, backward, blended, hybrid and online and Descriptions of Academic Programs and Courses. The trainers provided an interactive atmosphere for the participants by posing questions, distributing handouts with activities for the consolidation of the material learned and the trainees were actively engaged in the process responding to prompts or questions proposed by the teachers.

At the end of each lesson the participants were asked to go online and fill out the feedback survey for the evaluation of the EMI piloting sessions.

THE SECOND PILOTING COURSE WITHIN THE SMARTI PROJECT WAS SUMMARIZED AT GSU

The second piloting course within the Erasmus+ SMARTI project, focused on “Pre-Module Curriculum Development ECTS and EU Tuning Framework Training” and “EMI Module Curriculum Development and Instructional Design”, was successfully concluded at Goris State University.

The course saw active participation from GSU’s teaching and administrative staff along with its students. Facilitated by Naira Safaryan, Head of the Department of External Relations, Cooperation, and Media, as well as a lecturer at the Department of Foreign Languages (local coordinator of the SMARTI project); Naira Mezhlumyan, lecturer of the same department (project staff member); and Lilit Atabekyan, Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, Engineering and Economics (project staff member), the training received accolades from GSU Rector Tigran Vandunts. He extended gratitude to the trainers and congratulated the participants, presenting them with certificates endorsed by both GSU and the SMARTI project.

Naira Safaryan expressed optimism for the continuity of such courses, emphasizing the importance of sustained engagement.