NEWS

The German Government, through KfW Development Bank, is providing loan and grant funding to the Government of Georgia to construct and operate the first Center of Excellence (CoE) as sectorial hub and vocational education institution. The CoE will serve the selected priority sectors of logistics and construction.

The Vocational Education Programme I started in December 2021 with the aim of supporting the Ministry of Education and Science in establishing the first Center of Excellence in Georgia as a strategic greenfield investment located in the new “Education and Science City” in Didi Digomi (Tbilisi).

PEM Consult’s team has finalised working on the detailed business model for the CoE which has been elaborated jointly with a wide range of Georgian stakeholder groups, including industry sector representatives, the Ministry of Education and Science and the Georgian Skills Agency.

The new CoE will be unique with a multi-functional, technologically trend-leading, green campus that will offer diploma, certificate and specialised courses for students, trainees and apprentices in the two sectors, providing opportunities to teachers and trainers to upgrade their technical knowledge and skills, using advanced training technologies, practised by global leaders.

Georgian companies in the two sectors will use the campus facilities as inter-company training centre for their dual apprentices; job-seekers, employees and managers will receive top-notch technical training that will be recognised both in Georgia and internationally.

“Despite high economic growth, Georgia still suffers from high unemployment, particularly among young people. A key reason is that the Georgian education system does not adequately prepare students for today’s labour market challenges. One approach to solving this problem is to modernise the system of vocational training in Georgia. KfW supports this process by financing a “Centre of Excellence” for construction and logistics, two professional fields which will become increasingly important in the future due to the country’s geostrategic position between Europe and Asia”, - says KfW Georgia office.

PEM Consult GmbH, a Germany-based consulting firm, is implementing the project with its partners Deutsche Bahn Engineering & Consulting (Germany) and DMARK Architectural Design Company (Georgia).

“Our aim for the Centre of Excellence is to bring the best German practice and international standards into the Georgian vocational education system of the two sectors. This is reflected in our proposed business development plan. Rapid technological development will change the nature of work and the staff requirements of employers, thus, vocational institutions must capture this change in their programmes. So, the mission of the Centre of Excellence will be to serve a) as a knowledge transfer hub that provides its students, industry and its school network partners insight into global trends and research and b) as a first-class vocational training provider and inter-company training centre with excellency at all levels. Through dual training schemes and top-up diplomas, practical work and technology will form the cornerstones of the CoE excellence policy” - said Marita Münks, Managing Director of PEM Consult.

Besides offering a variety of vocational programmes, the CoE will serve as a knowledge resource center and hub for innovation and development for the two industries. An own dormitory and attractive campus will make it accessible to students from throughout Georgia and facilitate teacher and student exchanges within Georgia and internationally. The CoE will also work with existing public and private educational institutions in Georgia to raise the quality of teaching and increase attractiveness of professions in construction and logistics. Selected TVET providers in Georgia will form closer Network Partners of the CoE and will be upgraded by investments into modern teaching and workshop equipment of VEP I. 

“One of the main priorities for the Government of Georgia is the creation of a nationwide vocational education and training (VET) networkthat promotes excellence in skills development and builds modern workforce for local and global labour markets. The support KfW is providing with this regard will be instrumental in the GoG reform agenda to upgrade its vocational education to international standards and ensure responsiveness of skills provision to the labour market demand, competitiveness of the Georgian vocational education and herewith economy on the global environment”, - said the representative of the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia.

The infrastructure of the campus and its buildings are designed following a holistic “green school” concept aiming at energy efficiency, demonstrating green building technology and forming a practical learning site which is integrated in the work-oriented teaching process. This includes entrepreneurship learning and student innovation start-up facilities. The centre will showcase green technology (in facades, roof greening, renewable energies, etc.). Practice workshop equipment and AI robotics will demonstrate high-tech, state-of-the-art technology and best didactical practices. As such, the CoE will become an active member of the European network of centers of vocational excellence.

Construction works are planned to start in 2023, and the CoE is expected to enroll its first students in the school year 2025/2026.

For more information about CoE project and contacts, please visit: www.coe.edu.ge