DISCUSSION FORUM ON RECOMMENDATIONS TO HEIS IN GEORGIA ON HOW TO IMPLEMENT DHE

As part of the DUGEOR project, a significant two-day event titled “Discussion Forum on Recommendations to HEIs in Georgia on how to implement DHE” was held in Tbilisi on January 14-15, 2026. The forum was hosted by the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA) and organized in a hybrid format, allowing for the active participation of representatives from academia, government institutions, and the private sector.

The primary focus of the forum was the presentation and collective analysis of proposed legal amendments and strategic recommendations for introducing the dual education model into the Georgian national system. Throughout the intensive sessions, participants discussed in detail specific amendments to the Law on Higher Education and the Labor Code, as well as new accreditation standards necessary for the successful functioning of this model. Partners from Austria and Germany provided a special contribution to the discussion by sharing their experiences and best practice examples from their countries, emphasizing the importance of establishing high-quality standards.

A key conclusion of the forum was that dual higher education in Georgia will not be introduced as an isolated system but will instead be integrated into the existing legal framework, ensuring long-term sustainability and legal certainty. The importance of strong tripartite cooperation between universities, students, and employers was highlighted, with a mandatory requirement for recognizing work-based learning through ECTS credits. These proposals are fully aligned with the ongoing reforms of the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia.