Tempus III - "Developing an Internal Quality Assurance System at Telavi State University, Georgia"

As part of the education projects, SPARK supports the Bologna process at the Telavi State University (TeSaU), Georgia, by developing an internal Quality Assurance System. The initial concept of this project was set up at the end of 2007, and gained full steam in 2008.

Since Georgia became independent in 1991, many different higher educational institutions have appeared in the Kakheti Region, as well as in whole Georgia. Nevertheless, the market required an increasingly higher level of education and among the hundreds existing universities only 32 managed to get accreditation from the Georgian Ministry of Education. Telavi State University is the only accredited higher education institution in Kakheti Region. However, the university is dealing with major transitions in its curricula. This makes it necessary to develop a stable system for quality assurance in order to implement the changes in the existing curricula, the teaching process and the management system of the university. 

Specific reforms of the Higher Education System in Georgia have been requested in order to achieve the main aim of developing a quality assurance system. Once the reforms take place, the main actions include clear and accurate information provided to students, staff and others about the quality and standards of higher education, implementation of programmes for performance evaluation and development of qualifications and requirements framework for university management and administrators employed. The improvement of teaching and learning resources is also one of the goals that should be achieved, in order to develop the quality assurance system at the university.

The project consists of series of Mini-Conferences, various training sessions and expert meetings focusing on the introduction of Quality Assurance. These events also include discussions on topics such as students counseling and quality assurance evaluation system for TeSaU, with implication for other Georgian Universities. The initial steps are preparing a strategy paper on quality assurance and an Action Plan on "how to create a quality culture", to be prepared by EU Experts in cooperation with TeSaU. Also, a Centre for University Development was established at the university in 2008 to coordinate the activities of the quality assurance system development.

The project is expected to be finished in 2010.

Results 2008: