On January 15, 2026, a public discussion and report presentation was held dedicated to presenting and discussing the results of the sub-grant program “Promoting Transparency and Participatory Oversight in the Higher Education Sector of Armenia through Monitoring and Analysis”. The program was implemented by the “Compass Research, Educational and Consulting Center” NGO within the framework of the “Budgets for Citizens” project, financially supported by the European Union.
The public discussion focused on presenting the results of the monitoring and analysis of the higher education sector budget, as well as the simplified 2026 budget for the Higher and Postgraduate Education Program.
The event featured a welcoming speech by Syuzanna Soghomonyan, representative of the Armenian Lawyers’ Association and expert of the “Budgets for Citizens” project. She presented the main rationale of the program, emphasizing the importance of civil society participation and effective cooperation with state institutions in budget processes. Syuzanna Soghomonyan highlighted the engagement of young professionals and the development of their skills aimed at forming professional capacities in the areas of state budgeting, oversight, and public accountability.
During the event, Gharib Harutyunyan, President of the “Compass Research, Educational and Consulting Center” NGO and expert of the sub-grant program, presented the program’s objectives and main research directions. He emphasized the results of the analysis of public funding in the higher education sector, addressing the structure, allocation, and main efficiency issues of the higher education budget. He stressed the role of such research as a tool for informing stakeholders and ensuring their effective participation in the public budget processes of higher education.
The discussion was attended by representatives of the management and administrative staff of Armenian universities, government bodies, NGOs, and experts.
Lilit Davtyan, a young professional of the program, presented the simplified 2026 budget of the Armenian Higher and Postgraduate Education Program. She outlined the activities, objectives, and allocated budgets within the program for 2026.
In the concluding part of the public discussion, the conversation focused on managing labor market data for university graduates, continuous monitoring of graduate employment, and the accessibility of budget information. Several constructive recommendations were presented to enhance the transparency of budget processes and strengthen the effectiveness of participatory oversight.
This publication was developed with the financial support of the European Union, within the sub-grant provided by the “Budgets for Citizens” project, jointly implemented by the Armenian Lawyers’ Association NGO, Economic Development and Research Center NGO, and Agora Central Europe NGO (Czech Republic). The sub-grant program “Promoting Transparency and Participatory Oversight in the Higher Education Sector of Armenia through Monitoring and Analysis” was implemented by the “Compass Research, Educational and Consulting Center” NGO. The content responsibility lies with the “Compass Research, Educational and Consulting Center” NGO, and it does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.
