To enhance the quality of education, the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement undertook the following primary activities throughout 2023:

For the first time in the history of the Center, it conducted international accreditation of higher education programmes operating in a foreign country. To attain international accreditation, three medical education programmes were registered with the Center in 2023;

Accreditation has become mandatory for all types and levels of higher education programmes;

In the evaluation process of higher education programmes, local field experts, employers, and students collaborated with international experts, who served as the Chairperson of the expert group.

Cluster accreditation of higher education programmes in the fields of art, defense, and security has been accomplished. In total, 267 programmes and 48 clusters went through the accreditation procedure;

The enhancement and development of quality assurance mechanisms for doctoral educational programmes and the scientific research component were undertaken. A framework document for quality assurance in the evaluation of doctoral-level educational programmes was developed.

 The Center actively participated in various international projects with the objectives of enhancing scientific research activities in universities, identifying planned and implemented activities related to the 3rd mission within universities, raising awareness on the issues of academic integrity and ethics, and introducing modern teaching, learning, and assessment methods, and et;

Active efforts are being made in the development and enhancement of thematic analysis documents by the Center, focusing on the improvement and advancement of quality assurance processes in higher education.

With the coordination of the Center and financial support from the Erasmus+ programme, Georgia hosted events for the National Qualifications Thematic Group of the Bologna Process (TPG A on QF). Since 2021, Georgia, in collaboration with Austria and Latvia, has been co-chairing the thematic working group on the national qualifications framework of the Bologna Process (TPGA on QF). These events were attended by representatives from 25 countries participating in the Bologna Process.

The Center signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Latvian Academic Information Center (AIC). This memorandum outlines collaboration in the development of the National Qualifications Framework, the organization of joint events, and the recognition of higher education quality assurance mechanisms, diplomas, and qualifications.

12 sectoral benchmarks of higher education were approved;

A thematic analysis document was prepared, focusing on the analysis of the best international practices and the national legal framework for the introduction of microcredits in the higher education system of Georgia.

To establish an electronic register of qualifications, the Center formulated the concept of an electronic register of national qualifications with the assistance of experts from the EU project "Technical Support for the Development of Relevant Skills for the Labor Market in Georgia."

A document analyzing the current practice of recognizing non-formal education was prepared with the aim to describe the issues related to the implementation of lifelong learning principles concerning the recognition of non-formal education at the national level within the subsystems of general and professional education;

The number of institutions authorized for the recognition of non-formal education has increased, and by the end of 2023, there were 11 educational institutions of this type. Consequently, recognition of non-formal education is now accessible in 11 fields of study.

 With the support of the European Education Fund (ETF), the assessment of the quality of vocational education has started, employing the indicators of the European Quality Assurance in Vocational Education and Training (EQAVET) network. The indicators were incorporated into the documentation used for quality assurance.

For the first time in Georgia, the Center introduced the practice of Peer Visit, supported by the Center, which is an effective mechanism employed in European countries for quality development. The first visit was hosted by LEPL College "Modus";

A series of capacity-building training sessions for individuals responsible for the quality of vocational educational institutions were conducted.

The number of certified quality assurance specialists increased, and the panel of experts for authorizing professional educational institutions was recruited.

 At the beginning of 2023, new standards and updated procedures for general educational institutions came into force;

 A new body of experts for authorizing general education institutions was established. In order to enhance the capabilities of these experts, training sessions and workshops were conducted on the authorization process, new standards, and evaluation techniques.

 The new body of the General Educational Institutions Authorization Council has been approved.

 In compliance with the revised regulations, methodological guides have been developed and published on the Center's website, accessible to all interested individuals;

Pilot evaluations of authorization were conducted in three public and six private general education institutions in accordance with the updated standards and procedures.

 To enhance the capacity of educational resource centers, training sessions were conducted on the new authorization standards and updated regulations.

The administrative procedure for the authorization of more than 300 public schools and about 100 private schools was completed;

 To promote the adoption of approaches focused on national minorities, informational materials on students' rights and protection mechanisms were prepared in both Armenian and Azerbaijani languages. These materials have been made publicly available on the Center's website. Furthermore, the new self-evaluation questionnaire for general educational institutions was translated into the languages of national minorities.

To enhance the capacity of private schools, training sessions were organized focusing on the new set of four standards of authorization;

 The 2023 summary conference for experts involved in the authorization of general educational institutions was conducted to analyze the implemented administrative procedures and facilitate the exchange of experiences.

 A quality assurance framework for early and preschool education and education was created, which regulates the authorization process, defines the authorization standards and specifies the requirements for the organization of the building’s infrastructure and material-technical facilities.

2,047 institutions and/or individual entrepreneurs offering early education, preschool education, or school readiness programmes conducted self-evaluation.

Authorization Council of the Early and Pre-School Care and Education Institutions was established, and a body of experts was formed.

A guide to early childhood education and/or pre-school education institution authorization standards has been prepared.

Capacity-building activities, training sessions, and workshops were held across Georgia, attended by the representatives of private and public gardens, kindergarten associations and municipalities;

To enhance the early and preschool upbringing and education system and ensure the effective functioning of the authorization process, targeted training sessions were conducted for members of the authorization expert corps and the authorization council;

As part of kindergarten support, five methodological guides were prepared: Guide for the Authorization Process, Methodological Guide for Strategic Planning, Methodology for Determining the Threshold Number of Children, Methodology for Developing a Communication Plan, and Methodology for Establishing Regulatory Mechanisms for Food Organization and Nutritional Value Norms were prepared within the framework of kindergarten support.

A methodology for analyzing the results of diagnostic self-assessment of kindergartens was developed and analysts were trained according to the methodology;

The Center hosted the annual international forum for ENQA members. Representatives of 55 Quality Assurance Agencies from 32 European countries, heads of the European Quality Assurance Agency Register (EQAR), the European University Association (EUA), and the European Student Association (ESU), as well as participants from the Bologna Process Working Group and their representatives attended the forum.

In 2023, the Center completed the working process to renew its membership status with the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA). In October 2023, experts from ENQA visited the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement. The results of their evaluation will be announced by 2024;

The center has attained full membership status in INQAAHE. INQAAHE is a global platform dedicated to enhancing the internal and external quality assurance of higher education. The organization is united by a shared goal to develop and promote improvements in the quality of higher education with the support of the international community. Membership in INQAAHE ensures an increase in the international recognition of the Center and the establishment of valuable international contacts. This aligns with the Center's commitment to the development and promotion of the quality of higher education on a global scale.

By joining the network, the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement has gained the opportunity to collaborate with over 300 quality assurance agencies operating worldwide to improve quality assurance in higher education.

To enhance international partnerships, the Center has signed memorandums with the German Foundation for International Business Administration Accreditation (FIBBA), the National Quality Assurance Agency of Armenia (ANQA), the National Agency for Quality Assurance in Education and Research of Moldova (ANACEC), and the Academic Information Center of Latvia (AIC).

On March 15, 2023, Georgia became the 22nd partner country to join the European Refugee Passport initiative. EQPR is a practical tool that promotes the rapid integration of refugees into the new society. The Passport of European Qualifications for Refugees (EQPR) is a standardized document issued as part of a project implemented by the Council of Europe and its partners. It comprises an assessment section and an explanatory part.

 Within the framework of the ERASMUS+ supported project, the Center hosted a webinar focused on the methods for evaluating student learning outcomes. The webinar aimed to enhance the quality of teaching and learning in the European higher education space by facilitating the professional development of academic staff.

 A customer satisfaction survey was conducted in the following 5 areas: An unscheduled monitoring process implemented with the aim of aligning accredited higher education programmes with the "National Qualifications Framework" and the "Study Fields Classifier"; obtaining the authority to recognize non-formal education; administrative-financial support service for the Authorization Council of General Educational Institutions; consulting services in the field of early and preschool education, as well as quality of education, and administrative support services for the Coordinating Council of the Center. The research results show a positive trend;

 An agreement was signed between the Estonian International Development Agency (ESTDEV) and the Center, aiming to support the development of the internal quality system of general educational institutions in Georgia. The project was successfully implemented, in which representatives of 15 general educational institutions of Georgia were involved. In addition, within the framework of the project, 6 recommended guidelines for general educational institutions in the direction of internal quality development were developed;

 With the financial support of the GEC consulting company and USAID, the Center's capabilities were strengthened in the direction of business process development. Within the framework of the project, a manual has been developed to assist the center in establishing a consistent and sustainable process management practice within the organization. A structured operational manual will help the center maintain institutional knowledge and memory, reduce service delivery time and improve quality. In addition, as part of the project framework, the center's business processes were reviewed and optimized, contributing to the ongoing enhancement of the center's internal quality.

 In 2023, the Center delivered quality educational services to over 23,000 individuals and legal entities.

 To enhance the Center services, video lessons and PDF manuals were created for both current and future employees;

 Guidelines have been created for recognizing general education received during study abroad at general education institutions;

 To promote the implementation of the Lisbon Convention, the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement won the small grant competition announced by the Council of Europe. As part of the project implementation, a comprehensive study was conducted on the best international practices regarding the recognition of education for individuals with international protection status. The evaluation of higher educational institutions' readiness was carried out, a guide was developed. Additionally, training sessions were conducted for higher educational institutions and involved parties, and information brochures were prepared to inform potential applicants;

 In order to carry out formative assessment, the evaluation system of the Center's employees was initiated in pilot mode;

 To deliver high-quality service to customers, training was conducted focusing on effective service delivery (Service+).

 The internal audit quality assurance and development programme have been developed and approved. This programme ensures the compatibility of the system with international standards of internal audit and the internal audit policy of the Ministry of Education and Science.

 To enhance the services provided by the Center, an independent service space for legal entities has been established and equipped.   

The Center’s building is fully equipped with modern fire safety devices and equipment, including a cutting-edge fire alarm system, emergency lighting, and public address systems as part of an emergency communication system.