1.            
European Integration and Labor Relations  EIGER conference, November 25, 2016  
Prof. Iago Kachkachishvili
Head of the Department of Sociology and Social Work
Tbilisi State University, Georgia

2. With financial support of European Commission TEMPUS/TACIS programme, three years ( ) project has been implemented. The goal of the project was establishing master programme: ‘European Integration and Labor Relations’.   Beneficiary institutions of the project are: ► Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU) ► Georgian-American University (GAU) ► Caucasian University (CU) Institutional partners in the project are: ►Free University of Brussels(Belgium) ►Otto-von-Guericke- University Magdeburg (Germany) ► European Higher School of Economics and Management (Bulgaria)

3. The novelty (hence, advantages) of the master programme:
It is joint (interuniversity) master programme, administered and implemented by three universities in Georgia (TSU, GAU, CU);
It is interdisciplinary master programme bringing together qualifications acquired in economics, sociology, law, political sciences, etc.;
Programme provides a degree in social policy, whis has not provided by any other study programme in the country;
Programme unifies academic staff, i.e. human resources of three successful universities in the country;
Each study course is provided with basic study literature (readers, textbooks) on Georgian language;
Practical application of the programme implies preparation of qualified specialists for those practices which are intended to be institutionalized in the country, such as labor inspection, social mediation, social dialogue, etc.

4. Completed activities within 3 years:
► ‘Polished’ masters’ curriculum has been developed.
► Academic staff of the progamme has been prepared and retrained in partner universities.
►Resource centers, namely, libraries, computer labs, etc. have been established in all three beneficiary universities.
► Relevant European and American basic textbooks and readers have been translated in Georgian and publication is either completed or in progress.
► The connection has been established with state and other non-governmental or public agencies in the framework of practical collaboration.

5. So far masters’ curriculum provides the degree of Master of Social Sciences, which will be converted in Master of Social Policy (MSP) degree.
Master curriculum is so called “post-qualifying” study programme developed for those people who have not got basic education in the field of social policy.
Master curriculum includes 28 special courses, which requires attainment of ECTS 90 credits. 30 credits are allocated to the Master’s Thesis.
1/3 part of the master curriculum courses is obligatory, 2/3 - optional.
Master curriculum is carried our by 18 teachers. 5 of them are the members of TSU staff, 7 are affiliated to GAU and 6 to CU.

6. MSP curriculum Obligatory Courses ECTS Optional Courses
The functioning of the EU: institutions and processes 5
Human rights in the EU
Employment policy and informal economy in the EU and Georgia
EU's eastward enlargement, neighbourhood and partnership policy
European and international labour law
Political economy
Industrial relations systems in the EU and Georgia
Globalisation and its social consequences
Welfare systems in the EU
Negotiation and conflict resolution
Labour law in Georgia in comparative perspective
The economics of transition in Georgia in comparative perspective
Social dialogue in the EU
Psychology of work and organisations
Organisational behaviour and human resources management
Sociology of work and organisations
Occupational health and safety
The socio-economic transition of Eastern Europe
Social research methods
History of work
Contemporary problems of social sciences
Academic writing (preparation of master’s thesis)
MA Dissertation 30
Professional English 1,2 10

7. Social economic aspects
EU institutions
Employment
Welfare systems
Legal aspects
Social economic aspects
Industrial relations
Work and organisation
The functioning of the EU: institutions and processes
Employment policy and informal economy in the EU and Georgia
Welfare systems in the EU and Georgia
Human rights in the EU
Political economy
Industrial relations systems in the EU and Georgia
Sociology of work and organisations
EU's eastward enlargement, neighbourhood and partnership policy
Occupational health and safety
Globalisation and its social consequences
European and international labour law
The economics of transition in Georgia in comparative perspective
Social dialogue in the EU
Psychology of work and organisations
Contemporary problems of social sciences
Negotiation and conflict resolution
The socio-economic transition of Eastern Europe
Organisational behaviour and human resources management
History of work
Labour law in Georgia in comparative perspective
Common courses for all modules:
Social research methods; Professional English; Academic writing

8. Main challenges of the future functioning of the programme: ► Sustainability of study programme; ► Peaceful and productive cooperation of the secretariats of three partner universities; ► Stability of the enrolments costs ► Motivating stakeholders to employ the graduates of master programmes  

9. Thank you for attention!