EU-GS

Project Description

“Advancing European Values and Standards in Georgian Schools” (620893-EPP-1-2020-1-GE-EPPJMO-PROJECT), shortly EU-GS, is the Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Project (2020-2022) co-funded by the European Union and implemented by LLC European University, Tbilisi, Georgia. 

 

EU-GS has as its ambition to support Georgia on its way to meeting the obligations under the EU-Georgia Association Agreement with respect to the objective of Europeanizing the Georgian secondary education system. 

 

Policy paper with recommendations is [to be] published by the EU-GS research team based on the findings of the desk and field research, building on which, a training manual for teachers/directors is [to be] subsequently produced by the EU-GS analytical team. 

 

The purpose of the policy paper is to encourage critical reflection among the education experts, school directors, Ministry of Education and other relevant local or international actors on the challenges standing in the way of Europeanizing Georgian secondary education system, and to give specific policy recommendations. 

 

As for the training manual, it is aimed at stimulating discussion and practical work on European values as well as European standards of the teaching and learning processes at secondary schools of Georgia, to be then followed by training sessions for school teachers/directors held by project experts. 

 

Numerous result dissemination and public engagement activities planned within the frame of the project ensure visibility of the European Union as of an actor, which is positively contributing to the advancement of the democratic values and high [European] standards in the schools of Georgia, and to the overall progress in the Georgian education system performance.

  • Objective: To promote the Europeanization of the general education system of Georgia

  • Geographical area: cities of 10 regions of Georgia (Gori, Rustavi, Marneuli, Akhalkalaki, Borjomi, Zugdidi, Mestia, Ambrolauri, Mtskheta, Telavi, Kutaisi, Lanchkhuti, Batumi) + Tbilisi

  • Target audience: Public school principals, teachers and students in Tbilisi and the regions, Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia, Educational Resource Centers, National Center for Teacher Professional Development, Education Experts.

  • Project duration: 18 months

 

Preparatory works:

  • Developing a visual identity for the project (banner, logo)

  • Creating project website (www.EU-GS.ge)

  • Making a mobile application (Android) for the project 

  • Establishment of a tripartite consultation format composed of the project implementation team, representatives of the Ministry of Education and principals of the target schools

  • Holding a grand opening of the project

Undertaking research and producing policy document with recommendations

  • Objective: Conduct desk research and fieldwork to determine:

     a) to what extent do Georgian school programs provide European values ?

     b) to what extent are European standards of teaching ensured in school education ?



    Phase I Specific activities and targets:


    • Conduct desk research

    • Hold training in research methods and prepare student-researchers for fieldwork (60 students – 30 selected)

    • Fieldwork # 1 – Focus groups with 11th and 12th graders of 24 schools (approximately 300-350 students)

    • Fieldwork # 2- In-depth interviews with relevant school principals

    • Produce a policy document (min. 60 pages)

    • Present research findings and policy document to stakeholders

    • Create infographics on research results and recommendations (2 infographics in total)

Phase II: Creating a methodological manual for teachers and conducting relevant trainings

  • Objective: To develop a methodological manual based on the problems identified during the research and the relevant recommendations, to train the principals-teachers of the target schools and, together with them, conduct online interactive seminars for the pupils.


    Phase II specific activities and targets:


    • Produce a methodological manual in Georgian and translate it into English, Armenian and Azerbaijani languages

    • Develop appropriate training materials for the modules based on the methodological manual

    • Hold trainings for at least 110 principals in Tbilisi, Zugdidi, Telavi, Akhalkalaki and Marneuli, and provide live broadcasts (3 two-day and 2 one-day, 14 trainings in total).

    • Conduct online interactive seminars on module topics by project trainers and trained principals-teachers for Georgian, Azerbaijani and Armenian pupils

Phase III: Interacting with the public and supporting school initiatives


  • Objective: To make the project results known to the general public and to encourage future activities based on them.

     

    Relevant activities:

    1. Submission of mini-projects by 11th and 12th grade public school pupils

    2. Selecting the best 3 initiatives and issuing sub-grants for their implementation

    3. Holding series of public discussions in Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Telavi

    4. Organizing project concluding conference.