NQF inventory - Georgia

As a country which is undergoing a transition from the former Soviet system to a market economy, Georgia is implementing reforms in education and training, qualifications and employment policies aimed at simultaneously addressing growth and competitiveness, employment and social inclusion. Social policy objectives and renewed attention to employment have been reinforced since the 2013 elections. Unemployment has been a high priority for the new government, as the steady economic growth in the past decade has not been accompanied by commensurate job creation.

Stakeholders have high expectations of the NQF as a catalyst for implementation of essential reforms in education and training. The socioeconomic context justifies the emphasis placed on employability, and continuing reform of education and training contribute to this. The NQF in action is expected to contribute to improving permeability between subsectors, to helping match qualifications and labour market needs, to supporting quality assurance of education and training, and increasing the transparency of learning outcomes.

In October 2018 the Parliament adopted the major legal act of the new NQF, as an amendment to Law of Georgia on Development of Quality of Education. In addition, four main subordinate acts are ready for approval in 2018, as ministerial orders. A closer look at the new legal base is provided in section 4. Legislation.

1. A new section dedicated to the NQF in the Law of Georgia on Development of Quality of Education [3] (amendment to the Law): chapter IV2. The three articles cover: 

• o NQF and its goals
• o Management and development of the NQF
• o Classifier of fields of study

2. An Order of MESCC on the new NQF and its structure, level descriptors and typical qualifications by level

3. An Order of the MESCC and Science on the new Classifier of Fields of Study, based on ISCED-F 2013

4. An Order of MESCC on governance and monitoring of the NQF.
According to the first document - amendment to the Law on Development of Quality of Education - the goals of the draft new National Qualifications Framework will be as follows (article 24)[4] :

a) “Classification of qualifications by protection of the following key principles of the National Qualifications Framework: compliance of learning outcomes, quality assurance, availability of qualification-related information;

b) Interconnection of general, vocational and higher education, its management and development;

c) Promoting lifelong learning;

d) Supporting quality assurance system;

e) Ensuring compatibility, comparison ability and transparency of qualifications at international level;

f) Promoting mobility;

g) Supporting recognition of formal education obtained during learning period;

h) Supporting recognition of informal education;

i) Providing public with information on current qualifications;

j) Reflection of permanently changing requirements in the education system and stimulation of renewable qualifications description relevant to it”.

Comparing with the NQF 2010, this set of goals reflects a renewed vision of the NQF, which will now explicitly be open to such novel topics as: non-formal education; transparency in understanding the professional profiles for all types of users; responsiveness to changing requirements and renewal of qualifications. The new NQF is increasingly seen as a bridge between the sub-sectors of formal education, as well as between formal and non-formal learning.

[3]  Current (not yet amended) version of the Law available at: http://eqe.gov.ge/res/docs/2014120816015474706.pdf

[4]  According to the non-edited translation of the amended Law, as of December 2018

Georgia has been a full member of the Bologna process since 2005 and participates in the ministerial meetings and regular reporting. The EU-Georgia Association Agreement was signed on 26 September 2014 and entered into provisional application from September 2014. Its Chapter 16 refers to cooperation towards recognition of qualifications. Annex XXXII lists the acquis to be adopted by the country, including the EQF Recommendation. Article 96 refers to mutual recognition (negotiation of mutual recognition agreements) [5].

Georgia ratified the Lisbon Recognition Convention in 1999. NCEQE represents Georgia in the ENIC-NARIC Network. Department of International Education of the Center is responsible for providing the representatives from ENIC-NARIC Network with the relevant and reliable information about Georgian education system as well as Georgian educational institutions and credentials. NCEQE closely cooperates with the ENICs and NARICs in the process of recognition of foreign education in Georgia.

[5]  https://eeas.europa.eu/sites/eeas/files/association_agreement.pdf

All occupational standards are linked with the national classification of occupations, based on ISCO-08. The approved template for occupational standards includes a field for the relevant code from ISCO-08.

The new Classifier of fields of study is one of the legal acts following the adoption of the NQF-related amendments to the Law on Development of Education Quality. This new Classifier is in the approval process. It is structured in accordance with ISCED-F 2013.
 

The new NQF has three categories of descriptors: Knowledge and understanding, Skills and Responsibility and autonomy. The new NQF is structured in eight levels. The first and second levels of the 8-level qualification (new NQF) include the programs for development of key competences for those adults, who have not received mandatory 9-year general education. By the completion of the mentioned program they will have the opportunity to continue their learning on the third or fourth levels of vocational educational programs. The basic education of general education (ninth grade certificate) is placed on the second level of the framework.

Qualifications at level 1 require General Basic Knowledge, Basic skills to perform simple tasks. Identification of simple tasks and ability to evaluate and solve them; Basic skills of using books and mathematical literature, oral and written communications, information technologies; In a homogenous environment, communication and exchanging of information on simple issues in foreign language.

Qualifications at level 2 Basic factual knowledge in the field of learning and activities; Basic cognitive and practical skills for the use of relevant information in the field of learning and / or work, simple tasks and methods to perform tasks and to solve routine problems. The ability to understand their own and others' actions, adapt to new situations, verbal and written communications and argumentative discussions about familiar activities. Ability to find, process, store, share and analyze information using information and communications technologies on specific issues
Since the new NQF acts a system reform instrument, particularly important to minimize existing dead-ends between VET and higher education pathways and qualifications, certain qualifications are yet to be developed and assigned to the new NQF structure.
Qualifications from formal vocational education are placed on the third, fourth and fifth levels of the framework. The program of general education is integrated in the secondary vocational program of the fourth level, which gives the right to an individual holding the ninth grade certificate to add the learning outcomes of the vocational diploma with equal level to the 12th grade certificate (NQF Level 4). This is very important reform, but issues remain as to the practical reorganisation of this new secondary VET qualification of NQF level 4.

Qualifications at level 3 requires knowledge and interpreting basic facts, principles, processes and general concepts characteristic of learning and / or field. The combination of analytical and practical skills for solving tasks and solving problems, using appropriate information, tools, selection of materials and basic methods. Evaluation of its activities in relation to the relevant standards; Oral and written communication on issues related to studies and activities; Use of relevant information and communication technologies; Communication in everyday, familiar issues in foreign language, including terminology related to the field of activity.

Qualifications at level 4 require wide context of actual and theoretical knowledge characteristic of learning and / or activities. The combination of cognitive and practical skills required to solve specific problems that are characteristic of learning and / or activities. Seeking information to solve specific problems, its critically analysing, selecting appropriate approach, reviewing alternatives and reasoning; oral and written communication on general issues, including relevant information and communication technologies, as well as in foreign language

Qualifications at level 5 require specialized, comprehensive and theoretical knowledge and understanding of its capabilities (boundaries) in the field of learning and / or activities; applying wide-range cognitive and practical skills to solve individual problems creatively; identification, analysis and evaluation of clearly defined abstract and concrete problems data. Structural and consistent transmission of ideas and information by using qualitative and quantitative information for specialists and non-specialists. Use of modern information and communication technologies.
In Georgia level 5 qualifications have seen a relatively good pace of development. 30% of all new VET qualifications adopted between 2015 and 2018 are of level 5. As of December 2018 the total number of approved quality assured modular VET programmes included in the register is 97, in 62 sectors and 3 NQF levels (3, 4 and 5).

The higher education program of the fifth level will be a short cycle qualification (associate degree), which will be connected with the first level educational program of higher education. The credits of short cycle qualifications will be recognized for the goals of Bachelor and integrated Master programs. The volume of short cycle qualification is 120/180 credits.

Higher education qualifications are placed on the sixth, seventh and eighth levels of the NQF. These levels are not open for other types of qualifications, such as from certain professional bodies, but only for quality-assured academic qualifications.
 

The amended Law of Georgia on the development of educational quality defines “Qualification” as a formal result of evaluation and approval of a learning outcome that is asserted with a state-recognized certificate, state document confirming higher or vocational education - diploma, or state document confirming general education. This definition applies to qualifications from all sub-sectors: general, vocational and higher education.

The new VET Law (2018) defines qualifications as follows:

“Qualification - formal outcome of assessment and confirmation of the achievement of the learning outcome by the authorized institution (s) which is confirmed by State-recognized Certificate, by the state document confirming higher or vocational education – Diploma, or by the state document certifying the general education”.

Educational standards differ according to education sub-systems. There are the following educational standards in Georgia: 

• National Curriculum for general education;
• Vocational education standards for vocational education;

Sector documents (benchmarks) on regulated programs of higher education, but can be developed for other fields of study as well.

The new VET Law (2018) defines the standards as follows:

- “ Professional standard - a combination of tasks and responsibilities related to a particular profession";
 - “ Vocational education standard - a document that defines qualification / qualifications to be granted, number of credits required for the relevant qualification / qualifications, learning outcomes to be achieved, the combination of those modules the learning outcomes of which are necessary to achieve for the qualification / qualifications to be granted, and prerequisites for admission and implementation of the relevant education program/programs, as well as the areas of employment and requirements for development and implementation of educational program / programs (if any);
- “ Vocational education program - a combination of learning objectives, learning outcomes, module / modules, relevant credits, teaching methods, assessment forms and organizational characteristics. The vocational education program is completed with awarding the qualification relevant to the 3rd / 4th / 5th level of National Qualification Framework and issuance of the diploma;”

The new VET Law (2018) includes important orientations on VET qualifications of all NQF levels (2 to 5), and types of VET qualifications, as follows:
Article 6 of the law of Georgia on Vocational Education provides explanation on vocational training and re-training programmes:  
“Vocational education is implemented:
-  Through vocational training program, that prepares a person to perform individual tasks and obligations related to the profession. Learning outcomes under the Vocational Training Program may conform to the 2nd / 3rd / 4th / 5th levels of the National Qualifications Framework;
-  Through vocational re-training program aimed at acquiring and / or developing competencies in the same field for professional activities. The learning outcomes provided by the vocational re-training program may comply with 2nd / 3rd / 4th / 5th levels of the National Qualifications Framework.

The Law on Vocational Education distinguishes two types of programmes:  a) vocational education programmes; b) vocational training and re-training programmes.
Vocational education programmes/qualifications conform to the NQF 3rd, 4th and 5th levels and have the following characteristics: 

• These programs are implemented within the education system, i.e. by the institution, holding an educational institution status;
• The admission right to these programmes is based on education system qualifications;  
• Studying at this type of program, as a rule, precedes  the employment period. 
• Educational programme /qualification reflects all categories of the NQF-aligned level descriptors;  
• Holding this qualification makes it possible to pursue studies at a higher level, within education system. 

Vocational training/re-training qualifications conform with the NQF 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th levels and have the following characteristics: 

• These programs are implemented and qualifications are awarded by legal entities outside education system. The entity is not required to get an educational status, although it must be authorized to implement a program and award a qualification. These programs may be implemented by educational institutions as well.      
• These programs aim at meeting labor market damands rapidly. A person starts studying at the program   after starting job: it is oriented on a little academic workload or on upgrading current skills;
• Admission right is not based on general education qualifications.  For example, it is impossible to require minimum basic education qualification for admission to 2nd level training/re-training qualification, dues to the fact that these two qualifications are placed at one and the same level. Although, professional experience or vocational education are required for participating in these programs.  
• Learning outcomes of program/qualification fail to reflect all categories/aspects of relevant NQF level. Learning outcomes of vocational training/re-training programmes, out of the purposes of the program, might be focused on the only   category of the NQF level, for example, on acquiring necessary skills for labor market. (Additional information can be found in section 2.3).
• This qualification makes horizontal progression possible at NQF same level in correspondence with the recognition of formal education, stipulated by legislation, which, provides a possibility to pursue studies at vocational education program and acquire relevant qualification. 

In general education: the National Curriculum is an educational standard of general education. Learning outcomes of basic and complete general education shall correspond with the National Curriculum im compliance with the set rule of legislation.  

The National Curriculum comprises subject standards of basic and upper (full) secondary education.  According to the National Curriculum glossary of terms- “subject standard” determines the obligatory minimum of knowledge, a student must have upon completion the level. It provides answers to questions: what should a learner know, what is a learner able to do and what are the values a learner should share within the scope of a specific subject”.

The National Curriculum stipulates, that learning outcome is knowledge, which is determined by the glossary of terms as: “synergy of three categories of knowledge: (declarative, procedural and conditional), answering questions of three types: what do I know, how do I perform and when, why, in what case is knowledge applied? The National Curriculum provides broad definition of “knowledge” and the NQF provides narrow definition of knowledge, as knowledge of only facts, principles, theories, concepts, theoretical and practical knowledge. This definition corresponds with “declarative knowledge”, determined by the National Curriculum.   

Development process of qualifications

In VET the linkage between various standards and qualifications is as follows: occupational standards, educational standards, VET qualifications. One educational standard can lead to several VET qualifications.

The published information on all VET educational standards that lead to specific VET qualifications is comprehensive and regularly updated.

The description of the educational standard provides the following information (example):

• Name of the Educational Standard: for example Web programmer
• Direction (grouped in 11 directions): Information and communication technologies
• Number of registration: 06108
• Level: V
• Entry requirements: Secondary education
• Credits: 170
• Compulsory VET modules: 20 modules
• Elective VET modules: 1 module
• General compulsory modules: 9 modules

All modules with detailed description of aim of the module, credit, level, learning outcomes, organization of teaching and assessment approach are attached to the document.

The legal document “Ministerial Decree on Regulation of Calculation of credits for educational programs” (Ministerial Decree/Order Nr.3) defines details of use of ECTS credits in Georgian education system. The decree defines ECTS as a student centred system, which relies on Learning Outcomes and transparency of the learning process.
The decree prescribes the hours/ or range of hours for each ECTS as 25-30 hours, defines the workload for an academic year as 60 ECTS, with a maximal amount of 75 ECTS in individual programs. It further defines details of assessment for the entire system including regulations on mandatory intermediate assessment and thresholds for each type of assessment. The assessment should measure learning outcomes defined in the program/course.

Credits are allocated to qualifications and modules based on the size of the qualification or module.  According to the VET law (2010) credit expresses amount of work to be done by a vocational student to master one subject. While in the revised law credit expresses the educational workload for a vocational student/listener and which can be obtained through achieving the learning results.

Credits are allocated by Curriculum Working Group members to the educational standard and modules; they use both up-down and top-down processes; one year program is about 60 credits in VET as well as higher education; in the process of allocation credits to individual modules in VET, working groups use the complexity of the learning outcomes; the sum of the credit values of all modules should be very close to the value of the full qualification; if the sum is not the same the working groups revisit the allocation of the credits.

If the programme leading to the qualification is much shorter than other full time VET programmes, a lower credit value may need to be considered. However, national VET qualifications delivered in schools will be of similar duration and therefore of the same credit value. VET providers use educational standards in the process of allocation credits to their educational programs.

In Higher education 240 credits are allocated at Bachelor level (first cycle), 120 at Master level (second cycle) and 180 at Doctor level (third cycle).

The NQF supports the credit system in two ways. First, to support that credit accumulation and transfer are built into the NQF’s requirements for qualifications for approval within the framework. Second, NQF defines requirements for quality assurance that includes monitoring the quality of assessment that helps to build the reliability of credits awarded.

The integration of the credit system within the NQF:

Introducing a learning outcomes approach is an important part of the national reform programme for general education, VET and higher education, as indicated in the key legal acts. Linked to this is increased interest for validation of non-formal and informal learning.

Higher education and vocational education are more advanced in implementing the learning-outcomes approach; in general education this approach is more recent. The learning outcomes approach is an established and generalised principle in the Georgian education and training system, albeit with varied degree of quality in different sub-sectors and education institutions. The application of the learning outcomes approach is a mandatory requirement of the legislation on quality assurance of education, notably in authorisation and accreditation.

The new VET Law (2018) defines Learning Outcomes as a fundamental principle:
“Z) Learning outcome – a statement regarding the "knowledge and understanding" (which implies results of assimilation of information, facts, principles, theory, theoretical and practical methods of learning or activities) and "skills" (which implies the ability of using the appropriate knowledge to carry out specific assignment and solve the problems), and / or the "responsibility and autonomy" (which means the use of knowledge and skills by the person through appropriate level of values and independence)”.

In VET: since modularisation of the VET programs has started in 2013, all educational standards as well as modular program are based on learning outcomes. The aim was that learning outcomes-based qualifications levels would strengthen the outcomes-dimension and give learning outcomes a prominent role in planning education provision.

In higher education: learning outcomes, and the comparison between learning outcomes abroad and in the country are a key basis for recognition of acquired knowledge (Article 50 of the Law on Higher Education). The Law also prescribes to use learning outcomes for recognition of knowledge and skills acquired for a different qualification.

Learning outcomes are fundamental elements of quality assurance of higher education, mentioned both in authorisation and accreditation standards. Authorisation standards require clearly defined Learning Outcomes aligned with NQF level descriptors. Program accreditation has among its main functions to check feasibility of the outcomes, relevance and correspondence to the existing NQF.

ECTS: another legal document the Ministerial Decree on Regulation of Calculation of credits for educational programs (Ministerial Decree/Order Nr.3) defines details of use of ECTS credits in Georgian academia and the use of learning outcomes as mandatory for higher education. The decree defines ECTS as a student centred system, which relies on Learning Outcomes and transparency of the learning process. It further defines details of assessment for the entire system including regulations on mandatory intermediate assessment and thresholds for each type of assessment. The assessment should measure learning defined in the program/course. The decree prescribes (Article 4. 5) to align/introduce adequacy of assessment for the envisioned Learning Outcomes.
 

The amended Law of Georgia in on the Development of Quality of Education defines the National Qualifications Framework as an instrument that classifies qualifications for the education sub-systems' (general, vocational and higher education, informal education) integration and coordination, as well as improvement of qualification quality, transparency, availability and development, taking the labour market and social interests into consideration.

The NQF includes quality-assured qualifications from general, vocational and higher education systems.

The new legal base adopted in October 2018 acknowledges the place for qualifications awarded outside of the formal education system, and the new VET Law (2018) places high priority to lifelong learning (training and retraining for better employability). This process of developing the legal base supporting implementation of the VET Law is in its initial phase.
 

The first Georgian NQF was adopted by ministerial decree in 2010 and has impacted through its level structure and descriptors the panorama of qualifications in Georgia. This was a sub-divided NQF, based on three sub-frameworks (general, vocational and higher).

In 2017-2018 a major revision of the NQF has taken place, to improve coherence and better linkages between the sub-systems (general education, VET and higher education) and compatibility with EQF. As a result, in October 2018 the Parliament adopted the NQF-related amendments to the Law of Georgia on Development of Educational quality.

There is no single Law fully dedicated to the new NQF. Instead Georgia decided to insert a new chapter in an existing Law: Chapter IV2 (3 articles) of the amended (2018) Law of Georgia on Development of Educational Quality, sets the goals and levels of the new NQF levels, and the role of the new classifier of fields of study.
Simultaneously, in 2017-2018 a package of new legal acts supporting implementation of the new NQF have been drafted and consulted with the stakeholders. The main subordinate acts in form of orders of the Ministry of Education Science Culture and Sport of Georgia (MESCC, see: http://mes.gov.ge/index.php?lang=eng), and rules and methodologies to be approved by the Director of NCEQE, which have developed in 2018 and 2019 are:

In 2018 – for approval:

• Ministerial Order on the 8-level structure of the NQF, level descriptors and list of typical qualifications
• Ministerial Order on the Classifier of Fields of Study, based on ISCED-F 2013
• Ministerial Order on Governance and Monitoring of the NQF
• In 2019 the following acts are planned for finalisation and approval:
• Ministerial Order on rules for development of education programmes aligned with the NQF levels
• Rules for recognition of non-formal education, and related regulations on quality assurance of the education and training institutions delivering such programmes and credentials
• Methodology for levelling programmes’ learning outcomes
• Concept and technical specifications for the new online register of qualifications
• Rules for VET educational standards (to be developed)

The ongoing reform of the NQF is expected to deepen the coherence with the 2017-2018 reforms of the education quality assurance system, enhance transparency and evidence based decision-making on the NQF implementation, and support inclusion of quality-assured qualifications for lifelong learning awarded outside of the formal education sector.

The National Centre for Education Quality Enhancement (NCEQE) manages the NQF. Its functions include implementing quality assurance measures; maintaining the register of occupational standards and register of accredited programmes and facilitating social partner engagement, such as in development of occupational standards.

The Ministry of Education and Science defines policy, oversees validation arrangements, authorises establishment of VET providers, and oversees recognition of vocational education received in a foreign country.

Sector councils identify particular components of vocational qualifications, modules and need for development of frameworks/modules of vocational standards; they submit relevant proposals to NCEQE. To date, 11 sector councils have been established in fields including humanities; business, administration and law; engineering; industry, food processing; construction, engineering; information and communication technologies; agriculture, forestry, fishing, veterinary; and healthcare and social care. Each council is composed of seven to nine members. Social partners are represented.

In 2017 and 2018 the debates to improve governance of the new NQF led to a proposal to create a new consultative NQF body, composed of varied stakeholders: the NQF Advisory Board (NQF AB). The mission and full set of functions of this NQF AB are defined as follows in the new draft subordinate act on NQF governance and monitoring:

a) Review strategic directions of the NQF development, elaborate proposals  on the amendments to be made and  provide recommendations to the Director for the  approval. 
b) Review the draft action plan for  the NQF implementation of its correspondence with the strategic directions of development; elaborate  proposals for the changes to be made and provide recommendations to the Director for  the  approval;
c) Review the performance report of the annual action plan, elaborate proposals for the next action plan and provide recommendations to the Director to consider them;
d) Review the results of periodic, comprehensive monitoring and the draft of a roadmap of further development and implementation of the NQF, elaborate proposals for making changes in it and provide recommendations to the Director for its approval;
e) Review other issues, related to the NQF development and elaborate relevant proposals.

Once this subordinate act is approved, NCEQE and the new NQF Advisory Board will work together to further develop the NQF structure and content, develop learning outcomes-based programs and respective qualifications, transparent inclusion of qualifications into the NQF, defining the format of the electronic qualifications register, and disseminating information for key stakeholders, users and the wider public.
NCEQE has been established as a legal entity of public law by Ministerial order Nr 89/5 of 14/09/2010 to support the promotion of educational quality assurance and improvement. NCEQE has independent management of its functional organisation, staffing and human resource development, and budget.

NCEQE performs its activities on the principles of transparency and publicity. NCEQE’s activities can be grouped in three main components:

a) quality assurance of educational programmes and institutions;

b) support to quality improvement to educational institutions via information and advice;

c) qualifications development and improvement.

Besides, NCEQE hosts the Georgian ENIC-NARIC Centre and recognises foreign qualifications. Supervision over the activities of the NCEQE is administered by the Ministry in accordance with the procedure, envisaged by Law of Georgia on Legal Entities of Public Law. Since 2013 NCEQE has the status of affiliated member European Association for Quality Assurance of Higher Education (ENQA) [6].
Detailed presentation of NCEQE’s organisational structure, functional set-up and staffing are provided in annex 1. The organisational structure is presented at: http://eqe.ge/eng/structure

The governance of the NQF, as a key policy instrument for transparency of qualifications and facilitation of recognition and mobility, is a matter for further debate and development. The new phase of the Georgian NQF opens new opportunities to include qualifications of different types beyond those from formal education, to promote closer links between education and the market demands, and to be better used by all stakeholders groups. These perspectives will require more participative governance and decision-making, and more active dissemination and information among stakeholders.

NCEQE’s Strategy Document 2016-2020 takes account of lessons from the activities carried out in 2013-2016 and responds to international experts’ reviews, notably those conducted in the framework of the Centre’s application for full membership of the ENQA, as well as in the framework of cooperation with European Framework for Quality Management (EFQM) [7]. This Strategy defines key strategic landmarks for organisational development, indispensable to respond to challenges, raise effectiveness, service quality, customer satisfaction, sustainability and reliability as an institution. NCEQE’s Strategy Document pursues the following aims:

1. Improve organisational management systems and build capacity of NCEQE, strengthen its institutional independence according to state policy, government priorities and international standards
2. Develop outcomes-oriented quality assurance system for educational institutions and programmes and improve relevant services.
3. Improve services to support educational institutions.
4. Implement the principle of LLL in qualification system, using best international practice to optimise and improve education recognition services.
5. Raise awareness about Georgia in the European Higher Education Area, support internationalisation of education.

[5]  ENQA: http://www.enqa.eu/index.php/enqa-agencies/affiliates/

[6] http://www.efqm.org/

The state budget is the main source of funding of the past and ongoing activities related with NQF operations – coordination, steering and decision making, exercised chiefly by NCEQE.

The development of the new NQF has benefited from some support from international partners, which contributed since 2017 to the debate on the new NQF, through knowledge-sharing and analysis. ETF has been the major partner of NCEQE since 2017, supporting the review of the existing drafts of the new NQF legal base, development of concept and policy notes and draft subordinate acts, the basis of the register of qualifications and of the NQF Handbook.

From 2019 a new EU Twinning project will support NCEQE in further developing the key elements of the quality assurance framework of education (all sub-sectors) and the new NQF. This cooperation will focus on reviewing the legal and regulatory base of quality assurance and the NQF, methodology packages, reinforce capacity, develop the detailed conceptual and technical specifications of the new NQF online register and portal.
 

In 2005, Georgia joined the Bologna Process and took the responsibility to harmonize its educational system with the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and to implement higher education quality assurance system. In 2006, the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia established a quality assurance agency – the National Centre for Educational Accreditation (Order N222, the Ministry of Education and Science), which was authorized to conduct institutional accreditation of higher education institutions of Georgia. The system has been reformed in 2010 aiming at strengthening the role of the external quality assurance and extending the mandate of the quality assurance body.
In this regard, the Law on Educational Quality Enhancement has been introduced. By this law an independent quality assurance body – the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement (NCEQE) has been established as a legal successor of the National Center for Educational Accreditation. The core functions of the NCEQE are: implementing external quality assurance mechanisms of all educational institutions (higher education institutions (HEI), vocational education institutions and general education institutions) operating in the country, on both institutional and programme level; development of the national qualifications framework; recognition of foreign education.
To fulfill its function of implementation and development of external quality assurance mechanisms for higher education institutions, the NCEQE continuously works on the development of the education quality concept, creates and maintains up-to-dated quality assurance (QA) standards and procedures and ensures relevant mechanisms for their proper implementation. In this regard, several external reviews of the agency’s activities and the external quality assurance mechanisms have been conducted by international peers. The recommendations of the reviews have been considered for the development of the QA system.
Currently, two main external quality assurance mechanisms – authorization of educational institutions and accreditation of educational programmes are in place.
The authorization of higher education institutions is an obligatory for all HEIs in order to be allowed to carry out educational activities and to issue a diploma that is recognized by the state. The procedure identifies the compatibility of educational institutions with authorization standards. The term of the authorization is 6 years after which the HEIs are obliged to go thought the re-authorization procedure in order to continue its activates.
The accreditation of educational programmes determines the compatibility of educational programmes with accreditation standards. Programme accreditation is mandatory only for doctoral programmes and programmes of regulated professions (Medicine, Law, Teacher Education, Veterinary, and Maritime). However, due to the fact that state funding goes only to accredited programmes, 98% (1950 accredited programmes) of all academic programs are accredited.
To ensure the continuous development of education quality and the consideration of the external evaluation results by the HEIs, the NCEQE carries out follow-up monitoring procedures for both educational institutions and educational programmes.
Furthermore, the NCEQE supports the development of internal quality assurance mechanisms of HEIs through providing various capacity building activities, including provision of guidelines, consultations and workshops for HEIs.
In 2015-2017, NCEQE revised the system of higher education quality assurance to strengthen the development-oriented and outcome-based function of quality assurance and to ensure its compliance with the requirements of Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG 2015). Specifically, the quality assurance standards and procedures have been revised; formal procedure of complaints and appeals has been introduced; students, employer representatives and international experts have been involved in the review panels; evaluation reports became publicly available.
In order to foster the proper implementation of the revised QA system special programme the NCEQE carried out pilot evaluations of HEIs, provided capacity building activities to HEIs and experts, and developed review process guidelines. Special programme under the project “Study in Georgia” has been designed to support the above-mentioned activities.
From 2018, the NCEQE has started the system-wide implementation of the revised quality assurance standards and procedures at Georgian higher education institutions.

In VET the key elements of the revised and reinforced quality assurance framework are:

- The main objective of QA reform in VET is to revise authorization standards and procedures in order to bring them in compliance with EQAVET principles and consider context of modular, competence based teaching and assessment approaches including dual education principles.   

- New draft authorization standards are mainly based on EQAVET principles.

The agreed changes in VET QA will include:

The new draft QA standards, besides programs, material and human resources, will consider some important issues as strategic planning and development, student services, information resources and financial stability of an institution.
New procedures will introduce institution’s “partial compliance to the standards” assessment, which will enable institution to work on further development without losing an authorization. 
New requirements to institutions self-assessment will be introduced which will enable NCEQE to observe institution’s progress between self-assessment periods.
Verification of student assessments will be introduced as an additional QA mechanism.

 Milestones for development of VET QA:
New standards and procedures will enter into the force after adoption of new VET law by the parliament, before 2019.
New self-assessment process piloting will take place in 2019 and self-assessment reporting for TVET providers will be mandatory in 2020;
Assessment verification is under piloting in 2018. In 2019 piloting will cover most of providers and in 2020 will become official QA mechanism.

All VET qualifications together with occupational standards and Educational standards in Formal education are placed on www.vet.ge and www.eqe.ge. These registers are for public use. As of December 2018 the total number of approved quality assured modular VET programmes (qualifications) included in the register is 97, in 62 sectors and 3 NQF levels (3, 4 and 5).
As of November 2017 the total number of higher education programmes (qualifications) included in the NCEQE register is 1,940 in 12 sectors and all relevant levels. The large majority are in the 3 cycles (Bachelor, Master, Doctoral). This register is not open for public use.
The concept for the new common digital qualifications register was developed in 2018 and will be followed by a new IT system and platform open for users. The concept defines the common structure for any qualification to be inserted in the new qualifications register, which is fully in line with the Annex 6 of the EQF Recommendation (revised in 2017):

Different compulsory and elective fields are defined for qualifications of different sub-systems, but the common  information for all qualifications is:

1. Name of the programme
2. Title of the qualification
3. Field of study (ISCED –F-2013)
4. Country code (ISO standard – only in English form)
5. Level of the qualification: (The NQF level)
6. Description of the qualification

       a) Learning outcomes:

• Knowledge
• Skills
• Responsibility and autonomy

      b) Open text field, describing what the learner is expected to know, understand and able to do upon completion of educational process.

7. Name, address and web-address of awarding institution
8. Credits (ECTS or ECVET)
9.  Internal quality assurance processes (Not mandatory)
10. External quality assurance

•   Agency, ensuring quality assurance;
•   Address, web-address

11. Date of authorization/accreditation and validity terms; 
12. Additional information about qualification  
13. Source of additional information
14. Qualification URL
15. Access and entry requirements
16. Ways to acquire qualification
17. Opportunities for pursuing studies
18. Terms of validity
19. Qualification-relevant fields of employment: according to ISCO-08  for vocational education, training and re-training qualifications; 

Reflecting information in the Register
Information about individual qualification should be entered in the Electronic Register of the NQF on the basis of the external QA procedures, defined by the legislation and after acquiring authorization to grant specific qualification by an educational institution or other legal person. Inclusion of qualification in the NQF is automatically reflected in Qualifications Electronic Registry.      
The procedure of registering qualification in Qualifications Register is determined by the Ministerial order “On the NQF Monitoring and Governing”.  NCEQE is responsible for registering   all quality-assured qualifications.
Considering the Register purposes, it will be bilingual (Georgian and English).
 

A new subordinate act supporting implementation of the NQF is planned for approval in 2018, which defines the modes of governing and monitoring the NQF.

The new NQF monitoring will comprise two complementary dimensions:

• Ongoing, annual monitoring; 
• Periodic, comprehensive monitoring.

Ongoing monitoring aims to support good implementation of tasks defined in the NQF annual action plan. It will also include the evaluation of activities performed according to assessment criteria.
The periodic, comprehensive monitoring will support further NQF development, and be carried out with a periodicity of 4-5 years. A specially formed group will plan and coordinate the activities and analysis of periodic, comprehensive monitoring. The plan for further NQF development is worked out on the basis of the results and conclusions of comprehensive monitoring.  

Indicative questions for comprehensive monitoring:

• To what extent does the level descriptor correspond to requirements of educational and employment spheres? 
• Do NQF levels correspond to the wide variety of qualifications in the country ?
• Is it necessary to introduce new types of qualifications?
• To what extent are the qualifications defined by the legislation compatible with the country's requirements?

The NQF is an important driver of the learning outcomes approach for all sub-sectors of education and training, and currently is increasingly acting as a linkage between formal and non-formal education and training and between the sub-sectors of the formal education system. The experience of NQF implementation has also contributed to interconnect quality-assurance and inclusion of qualifications in the NQF;  and to identification of areas of difficult permeability in the education and training continuum.