International Institute for Education Policy Planning and Management performed monitoring of implementation of Association Agreement responsibility towards supporting lifelong learning (LLL).
Research was conducted during February 1, 2019 – April 8, 2019. The research period was January 6, 2019 through April 8, 2019. The focus of the study was on implementation of the changes in the Georgian Law on Education Quality, Higher Education, Vocation Education and General Education approved by the Parliament of Georgia in October, 2018. The changes to the national legislation were in line with Articles 358 and 359 of the Association Agreement and related to supporting the progress of implementation of LLL, strengthening the international collaboration of academics, their mobility, education quality assurance, improving the access to and relevance of each level of education, recognition of competences and qualifications.
Research results indicate to the serious deficiencies of the process of implementation of European Parliament and Council recommendations (2017/C 189/03) “on the elaboration of European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning”. The terms of national legislation (Georgian Law on Education Quality and Law on Higher Education) are violated as none of the foreseen bylaws have been approved by the Ministry of Education Science Culture and Sports within the deadlines fixed in the legislation. This in turn prevents the process of implementation of the Association Agreement responsibilities taken by the country under Articles 358 and 359.
The research provides the recommendations that would help national institutions mitigate the risk of violation of the legislation in future and suggests the ways of improving the process of implementation of the responsibilities taken by the country under Association Agreement.