Under the Leadership of Academician David Gurgenidze Held a Session of the Standing Conference of Rectors of Higher Educational Institutions of Georgia
25-12-2024
The 14th session of the Standing Conference of Rectors of Higher Educational Institutions of Georgia was held at the Georgian State Medical University (GSMU) under the leadership of Academician David Gurgenidze, Rector of the Georgian Technical University and Chairman of the Standing Conference of Rectors.
The Standing Conference of Rectors session was attended by rectors and representatives of state and private higher education institutions and a guest, the Acting Director of the National Center for Education Quality Development of Georgia, Lasha Margishvili.
The 14th session of the general meeting of the Standing Conference of Rectors opened the Rector of the Georgian Technical University. According to Academician David Gurgenidze, the Standing Conference of Rectors will discuss an important issue and adopt a special joint statement.
“The rectors of the participating higher education institutions will discuss today the most important issue for our country. Based on public interest, the conference considered it necessary to discuss the situation regarding membership in the European Register of Independent Agencies for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (EQAR) and adopt a special statement. We consider ourselves obliged to provide students, applicants, professors, and researchers with comprehensive information and state the position of the rectors. The conference invited Lasha Margishvili, Acting Director of the National Center for Quality Assurance in Education, who will share with us the latest information related to EQAR. It is known that the suspension of registration is related to the determination by ENQA of non-compliance with the standard regarding the independence of the center, which, naturally, caused a stir in society. I want to emphasize that the decision is in no way related to the recognition of qualifications of diplomas issued in Georgia. This is not in doubt. The purpose of today’s meeting is once again to provide interested parties with comprehensive information and disseminate a special statement, which will be developed by the Standing Conference of Rectors today and made public today,” David Gurgenidze noted in his speech.
According to the Acting Director of the National Center for Quality Development in Education, Lasha Margishvili: “Diplomas issued in Georgia, as were recognized internationally until 2019, will continue to be recognized in the future. Information was spread that the EQAR decision is related to the cancellation of international joint exchange programs, the suspension of Georgia’s membership in the Bologna Process, the cancellation of private universities, and the suspension of international grants - this is incorrect information. None of the above is related to the center’s registration suspension in EQAR.”
The Standing Conference of Rectors, as a full member of the European University Association (EUA), has expressed its support for the re-registration of the National Centre for Quality Assurance in Education (NCQAR) of Georgia. For this purpose, the Conference discussed and developed a joint statement of higher education institutions of Georgia:
“Universities of Georgia, members of the Standing Conference of Rectors of Higher Education Institutions of Georgia, echo the decision of the National Centre for Quality Assurance in Education to suspend its registration in the European Register of Independent Agencies for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (EQAR) on 11th December of this year.
On behalf of the Conference, we would like to express our support for the National Centre for Quality Assurance in Education to continue its registration in EQAR.
The Georgian higher education system, including higher education institutions operating in Georgia, firmly recognizes and adheres to the values and principles defined by the Bologna Process and the European Higher Education Area.
In this process, the National Center for the Development of Educational Quality has been coordinating the authorization of Georgian educational institutions (institutional evaluation) and the accreditation of higher education programs since 2010. The Center’s activities are carried out by transparency, fairness, impartiality, and objectivity.
In addition, the Center conducts its activities based on close cooperation and broad engagement with universities and stakeholders. The state’s vision is based on the principles of strengthening the Center for Quality Development and, more broadly, university independence, which determines the increase in the quality and efficiency of our activities.
The Education Quality Development Center’s full membership in the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) and registration in EQAR is a significant achievement for the Georgian higher education system. This contributes to the improvement of the student-centered learning and teaching process, scientific and research activities, internationalization, and internal quality assurance culture in Georgian universities. This process is carried out with the effective support of the National Center. The Center is an authoritative, sustainable, and independent institution in Georgia at the organizational, financial, and operational levels, the activities of which positively affect the development of higher education institutions.
In view of the above, on behalf of the Standing Conference of Rectors of Higher Education Institutions of Georgia, a full member of the European University Association (EUA), we express our support for the National Center for Quality Improvement in Education.
We express our hope for the successful activities of the Center, its impact on the improvement of the higher education system, and the steps taken to eliminate the shortcomings identified in 2023. The areas of activity that have been recognized by international experts as one of the best practices, will be taken into account when considering the appeal submitted by the National Center for the restoration of registration in EQAR.
We believe that the timely continuation of registration in EQAR and renewal of membership in ENQA will become a prerequisite for even more fruitful international cooperation. With the National Center, we will successfully continue working on the qualitative and institutional strengthening of the Georgian higher education system,” is stated in the joint statement.
The statement was signed by the rectors of state and private universities that are members of the Standing Conference of Rectors of Higher Education Institutions of Georgia.
The Standing Conference of Rectors session was attended by rectors and representatives of state and private higher education institutions and a guest, the Acting Director of the National Center for Education Quality Development of Georgia, Lasha Margishvili.
The 14th session of the general meeting of the Standing Conference of Rectors opened the Rector of the Georgian Technical University. According to Academician David Gurgenidze, the Standing Conference of Rectors will discuss an important issue and adopt a special joint statement.
“The rectors of the participating higher education institutions will discuss today the most important issue for our country. Based on public interest, the conference considered it necessary to discuss the situation regarding membership in the European Register of Independent Agencies for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (EQAR) and adopt a special statement. We consider ourselves obliged to provide students, applicants, professors, and researchers with comprehensive information and state the position of the rectors. The conference invited Lasha Margishvili, Acting Director of the National Center for Quality Assurance in Education, who will share with us the latest information related to EQAR. It is known that the suspension of registration is related to the determination by ENQA of non-compliance with the standard regarding the independence of the center, which, naturally, caused a stir in society. I want to emphasize that the decision is in no way related to the recognition of qualifications of diplomas issued in Georgia. This is not in doubt. The purpose of today’s meeting is once again to provide interested parties with comprehensive information and disseminate a special statement, which will be developed by the Standing Conference of Rectors today and made public today,” David Gurgenidze noted in his speech.
According to the Acting Director of the National Center for Quality Development in Education, Lasha Margishvili: “Diplomas issued in Georgia, as were recognized internationally until 2019, will continue to be recognized in the future. Information was spread that the EQAR decision is related to the cancellation of international joint exchange programs, the suspension of Georgia’s membership in the Bologna Process, the cancellation of private universities, and the suspension of international grants - this is incorrect information. None of the above is related to the center’s registration suspension in EQAR.”
The Standing Conference of Rectors, as a full member of the European University Association (EUA), has expressed its support for the re-registration of the National Centre for Quality Assurance in Education (NCQAR) of Georgia. For this purpose, the Conference discussed and developed a joint statement of higher education institutions of Georgia:
“Universities of Georgia, members of the Standing Conference of Rectors of Higher Education Institutions of Georgia, echo the decision of the National Centre for Quality Assurance in Education to suspend its registration in the European Register of Independent Agencies for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (EQAR) on 11th December of this year.
On behalf of the Conference, we would like to express our support for the National Centre for Quality Assurance in Education to continue its registration in EQAR.
The Georgian higher education system, including higher education institutions operating in Georgia, firmly recognizes and adheres to the values and principles defined by the Bologna Process and the European Higher Education Area.
In this process, the National Center for the Development of Educational Quality has been coordinating the authorization of Georgian educational institutions (institutional evaluation) and the accreditation of higher education programs since 2010. The Center’s activities are carried out by transparency, fairness, impartiality, and objectivity.
In addition, the Center conducts its activities based on close cooperation and broad engagement with universities and stakeholders. The state’s vision is based on the principles of strengthening the Center for Quality Development and, more broadly, university independence, which determines the increase in the quality and efficiency of our activities.
The Education Quality Development Center’s full membership in the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) and registration in EQAR is a significant achievement for the Georgian higher education system. This contributes to the improvement of the student-centered learning and teaching process, scientific and research activities, internationalization, and internal quality assurance culture in Georgian universities. This process is carried out with the effective support of the National Center. The Center is an authoritative, sustainable, and independent institution in Georgia at the organizational, financial, and operational levels, the activities of which positively affect the development of higher education institutions.
In view of the above, on behalf of the Standing Conference of Rectors of Higher Education Institutions of Georgia, a full member of the European University Association (EUA), we express our support for the National Center for Quality Improvement in Education.
We express our hope for the successful activities of the Center, its impact on the improvement of the higher education system, and the steps taken to eliminate the shortcomings identified in 2023. The areas of activity that have been recognized by international experts as one of the best practices, will be taken into account when considering the appeal submitted by the National Center for the restoration of registration in EQAR.
We believe that the timely continuation of registration in EQAR and renewal of membership in ENQA will become a prerequisite for even more fruitful international cooperation. With the National Center, we will successfully continue working on the qualitative and institutional strengthening of the Georgian higher education system,” is stated in the joint statement.
The statement was signed by the rectors of state and private universities that are members of the Standing Conference of Rectors of Higher Education Institutions of Georgia.
