In continuation of cooperation with Georgian colleagues, on June 3, a memorandum on cooperation between NAQA and the National Center for Educational Quality Improvement (hereinafter – the NCEQE), Georgia was signed. NCEQE is the only state-authorized quality assurance agency in Georgia with a 10-year history. NCEQE is ENQA full member and EQAR-registered agency. It carries out authorization of educational institutions and accreditation of study programmes, monitors implementation of authorization and accreditation standards, works on improving the external as well as the internal quality assurance mechanisms.
NAQA was represented by Head Serhiy Kvit, Vice Head Nataliia Stukalo, NAQA Member Iryna Zolotaryova, Head of the Secretariat Mychailo Wynnyckyj and International Project Manager Albina Tsiatkovska. The Georgian part was represented by Tamar Makharashvili, director of NCEQE, Kakhaber Eradze, Deputy director of NCEQE, Lasha Margishvili, Head of Quality Enhancement Department for Higher Education, Khatia Tsiramua, Acting Head of Strategic Development and Internationalization Division.
The meeting and signing of the memorandum was moderated by Svitlana Shytikova, Director of National Erasmus Office in Ukraine. Irine Darchia – expert on higher education reform, associate professor of Tbilisi State University named after Ivan Javakhishvili – greeted both Agencies with the fruitful cooperation.
The partnership between NAQA and NCEQE was established last year with the support of the European Union and National Erasmus Offices of Ukraine and Georgia. In November 2019, Georgian colleagues visited Ukraine to exchange experience in ensuring the quality of higher education with NAQA. During the meeting on June 3 the parties also had opportunity to share their successes and problems associated with pandemic and national quarantine.
The signing of memorandum of cooperation in online format is a unique experience for both parties and the impressions from the meeting were extremely positive. Therefore, we want to emphasize once again that quarantine is not a reason to stop, but an opportunity to find new ways to achieve the desired goal.
