On April 13-14, the USAID Rule of Law Program facilitated a working retreat for the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement (NCEQE) and the Authorization Board.

The Authorization Board is responsible for the institutional accreditation of all higher educational institutions, with members serving renewable two-year terms, while NCEQE acts as the secretariat. The new Board members assumed their positions in March 2024.

The meeting was attended by 35 participants, including the First Deputy Minister of Education, Science, and Youth, Aleksandre Tsuladze; Acting Director of NCEQE, Lasha Margishvili; Chairman of the Authorization Board, Kakha Shengelia, other board members and NCEQE employees.

In her opening remarks, Lisa Kovack, Acting Director of the Democracy, Governance, and Rights Office at USAID/Georgia, emphasized USAID's ongoing commitment to supporting educational reforms in Georgia across all levels, from primary schools to universities to the vocational sector.

During the meeting, new Authorization Board members were acquainted with existing procedures and standards of institutional accreditation and the competencies of the Board members, including issues of oral hearings and appeals. NCEQE employees also provided an overview of the practices of the previous Authorization Board and areas of common recommendations to universities during the institutional accreditation process.

This year, authorization procedures for 24 Higher Education Institutions are underway, including major public and private universities in Tbilisi and the regions.