P r e w o r k

       According to the contract concluded in Bergen (Norway), Georgia joined to Bologna Process in May, 2005. For us the contract implies quick development of higher education reforms in order to join to higher education system of Europe.
       Bologna declaration establishes various standards of developing higher education which is inevitable condition for the project participant higher universities. The most important issue is increasing Quality Assurance System according to the offered standards. It implies developing teaching, studying and research quality.
       In 2006 the International Department System and Quality Assurance System of the University worked seriously to find partner universities at EU countries and create consortium to write the project at TESAU. The aim of the project would be development of the Internal Quality Assurance System. Over 50 letters were sent to Europe demanding consortium creation. Were responds to the call. Finally consortium was created by participating five educational institutions.

Consortium members and individual experts:

1. Professional Education University of HAN ( The Netherlands ) – project bringer and grant receiver.
2. Academic Preparing Association ( The Netherlands ) – the main author and coordinator of the project.
3. Social Sciences University of Grenoble ( France ).
4. Marburg University ( Germany ) .
5. Telavi State University – from consortium member countries.

Three individual experts invited to the project:

1. Roger Penn – the professor of Economic Sociology and Statistics from Lancaster University ( Great Britain ).
2. Nicolas Herens – the leader of the projects of Quality Assurance Institute (The Netherlands Universities)
3. Professor Marc Garcia – the director of the Centre of Wine – making Culture ( National Politechnic University of Tuluz ) .

About the project

"Developing an Internal Quality Assurance System at Telavi State University"

The aim:

• Increasing the quality of University education at Telavi State University.
• Supporting the current academic reforms at Georgia.
• Integration of Telavi State University to the higher educational sphere of Europe.

Possible results:

• Creating the University Development Centre which will organize the arrangements under the project;
• Developing the quality of University education and research.
• Informing students and employees about higher education quality and standards.
• Creating the diagram for University employees qualification and requirements.
• Giving useful advices while creating teaching courses and programs.
• Overcoming the difficulties raised during credits awarding process.
• Monitoring the implemented activities.

Implementing activities:

       Under the project we plan to create Quality Assurance System with the aspects in it:

• Teaching and studying.
• Research.
• Administer, Governing and Servicing.

        The project will review the Quality Assurance Systems established and approbated at EU countries and create adequate pattern at TESAU. Academic personal and Administration colleagues will be trained additionally as a result of the studying visits abroad and the conferences, seminars, workshops carried out by foreign experts. Additional training of the academic personal is planned in the teaching and studying spheres as well.
        First year while working on the project the System of Teaching and Studying Quality will be examined. Academic personal will receive the diagram of official evaluation system for every studying course curriculums. The project plans to publish combined academic magazine of consortium member universities.
        During the project course implemented works will be permanently examined and the results will be aquanted to the project participants.

Programs, Courses, Credits, Curriculums and Quality Assurance

       To achieve the high teaching quality the existed curriculums and teaching materials will be analyzed. Better surroundings will be created for studying. Competences and studying results will be transparent.
       During the trainings held at Telavi State University the experts of EU partner universities will analyze and calculate three piloting faculties ( Agrarian, Social Sciences and Actual and Natural Sciences ).
       Six four – days meetings will be held about the theme - "credits as the tool for developing curriculums and quality". The meeting will be not only for the professor – lecturers of piloting faculties but for other faculties as well. The following issues will be discussed:

• Writing syllabus.
• Credits.
• Modern Teaching Methodology.
• The systems of students’ assessment.
• Writing scientific works and articles.

Supporting quality assurance with developing teaching resourses

1. On the first year of the project the library will be enriched with the literature and technic equipment of three piloting faculties. It’s foreseen as well to subscribe internetmagazines that will be accessible for students and academic personal. Next year the library will be useful for other faculties as well.
2. Students will be able to register and choose subjects through the internet. Students’ mobilization will be simplified.
3. The University website will be improved, program and informational booklets will be printed as well.
4. For every courses of piloting faculties the readers of studying courses will be created.
5. Students’ Consultation System will be formed.