Georgia - Our Projects

Project Office in Tbilisi / Georgia

Country Director: Ms. Lali Santeladze

Address: Kipshidze str. 20, App. 3, Tbilisi 0179
Tel. /Fax: +995 (32) 291 34 75; 225 17 52
E-mail: info@dvv-international.ge, santeladze@dvv-international.ge   
www.dvv-international.ge

Contact person at dvv international in Bonn: 

Maja Avramovska
E-mail: avramovska@dvv-international.de

The Adult Education Association of Georgia (AEAG), which was set up in 2005 and brings together over 55 institutions of Adult Education (AE) and individual members, is considered the strategic partner of dvv international in Georgia. In the framework of cooperation with the AEAG, Georgian AE-providers are supported in the creation of modern income-generating and vocational training programs and curricula and in-service training of trainers. With the support of dvv international the AEAG implements the Innovation Fund for local providers of non-formal education in the regions. Every year three to four innovative programs in AE are supported and contribute to development of educational services for the population and increased qualification of adult educators.

Cooperation with the Association, which has been a member of the European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA) since 2005, also extends to lobbying. Information-sharing and discussions with the representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science, local government, other organisations working in the field of Education, as well as the supervision of Adult Education Festivals, is done on a regular basis and aims at increasing the awareness of the decision-makers and the general population about the benefits and advantages of Adult Education and Lifelong Learning and their role in combating poverty and contributing to the socio-economic development of the country.

In order to contribute to the capacity-building of the members of the AEAG, every year two to four adult educators take part in international conferences and workshops on modern trends and developments in AE.

Community Education Centres in Georgia

dvv international Georgia continues to support six Community/Adult Education Centres which have been established by the Georgian representation of dvv international in the framework of the EU-funded projects between 2006-2011. Four of the Centres, Koda, Shaumiani, Jvari and Senaki, are being supported directly, while the AE Centres in Samtskhe-Javakheti (the Akhaltsikhe and Akhalkalaki Centres) are being supported through the Adult Education Association of Georgia.

The aims of the AE Centres are twofold: to help the population of the regions affected by unemployment and migration to acquire the new skills in demand on the labour market; and to contribute to the integration of national minorities and displaced persons into the local communities. These aims are achieved through a wide range of educational courses which are seen as tools for the welfare of individual beneficiaries and the sustainable development of the targeted regions as a whole.

Every year up to 5,000 beneficiaries take part in the vocational education, personal development and youth and citizenship programs as well as various public events offered by the centres.

"Topography of Red Terror" - Rethinking Soviet-Georgian History (Stalinism, Totalitarianism, Repressions)

The project's aim is to analyse the Soviet past through working on the topic of Stalinism, terror and repressions and initiating research in order to document and educate people about the roots of the Soviet terror and repressions in Georgia.

The activities in the project are carried out by the non-governmental organisation Soviet Past Research Laboratory, which was founded on March 29, 2010.

In February 2011, with the financial support of dvv international, Soviet Past Research Laboratory started the project "Soviet Tbilisi". A new virtual tour called "Soviet Tbilisi" was developed, where various buildings, events and people connected with the Soviet history of Tbilisi are listed and different events are described. In addition, a publication entitled "Red Terror Topography" which presents a collection of essays by various authors was produced and will be used as an educational resource for history teachers in secondary schools as well as being an informative book for the general public to read.

Training Course for the teachers of VET colleges and Universities

The training course of practitioner andragogues (adult teachers) was first developed in 2007 by experts of the Adult Education Association of Georgia (AEAG) with the financial support of and consultation with dvv international. It was tailored for representatives of vocational and non-formal education institutions and included the following topics: fundamentals and basic elements of Adult Education; development of curricula; teaching methods; evaluation of knowledge and skills; and organisation of Adult Education.  Since that time, dvv international has held regular training programs for trainers and teachers of VET in colleges and universities. In between the trainings, dvv international offers consultations to the program beneficiaries and provides them with modern teaching materials. In 2011 more than 100 teachers participated in the program.

Adult Education Festival in Georgia

The aim of the annual Adult Education Festival organised by dvv international is the popularisation of the Lifelong Learning concept and the presentation of best practices in the field of education for youth and adults.

The initiative is supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia, the Ministry of Occupied Territories, Accommodation and Refugees of Georgia, Tbilisi City Hall, the National Museum of Georgia and Non-Governmental Organisations. Representatives of international organisations and invited guests from abroad participate in the Festivals.

Every year a conference on key AE issues takes place in the framework of the festival, where the partners of dvv international, AE experts, local society and representatives of the local governments as well as media representatives exchange ideas about a variety of topics related to Lifelong Learning.

Fairs and various cultural events, including exhibitions, theatre performances, and photo contests are also part of the festival, presenting products and achievements of different projects in the sphere of Adult Education and the work of the Community Education Centres and youth clubs.