Deputy Director of the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement, Lasha Margishvili, Head of Higher Education Quality Assurance Department, Nikoloz Parjanadze, Head of Law Department, Ketevan Kobakhidze, Consultant in Law Education of USAID program ‘Rule of Law’, Nino Balanchivadze had a study visit to German Foundation for International Business Administration Accreditation office FIBAA. Through the study visit the program participants discussed the best practices employed by both agencies in the process of evaluation of higher educational institutions and educational programs. 

It is noteworthy that with the purpose of development of law education, the Center actively cooperates with USAID program ‘Rule of Law’ and the guidelines for the Benchmark Statement of Law is being developed. Accordingly, during the study visit, the representatives of both agencies discussed how the quality of education in law programs can be improved. 

FIBAA employs three basis models of external quality assurance mechanisms: 1) institutional evaluation, 2) program evaluation and 3) system evaluation. The representatives of the Center received detailed information on these three models and had a thorough discussion with the colleagues concerning the specificity of administration of educational programs in law, their internal and external quality assurance mechanism, and preconditions for program graduates defined for them in order to enter the profession. 

The model of system evaluation was of particular interest to the representatives of the Center. The FIBAA uses this model of evaluation as an external evaluation mechanism to study internal quality assurance mechanism which the institution has implemented in order to self-accredit educational programs. 

The study visit was valuable for the hosting agency as well. The representatives of the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement presented to the colleagues the specificity of institutional accreditation (authorization) and educational program accreditation of higher educational institutions operating in Georgia, and the structure and content of the subject benchmark statement for law education.

The study visit was organized within the scope of Memorandum of Understanding between the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement, Georgia and the Foundation for International Business Administration Accreditation Office, FIBAA.