Suspension from EQAR and ENQA Threatens Georgia’s Higher Education Reputation, Experts Warn

The National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement of Georgia’s said it might lose its standing with the European Quality Assurance Register (EQAR) and the membership in European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA), following the decision of the latter, citing deficiencies identified in a 2023 evaluation. The Center downplays the possible effects, however the experts warn of negative consequences for Georgia’s higher education system.

In order to renew the membership status in ENQA and EQAR, a visit of international experts was carried out in Tbilisi in October 2023. According to the conclusions of the expert group (the document is publicly available on the websites of both ENQA and EQAR), some shortcomings were identified, although the statement of the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement says that Center The National Centre for Quality Improvement in Education was assessed as fully compliant with the European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ESG 2015) in 11 standards and partially compliant in two standards.

The Center also said that the identified deficiencies have been addressed and expressed hope that the suspension is temporary. The Center announces plans to appeal the decision once the official report is received. The NCEQE emphasized that its membership in ENQA and registration with EQAR does not affect the recognition of Georgian diplomas, which continue to be recognized internationally, including within EU member states.

Experts Link the Decision to Political Instrumentalization of System

However, the experts say otherwise. Higher education experts, Irine Darchia, Lika Ghlonti, Marine Chitashvili, and Keti Tsotniashvili said at the briefing that the reason for the suspension is the violation of European quality assurance standards. The evaluation, prepared by the expert group of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA), states that the NCEQE is “not free from political influence” and that the quality assurance system is “being used as a mechanism for political pressure on universities,” – they stated.

The experts emphasized that losing membership in the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) and the suspension of registration in the European Quality Assurance Register (EQAR) would have significant consequences for Georgia’s higher education institutions (HEIs). Specifically, they argued that this would undermine Georgia’s alignment with European quality assurance standards and harm the reputation of the Georgian education system.

Additionally, experts have warned that it could lead to doubts over the recognition of Georgian diplomas abroad, particularly in the EU. The suspension may also jeopardize existing and planned joint international educational programs, especially those offering double degrees, and negatively impact international mobility, ultimately affecting both the “quality of education and university revenues”. Moreover, the suspension could result in the loss of recognition by the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME), call into question the validity of Georgian medical degrees abroad.

“The internationalization of higher education will sharply deteriorate, including international mobility, other types of cooperation, and the enrollment of international students. This will negatively impact both the quality of education and the revenues of higher education institutions,” said the experts during the briefing.

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