The project “Reforming Master Programmes in Finance in Armenia and Moldova” (REFINE), which was co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union, officially ended in December 2020. However, the MA programmes which were reformed in the REFINE project continue to be implemented successfully at the Armenian and Moldovan universities beyond the project lifetime. Moreover, the REFINE network of partner institutions actively continues to cooperate after the project end in several areas. This for example includes:
- 16 new cooperation arrangements between the consortium HEIs
- 15 cooperation arrangements with companies in Armenia and Moldova to support the continued implementation of the MA programmes
Further details can be found here.
In this context it is also relevant to briefly present the following spin-off projects, which involve REFINE partner institutions and build on the successful collaboration in REFINE from 2017 to 2020:
- Erasmus+ Project on International Credit Mobility (KA107): All six Armenian and Moldovan REFINE partner universities are now cooperating with the University of Applied Sciences BFI Vienna (UAS BFI Vienna) in a newly started Erasmus+ KA107 project on lecturer mobility (coordinated by the UAS BFI Vienna, 2020-2023).
- Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Network EUCON: The Armenian State University of Economics and the University of Applied Sciences BFI Vienna (UAS-BFI) are cooperating in the newly started Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Network “The EU and the EEU: Between Conflict and Competition, Convergence and Cooperation” (EUCON, coordinated by the UAS BFI Vienna, 2020-2023).
- Erasmus+ Capacity Building Project TRIGGER: Based on the experiences of cooperation in REFINE, the Technical University of Kosice (TUKE), the UAS BFI Vienna and the University Côte d’Azur are now collaborating in the new Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education project “Triggering innovative approaches, entrepreneurial skills and attitudes in HEI learners through creating the favourable conditions for graduate’s employability in Central Asia” (TRIGGER, 2021-2024, coordinated by TUKE).
- Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership IMAGE: Based on the successful cooperation in REFINE, the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (AUAS) and the UAS BFI Vienna are now collaborating in the new Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership “Researching the city: mapping imaginaries” (IMAGE, 2020-2022, coordinated by AUAS).
These spin-off projects are co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union. The REFINE partners are eager to continue their cooperation also in the new Erasmus+ programme generation from 2021 to 2027.

Disclaimer: These projects have been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.