0:00:13.378,0:00:17.138 The National Program for Educational [br]Excellence and the Araratian Baccalaureate 0:00:17.138,0:00:20.028 are one of the most talked about topics [br]in our country today. 0:00:20.028,0:00:22.188 However, not many people [br]are well aware of the 0:00:22.188,0:00:24.978 peculiarities of what the [br]Araratian Baccalaureate offers. 0:00:24.978,0:00:28.428 To sum up briefly, presently [br]there are two state-approved 0:00:28.428,0:00:32.198 educational programs in our country – [br]the first is the one 0:00:32.198,0:00:34.448 we had before and we have today, and 0:00:34.448,0:00:36.388 the second is the [br]Araratian Baccalaureate. 0:00:36.388,0:00:39.488 What makes the Araratian Baccalaureate [br]stand out and what we should expect 0:00:39.488,0:00:43.678 after it's rolled out to schools? These [br]are topics we will talk about 0:00:43.678,0:00:45.958 with Dan Bray, [br]Deputy Director of Assessment at 0:00:45.958,0:00:48.838 Cambridge University’s [br]Cambridge International Examinations. 0:00:48.918,0:00:49.668 Hello. 0:00:49.718,0:00:52.248 Dan Bray is the Deputy Director of 0:00:52.248,0:00:55.288 Cambridge International Examinations of [br]Cambridge University 0:00:55.288,0:00:58.008 one of top educational institutions[br]in the world. 0:00:58.008,0:01:01.698 He has been with Cambridge International [br]Examinations for 10 years. 0:01:01.698,0:01:05.628 Dan Bray and his team deal with various [br]international education reform projects. 0:01:05.628,0:01:06.628 that relate to assessment. 0:01:06.628,0:01:08.788 The Cambridge International Examinations 0:01:08.788,0:01:15.048 implements major projects in 160 countries[br]among which Armenia has its unique place. 0:01:15.048,0:01:18.068 The Cambridge International Examinations [br]has found the Araratian Baccalaureate 0:01:18.068,0:01:23.218 high school program comparable to [br]international standards and qualifications 0:01:23.218,0:01:25.868 Mr. Bray is in Armenia to participate in 0:01:25.868,0:01:28.858 the grading of the Araratian Baccalaureate[br]graduation exams 0:01:28.858,0:01:32.268 as well as to discuss[br]future cooperation programs. 0:01:33.808,0:01:34.808 Hello, Mr. Bray. 0:01:34.808,0:01:35.548 Hello. 0:01:35.548,0:01:39.548 As I am informed this is your [br]second visit to Armenia, 0:01:39.548,0:01:43.658 your first visit lasted only six hours. 0:01:43.658,0:01:44.938 That’s right. 0:01:44.938,0:01:53.058 Which was the reason of your first visit? [br]And how cooperation with Armenia started? 0:01:54.718,0:01:58.628 Well, we’ve been working with the [br]Ayb Foundation for three years now, 0:01:58.628,0:02:03.148 at first, we helped do some reviews [br]of the curriculum they developed 0:02:03.148,0:02:13.898 for the Baccalaureate so that it meets[br]international standards, 0:02:13.898,0:02:17.158 and then for the last 18 months [br]we have been working directly 0:02:17.158,0:02:19.688 with the Araratian Baccalaureate [br]Examination Center 0:02:19.688,0:02:22.708 to help them make sure that the [br]qualification, the assessments, 0:02:22.708,0:02:30.788 the examinations for the Baccalaureate [br]meet international standards. 0:02:31.208,0:02:33.168 But last time I came, I came for a visit, 0:02:33.168,0:02:35.308 unfortunately, the airplane was delayed, 0:02:35.308,0:02:40.288 so by the time I arrived in Armenia [br]it was almost time to leave 0:02:40.288,0:02:46.798 so this is my first time actually [br]to spend any time in Armenia. 0:02:47.448,0:02:51.138 Your Center cooperates with 160 countries. 0:02:51.138,0:02:58.658 Certainly, each of them has its own [br]national, economic, and other features. 0:02:58.658,0:03:05.098 Which are the Armenian features, and [br]what kind of work do you do with them? 0:03:05.098,0:03:09.168 What’s really important about the [br]Araratian Baccalaureate 0:03:09.168,0:03:17.868 is that this is a solution that’s been [br]designed for Armenia, in Armenia 0:03:17.868,0:03:20.808 by the Ayb Foundation and by Araratian[br]Baccalaureate Examination Center. 0:03:21.568,0:03:26.238 This is not something that’s designed [br]in Cambridge. We act as support, 0:03:26.238,0:03:31.668 we act as consultancy, we make sure that [br]the qualification will be recognized 0:03:31.668,0:03:35.768 internationally, we make sure that in [br]every step as they develop the new 0:03:35.768,0:03:41.828 processes, they are always done [br]to the highest standard, 0:03:41.828,0:03:45.468 but this is not a process done [br]in Cambridge, 0:03:45.468,0:03:48.378 this is a solution designed in Armenia. 0:03:48.378,0:03:51.708 One thing that we know from working [br]with so many countries is 0:03:51.708,0:03:54.818 that if you take a solution [br]from one country 0:03:54.818,0:03:57.468 and move it to somewhere else, 0:03:57.468,0:04:00.398 even if it was a good solution [br]for the first country 0:04:00.398,0:04:03.658 it’s unlikely to have the same [br]positive effect in the new country. 0:04:03.968,0:04:07.528 So, one of the really positive things [br]about working with Ayb is 0:04:07.528,0:04:12.788 that they are designing something [br]specifically for the Armenian market. 0:04:13.108,0:04:14.858 You think it works? 0:04:14.858,0:04:16.528 Yes, definitely, it’s essential. 0:04:16.528,0:04:21.998 It couldn’t work any other way, [br]what our job is to make sure that 0:04:21.998,0:04:25.748 those specialists in Armenia, have the 0:04:25.748,0:04:29.378 technical skills and the technical [br]experience that we can bring to that. 0:04:29.378,0:04:34.028 But it’s essential that the qualification [br]is created by Armenians, in Armenia, 0:04:34.028,0:04:39.318 because it’s only people locally [br]that understand 0:04:39.318,0:04:45.088 how the questions will be interpreted, [br]how the learning will play in Armenia, 0:04:45.088,0:04:47.998 we can’t know that from Cambridge. 0:04:48.218,0:04:52.718 Which will be the differences between our [br]old program graduates and 0:04:52.718,0:04:56.908 Araratian Baccalaureate graduates? [br]What we hope to see? Anything new, 0:04:56.908,0:05:04.498 anything good? What will it be?[br] 0:05:04.498,0:05:06.418 The Baccalaureate has been designed 0:05:06.418,0:05:16.528 to provide opportunities for students,[br]so it works on a number of principles, 0:05:16.528,0:05:22.218 first of all it’s very carefully thought [br]about the skills, talents and aspirations 0:05:22.218,0:05:28.918 that students have, and that will be [br]recognized by universities and employers 0:05:28.918,0:05:33.038 both in Armenia and internationally, so [br]we’re thinking about high thinking 0:05:33.038,0:05:36.338 skills, creative skills, analytical [br]skills, evaluation, those kind of 0:05:36.338,0:05:40.128 internationally recognized skills.[br]Those are things that are present in the 0:05:40.128,0:05:46.658 very best, world class international [br]curricula and they are present 0:05:46.658,0:05:50.358 in the Araratian Baccalaureate. And by [br]encouraging those skills in students 0:05:50.358,0:05:56.598 those students will be valued in the [br]workplace and internationally by 0:05:56.598,0:06:01.228 universities. The second part is that we [br]are operating to standards that 0:06:01.238,0:06:05.368 are equivalent to qualifications [br]internationally, so we benchmark the 0:06:05.368,0:06:07.558 standards to international qualifications, 0:06:07.558,0:06:10.558 and we have designed the [br]qualification specifically to do that, 0:06:10.558,0:06:13.788 we have also had that recognized [br]by extra or third party agencies 0:06:13.798,0:06:19.078 to make sure we have that [br]recognition by universities. 0:06:19.838,0:06:26.418 So, we can tell a very powerful story[br]about the skills and talents 0:06:26.418,0:06:33.218 of students taking the Baccalaureate. [br]And those are recognized by universities 0:06:33.218,0:06:35.418 and that provides opportunities for the 0:06:35.418,0:06:36.848 students taking the qualification. 0:06:39.208,0:06:41.708 Our President announced about creating 0:06:41.708,0:06:47.338 new school network offering the Araratian [br]Baccalaureate. 0:06:47.338,0:06:53.158 What will it change in our country? 0:06:55.128,0:06:59.068 One of the key things in the very best [br]education systems is a concept that we 0:06:59.068,0:07:07.088 refer to as “coherence.” And what I mean[br]by coherence is that there is a 0:07:07.088,0:07:11.098 vision of what’s trying to be achieved and[br]then all aspects of the education system 0:07:11.098,0:07:16.918 are aligned to that vision – 0:07:17.958,0:07:20.018 so the curriculum, the teacher training, 0:07:20.018,0:07:24.558 pedagogy in the classroom, the school [br]facilities, the assessments, the funding – 0:07:24.958,0:07:28.678 everything is aligned to the vision,[br]that’s true of the Araratian Baccalaureate 0:07:28.738,0:07:33.038 and that’s what we’re hoping, that not [br]only the people taking the qualification 0:07:33.038,0:07:45.268 directly but also the other schools can [br]benefit from that vision. 0:07:46.748,0:07:53.668 Examinations in Armenia are conducted by [br]Araratian Baccalaureate Examination Center 0:07:53.668,0:07:59.208 but you sign up for it.[br]What do you think about quality of 0:07:59.208,0:08:02.198 examinations, and the education of the [br]pupils? 0:08:03.068,0:08:08.748 When it comes to the Araratian [br]Baccalaureate Examination Center it’s 0:08:08.748,0:08:13.788 my job and my team's job to make sure that[br]the standards that they operate 0:08:13.788,0:08:17.588 are the same standards that are operated [br]on Cambridge’s own international 0:08:17.588,0:08:21.178 qualifications. And we wouldn’t sign to [br]put our support behind unless 0:08:21.178,0:08:27.488 we believed that was true. [br]And they were working really hard and 0:08:27.488,0:08:36.388 to a very high standard, to a very high[br]quality and I am very happy 0:08:36.388,0:08:38.458 to support that. 0:08:38.928,0:08:41.798 The Araratian Baccalaureate is an [br]internationally-recognized 0:08:41.798,0:08:45.238 Armenian-language educational program [br]intended for high school students. 0:08:45.238,0:08:48.958 Thus, after completing basic school [br]students can opt for one of the two 0:08:48.958,0:08:53.638 state-approved programs: if students [br]opt for the current educational program 0:08:53.638,0:08:59.308 they automatically move to high school, [br]while in case of the 0:08:59.308,0:09:05.528 Araratian Baccalaureate, all students are [br]expected to take admission exams. 0:09:05.528,0:09:08.658 Upon successfully completing the 0:09:08.658,0:09:12.278 Araratian Baccalaureate high school [br]program, students receive a certificate 0:09:12.278,0:09:15.868 bearing the logo of the Cambridge [br]University, by which the latter confirms 0:09:15.868,0:09:19.018 the quality of the program. [br]The certificate enables and 0:09:19.018,0:09:22.048 facilitates admission to local [br]and international universities, 0:09:22.048,0:09:25.728 in this case, if necessary, students [br]will be expected to take only 0:09:25.728,0:09:28.688 the exams which they did not take [br]when completing the program. 0:09:28.688,0:09:31.618 Presently only Ayb School offers [br]the Araratian Baccalaureate, 0:09:31.618,0:09:35.158 however, by 2018, 20 schools in [br]Armenian regions and one school in Artsakh 0:09:35.158,0:09:38.288 are projected to be certified as[br]Araratian Baccalaureate schools. 0:09:38.288,0:09:41.468 You shouldn’t confuse the Araratian [br]Baccalaureate with Ayb School. 0:09:41.468,0:09:44.738 Education in Araratian Baccalaureate [br]schools will be free of charge. 0:09:44.738,0:09:47.888 The Araratian Baccalaureate is the [br]only internationally-recognized program 0:09:47.888,0:09:50.058 which is delivered in Armenian.[br] 0:09:58.918,0:10:03.758 And the last question, non-professional. 0:10:03.758,0:10:07.248 What you hope to see in Armenia? [br]What is interesting for you in Armenia? 0:10:10.108,0:10:13.888 After I finish working, [br]I have invited my wife 0:10:13.888,0:10:18.118 to join me for the next three days,[br]so we’re spending the time touring round. 0:10:18.118,0:10:21.898 We’re going to head up the mountains,[br]we’re going to do some wine tasting and 0:10:21.898,0:10:28.538 spend some time in Yerevan. It’s a [br]beautiful country and I am hoping that 0:10:28.538,0:10:33.268 in the next three-four days [br]I will have a chance 0:10:33.268,0:10:36.718 to really get to know some [br]more of the country. 0:10:37.738,0:10:40.248 Thank you for the interesting [br]conversation. 0:10:40.488,0:10:44.078 I would like to remind you that our [br]today’s guest was Dan Bray, 0:10:44.078,0:10:47.858 Deputy Director at Cambridge University's [br]Cambridge International Examinations, 0:10:47.858,0:10:49.528 who is in Armenia to support 0:10:49.528,0:10:52.398 the grading of the Araratian Baccalaureate[br]graduation exams. 0:10:52.398,0:10:53.558 Goodbye.