Role of the Georgian ENIC in the Implementation of the Bologna Reforms Irakli Machabeli November 8-9, 2005 Tbilisi

Role of the Georgian ENIC in the Implementation of the Bologna Reforms Disintegration of the Soviet Union promoted the initiation to reform the European higher education system. It became necessary to work out mechanisms and procedures for recognition of higher education qualifications issued in different countries. With this aim the UNESCO, the European Commission and the Council of Europe created a draft of the Recognition Convention.

Role of the Georgian ENIC in the Implementation of the Bologna Reforms In 1997 in Lisbon the representatives of 35 countries signed a convention called the Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications Concerning Higher Education in the European Region. Georgia was among those who signed the convention. It was ratified by the Parliament of Georgia in summer of 1999 and since December Georgia has become the full- fledged member of the convention.

Role of the Georgian ENIC in the Implementation of the Bologna Reforms Since the year 1997 the Ministry of Education is actively participating in the work of the so called "European Network of Informational Centers" (ENIC) and is implementing statements of the Lisbon Convention in Georgian higher education system. In 2003 Division of Academic Recognition and Mobility of the Ministry of Education became the Georgian ENIC.

Role of the Georgian ENIC in the Implementation of the Bologna Reforms Participation in ENIC Network means:  To disseminate information about the Georgian Higher Educational System;  To confirm the authenticity of Georgian qualifications;  To recognize foreign qualifications;

Role of the Georgian ENIC in the Implementation of the Bologna Reforms  To accumulate information concerning the foreign education systems  To implement the recommendations of international documents.

Dissemination of information about the Georgian Higher Educational System 1. To give replies to the questions incoming in ENIC Network. For instance such a kind of question has income to all participants: What is the approximate date (month and day if possible) or rules of assurance of:  official documents if program of upper secondary education is completed?  official documents after the official results of maturity (final upper secondary school) examinations are declared?

Dissemination of information about the Georgian Higher Educational System  maturity certificates (certificates giving access to higher education)? Or On behalf of the Polish Ministry of Education I would like to ask you whether in your countries HEls, ministries of education or other institutions issue any students identity cards or other documents confirming that someone is a student. Last week a question came in from Austria: Is architecture a regulated profession in your country?

Confirmation of the authenticity of Georgian qualifications 2. The data base of the International Association of Universities (IAU) is being renewed every year and the Georgian ENIC is systematically sending the information about changes in the higher education system of Georgia. IAU annually issues information about universities all around the world in soft and hard copies and data about Georgian universities are included.

Confirmation of the authenticity of Georgian qualifications 3. The ENIC sends replies to individual requests on Georgian education institutions (statute, accreditation, admission requirements and etc.) to:  those who is going to study in Georgian HEIs,  evaluators from ENIC/NARIC networks of foreign countries.

Confirmation of the authenticity of Georgian qualifications 4. We confirm the authenticity of Georgian documents for Georgian institutions as well. The Ministries of Justice, Internal Affairs, Foreign Affairs and others ask the ENIC to confirm diplomas of applicants seeking positions at these organizations. 5. The ENIC is preparing a brochure about the Georgian Higher Education System.

Confirmation of the authenticity of Georgian qualifications Replies to foreign colleagues’ questions concerning the authenticity of educational documents issued in Georgia. The representatives of ENIC/NARIC ask to define the authenticity of Georgian documents, such as:

Confirmation of the authenticity of Georgian qualifications  Certificates concerning scientific degrees,  Diplomas of higher education and the diploma supplements,  Transcripts from higher educational institutions,  Copies of students’ record books,  Diplomas of lyceums and colleges,  Diplomas of vocational-technical institutions,  Secondary school certificates with transcripts,  Basic school leaving reference.

Confirmation of the authenticity of Georgian qualifications Copies of received documents are sent to institutions for conformation. In dubious cases staff members of the division go to the institution to check all necessary documents on-site. About 11% of incoming documents are falsified. Most of the documents are forged by the applicants themselves.

Confirmation of the authenticity of Georgian qualifications If falsification of documents takes place at a higher education institution, the ENIC sends a report about this case to the General Inspection of the ministry to react.

Confirmation of the authenticity of Georgian qualifications Most frequently transcripts and students’ record books are being forged. In the following table the list of documents of the last 10 months is presented according to countries. In the 3 rd and 7 th columns number of documents are given and 4 th and 8 th columns show forged documents:

Confirmation of the authenticity of Georgian qualifications NoCountryTot.ForgNoCountryTot.Forg Austria Azerbaijan USA New Zealand Belgium Bulgaria Germany Spain Jordan UK Israel Italy Canada Cyprus Poland Portugal Russia Greek Georgia Saudi Arabia Armenia Ukraine Hungary Swiss Switzerland Check Republic Netherlands Total

Confirmation of the authenticity of Georgian qualifications As the table shows the most frequently forged documents (23%) are offered to German Universities. The reasons are:  officially there are more than Georgian students in Germany;  we have direct contact with many German universities, which send us requests about authenticity of Georgian certificates.

Recognition of foreign qualifications The documents issued abroad are verified in the similar way: We send copies of documents to ENIC/NARIC of relevant countries or directly to institutions, with the request to confirm the documents. In case of a positive answer, the ENIC gives a recommendation to an employer or education institution on recognition.

Accumulating information concerning the foreign education systems One of the main task of the ENIC is to translate documents obtained from international organization and disseminate them in higher education institution of Georgia. In cooperation with the Civil Society Institute and with financial support of the Eurasia Foundation the following brochures have been published in 2005:

Accumulating information concerning the foreign education systems  European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) and Diploma Supplement;  Main documents concerning the Bologna Process (Magna Charta Universitatum, Lisbon Convention, Sorbonne Declaration, Bologna Declaration, Graz Declaration, Address of Salamanca Meeting, Prague Communiqué, and Berlin Communiqué). Bergen Communiqué has been translated.

Implementation of the recommendations suggested in international documents Support of the Bologna Process: 1. Adoption of a system essentially based on two cycles Implementation of the Bologna requirements at the Georgian Higher Educational Institutions began in 1992, when 2 cycle study was introduced at two faculties of the Tbilisi Ivane Javakhishvili State University. Recently the majority of higher education institutions converted their system to a two level degree system.

Implementation of the recommendations suggested in international documents 2. Adoption of a system of easily readable and comparable degrees: The Georgian ENIC is intensively involved in the work of ENIC/NARIC network since In 2005 all Georgian HEIs issued diploma supplements of the form corroborated by the UNESCO, CoE, and Euro-Commission. Necessity: monitoring of the process.

Implementation of the recommendations suggested in international documents 3. Establishment of a system of credits: A special guidelines with concrete examples on implementation of ECTS have been prepared and delivered in HEIs. A number of seminars and trainings had been arranged for HEIs. Necessity: further work in this direction.

Implementation of the recommendations suggested in international documents 4. European Dimensions in Higher Education: In 2004 The Parliament of Georgia passed the Law on Higher Education in which all the Bologna recommendations are envisaged. Necessity: propaganda of adopted decisions and their realization, promotion of additional curricula, courses and modules of an European context and direction, and bringing in international projects.

Implementation of the recommendations suggested in international documents 5. Promotion of mobility: Georgian citizens do not have actual obstacles (except of financial and may be visas in some countries) for continuing their education abroad. Unfortunately, the number of enrollment of foreign students at Georgian HEIs is limited by legislation. Necessity: establishment of foundations supporting mobility of students, researchers and staff member and changes in legislation for facilitating enrollment of foreign students.

Implementation of the recommendations suggested in international documents 6. Promotion of European co-operation in quality assurance: In 2005 the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia carried out an institutional accreditation of Georgian HEIs. Among 250 institutions 113 of them passed the procedure. Quality assurance services are founded in a number of universities. Necessity: carry out program accreditation of HEIs and create a national service for quality assurance.

Implementation of the recommendations suggested in international documents 7. Promoting the attractiveness of the European Higher Education Area: Students from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Japan, and Trinidad-Tobago have been enrolled. Necessity: encouraging efforts to attract more students at Georgian HEIs.

Implementation of the recommendations suggested in international documents 8. Lifelong learning: The draft law on vocational education is being elaborated at the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia. Necessity: adoption of the law, discussion and analysis of European good practice in life-long learning perspective and adjusting it to the Georgian Higher Education System.

Implementation of the recommendations suggested in international documents 9. Higher education institutions and students: Necessity: establishment of student self- governance offices at Georgian universities and setting up a national body.

Implementation of the recommendations suggested in international documents 10. Doctoral level (third cycle): Necessity: adoption of a new law on research, elaboration of regulation on doctoral level, promotion of synergy between research institutions and universities.

Cooperation With the aim to discuss the above listed issues the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia, the Open Society – Georgia Foundation and the Civil Society Institute jointly hold seminars devoted to the recommendations of the Bologna process that have a vital importance for the development of the Georgian Higher Education System (Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Batumi, Akhaltsikhe, Gori, Telavi).