Implementation of quality assurance mechanisms in Georgia started in 2005, when the process of institutional accreditation became mandatory for higher education institutions. Since 2010, the process of institutional evaluation of the authorization of educational institutions has been launched while the quality assurance of educational programmes has been carried out in Georgia since 2011. The evaluation of the quality of educational programmes and the presence of useful recommendations according to the specifics of the field contributed to the development of the content of the programmes; Institutions put more effort into improving sectoral resources and coordinate educational and research processes; processes are planned with broad involvement of various stakeholders.

Since 2016, important innovations in the higher education system have been planned in order to harmonize with the quality assurance standards and guidelines (ESG-2015) applicable in the European Higher Education Area. A legislative framework was prepared for the development of quality assurance systems.

In 2018, the procedures and standards for accreditation of higher education programmes were adopted in an updated form, the purpose of which was to introduce a result-based and development-oriented quality assurance system. As a result, criteria and indicators of accreditation standards requirements were clearly established. As a result of the development of accreditation procedures, the assessment process has become more transparent and more emphasis has been placed on assessing the diversity of system structures and development opportunities.

From 2020, the Center has set a goal to modernize the system of quality assurance of educational programmes, improve the academic infrastructure and carry out a transition to a new, cluster accreditation system of assessment. With the wide involvement of various parties of the higher education system and international experts, the visions of updating quality assurance mechanisms were formed and agreed upon at the programme level.

2In accordance with the changes made in the legislation in 2022, a legislative framework was created to start the cluster accreditation system. At the same time the cluster accreditation quality assurance system was introduced, according to which higher education institutions have the opportunity (for the purposes of the accreditation process) to submit an application for accreditation of educational programmes to the Center in the form of a cluster of educational programmes.  

The evaluation of the quality of the educational programme/cluster of educational programmes involves the assessment of the possibilities of implementation and development of the programmes and the determination of compliance with the accreditation standards, the legislation of Georgia and the field tendencies. The evaluation process is carried out by the accreditation experts of the Center. In order to improve the quality of teaching, recommendations are given by experts during the accreditation evaluation process, and the best practices identified in the evaluation process are shared. The accreditation evaluation process is carried out with the broad involvement of the beneficiaries of higher education programmes. Publicity of information and transparency of processes are ensured during the assessment process.

The Center selects and collaborates with the accreditation experts’ pool while evaluating educational programmes. Accreditation experts’ pool of the programmes of higher education institutions includes local and international experts, employers and students. The members of the experts’ pool evaluate the educational programme from different perspectives.

The activity of experts is regulated by the Rule on Authorization and Accreditation Experts’ Selection, and Activities, and Termination of Membership of Experts’ Pool, which is approved by the act of the Director of the Center. In 2022, the rules of activity were properly developed according to the analysis of the existing practices in the assessment processes carried out by the Center.

Experts’ panel ensures a consistent and comprehensive assessment of the educational programme or educational programmes grouped in a cluster. An expert determines compliance of a higher education programme with the accreditation standards and participates in drawing up a report of an experts’ panel. For this purpose, the expert studies the self-evaluation report and accreditation documentation, as well as, additional required documents, if necessary. In addition, an expert participates in the process of interviewing interested parties and inspecting material and technical resources. The experts’ panel give recommendations during the evaluation process. The Center provides support for the evaluation process in an organized manner. The experts’ panel report is the main basis for the decision on accreditation of an educational programme. When making decision on granting accreditation to an educational programme, the Accreditation Council relies on this report.

In 2022, at the beginning of the implementation of the cluster accreditation system, the international expert participates in the assessment as a chair during the assessment of regulated (including the Certified MD Programme) and PhD educational programmes (both separate and clustered educational programmes). From 2023, the involvement of an international expert in the process of accreditation evaluation will become mandatory (except for the 60-credit educational programmes of Georgian Language Preparation, Teacher Training, and Veterinary Training presented individually).

Accreditation Experts Panel:

In order to conduct the process in an organized manner, the experts’ panel is assisted by an employee of the Center in the assessment process, who coordinates with the experts, does not participate in the assessment process and is responsible for organizational issues.

Self-evaluation is carried out in accordance to the accreditation standards. Self-evaluation results are reflected in the accreditation self-evaluation report. The forms of accreditation self-evaluation of an educational programme and for the educational programmes grouped in a cluster are approved by the Order of the Director of the Center. See the forms here.

Along with the self-evaluation report, necessary forms for presenting quantitative data (statistical data) have been approved. In the process of accreditation, statistical data are used by experts to evaluate the criteria of the standards and as one of the justifications for the effective course of the programme and its development trends. The self-evaluation should be a document created as a result of a participatory process, as far as possible, and reflect the views of relevant stakeholders.

During the accreditation process, the experts panel determines the compliance of the higher education programme with the accreditation standards of the higher education programmes, the accreditation standards of the higher education programme analyzes the following issues:

1. Educational Programme Objectives, Learning Outcomes and their Compliance with the Programme
2. Teaching Methodology and Organization, Adequate Evaluation of Programme Mastering
3. Students' Achievements and Individual Work with them
4. Providing Teaching Resources
5. Teaching Quality Enhancement Opportunities

Self-evaluation is carried out in accordance to the accreditation standards. Self-evaluation results are reflected in the accreditation self-evaluation report. The forms of accreditation self-evaluation of an educational programme and for the educational programmes grouped in a cluster are approved by the Order of the Director of the Center. See the forms here.

Along with the self-evaluation report, necessary forms for presenting quantitative data (statistical data) have been approved. In the process of accreditation, statistical data are used by experts to evaluate the criteria of the standards and as one of the justifications for the effective course of the programme and its development trends. The self-evaluation should be a document created as a result of a participatory process, as far as possible, and reflect the views of relevant stakeholders.

The rules and conditions for grouping educational programmes in a cluster are determined in accordance with Annex No. 5 of the Accreditation Regulations. See. Order of the Minister of Education and Science of Georgia №65/N of May 4, 2011, Annex 5. 

The rules and conditions for grouping the programmes into a cluster are related to the principles of classifying the fields of study of the educational programmes, which is determined by Classifier of Fields of Study; In accordance with this document, the educational programme, based on its content, can be classified in a narrow or detailed field. Accordingly, programmes can be grouped according to a detailed or narrow field.

Classifier of fields of study structurally, includes descriptors of detailed fields, on the basis of which the content of the educational programme classified in this detailed area should be determined. Accordingly, the educational programmes classified in the detailed field have a content intersection, because the basis of the programme content is the description of the detailed field.

Interdisciplinary programmes are classified in one of the detailed areas of the broad field, and the classification is based on the dominant field of study of the interdisciplinary content of the programme; Unclassified programmes are classified in a narrow field.

The rules and conditions of grouping are elaborated taking into account the feedback received from higher education institutions.

Accreditation of higher education programmes can be carried out both for individual education programmes and for educational programmes grouped in a cluster.

For the purpose of accreditation of one educational programme, it is permissible to submit an accreditation application to the Center if:

a) The institution implements an educational programme in the field of study corresponding to the " Classifier of Fields of Study“, when it cannot be grouped with other educational programme/programmes in accordance with the rules and conditions for grouping programmes into a cluster;

b) The institution, for the purpose of the first accreditation, submits an accreditation application to the Center for the educational programme whose cluster is not to be accredited in the corresponding year;

c) The institution submits an educational programme with conditional accreditation to the Center, for the purpose of accreditation;

d) The institution submits the educational programme of a Certified Medical Doctor or the educational programme of Georgian language preparation to the Center, for the purpose of accreditation;

At least 1 month before submitting the accreditation application, the institution is able to apply to the Center with a request to hold a preparatory meeting for the accreditation process (the letter can be sent to the e-mail address info@eqe.ge).

The preparatory meeting concerns the planning and implementation of the self-evaluation process, the planning and implementation of the accreditation visit, the clarification of accreditation standards and procedures.

The preparatory meeting for the accreditation process can be held remotely, using modern electronic means of communication.

The Center is in constant coordination with the institutions and, upon request, consults the representatives of the institution on matters of interest to them, including the specifics of the implementation of the innovations related to the peculiarities of the cluster accreditation process. Please, write to us: higher.ed@eqe.ge

1)Submitting an accreditation application

The following shall be attached to the accreditation application submitted to the Center for the accreditation of the educational programme/cluster of educational programmes of the institution:

• A self-evaluation report created for an educational programme/cluster of educational programmes and documentation to be attached to it;

• Document confirming payment of the fee for review of the accreditation application;

Requisites required for transferring money to the State treasury:

Receiver's bank - State Treasury

Name of receiver - Unified account of treasury

Bank code - TRESGE22

Beneficiary's account/Treasury code - 707637113

(fee for services provided by LEPL - National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement)

• In case of presenting an educational programme in foreign language, an international agreement or document certifying the consent issued by the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia.

• In case of submission of a joint higher education programme, a contract signed between the implementing institutions for the implementation of the joint higher education programme and the document confirming the agreement of the draft contract with the Center.

The accreditation application submitted to the Center may include no more than eight educational programmes in order to accredit a cluster of educational programmes.

2) Recognition of an institution as a seeker of accreditation of educational programme/cluster of educational programmes

3) Creation of Accreditation Experts’ Panel

From 2023, the involvement of an international expert in the process of accreditation evaluation become mandatory for higher education programmes of all levels and types (except for the 60-credit educational programmes of Georgian Language Preparation, Teacher Training, and Veterinary Training presented individually).

4) Preliminary study of the self-evaluation report and the attached documentation of the accreditation seeker, and elaboration of the agenda of the visit by the accreditation experts’ panel

5) Carrying out accreditation visit

Elaborating the draft report of the accreditation experts’ panel; Submission of the institution's argumentative position to the Center

7) Elaborating the report of the accreditation experts’ panel; Presenting the report of the accreditation experts’ panel to the accreditation seeker

8) Holding an oral hearing on the accreditation issue and decision-making by the Accreditation Council of Educational Programmes; Publication of the reasoned decision and report

If the decision on refusal or cancellation of the accreditation of the programme is made during the academic year, the Council is authorized to allow the students to complete the current academic year in the accredited mode of the relevant educational programme and indicate the date of the end of the current academic year as the date of entry into force of the decision on cancellation of accreditation or refusal from the re-accreditation, based on an appropriate decision, taking into account the petition of the relevant institution and the legal interests of the students, for the purpose of continuity of the educational process, regardless of the remaining period of accreditation.

The minutes of the Council meeting and the adopted decision are drawn up within 10 working days after the Council meeting. The decision made by the Council and the conclusion of the experts’ panel are public information and are published on the Center's website.

Information on the decision of the Accreditation Council and report of the experts’ panel are uploaded to the European Database of External Quality Assurance Reports (DEQAR) of Independent Agencies.

The functions and duties of the members of the Council stipulated by the Accreditation Regulation can also be performed remotely or semi-remotely using modern electronic means of communication.