The main goal of the winning project of the Competitive Innovation Competition (CIF) No. CIF-2-2024-12 is to strengthen the institutional capabilities at the doctoral level of three educational institutions. In particular, to facilitate the equipping of students and academic staff of the educational institution with the skills and services that support them with appropriate infrastructure and internationalization opportunities.

The project is implemented by the Department of Educational Sciences of TSU and its partner with the involvement of higher education institutions (HE), which form a consortium within which the best practices and standards of international partner institutions are shared.

Tbilisi State University (TSU) is a research institution in Georgia, which is aimed at the promotion of research structures and deepening of new knowledge generation opportunities, thereby contributing to the development of society. Doctoral programs at TSU are decentralized and are implemented at all seven faculties, including the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences. At the base of this faculty, there are two doctoral programs in the field of educational science, which have made significant contributions both at the national and global levels. In this regard, the innovation is the fact that the "Educational Sciences" program implements a joint doctoral educational program with three regional universities (including the Akaki Tsereteli Kutaisi State University) in Georgia, which was followed by the establishment of the English-language instructional doctoral program "Vocational Education" by Otto Von Guericke. In cooperation with Magdeburg University (OVGU).

"Vocational education" program was positively evaluated by accreditation experts, which will contribute to the creation of an appropriate ecosystem at the national and regional level. The program was developed with a comprehensive approach to quality assurance, incorporating rigorous internal assessment mechanisms similar to the self-accreditation process. Currently, a joint doctoral program "Education and Science Administration" is being developed in partnership with Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University and Kapodistrian National University of Athens.

Kutaisi State University implements five, and Caucasus University four doctoral programs.

Improvement of programs is carried out in four main directions:
 

1. Development of the process of planning and implementation of PhD programs
2. Preparation and implementation of international accreditation (FIBAA).
3. Updating and operationalization of the legislative base
4. Mobility

Within the framework of the joint program, as well as for cotutelle, the compatibility of graduates in the local and international space is ensured. The approaches will be based on contemporary trends that the European and global education field is facing in terms of doctoral education.

The experience and tangible results accumulated during the project will be shared not only in partner universities, but it is expected that it will influence other higher educational institutions of Georgia, which will become one of the important factors in promoting the development of internationalization at the doctoral level.

Georgian universities participating in the project:
 

Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University;

Caucasus University Ltd;

Akaki Tsereteli State University.

Current activities within the project