HE Component Discussed at the Meeting

The World Bank Regular Implementation Support Mission for I2Q Project continues. On September 10, the World Bank representatives held an online meeting with Nino Begiashvili, the I2Q Project Higher Education Component Lead.

Nino Begiashvili held a presentation about ongoing and planned activities within the scope of the Higher Education Component. She said that developing new options for higher education financing is in progress and is expected to end in the nearest future. 2024 will be the first year of the full-scale implementation of the new model of HE financing.

As Higher Education Component Lead mentioned the within the HE component the creation of HEIs information management database system is planned. HEIs information management database system is for measuring the institutional effectiveness of HEIs and statistical processing of all relevant information for a new funding formula. The works are underway and by the end of November 2021, the draft version of the terms of reference will be submitted.

As for the Competitive Innovation Fund (CIF), it will be established as a Grant Project coordinated by the MESCS to foster the modernization of higher education programs and learning environments. Works are in progress and the regulating documentation is being prepared. The CIF will be implemented in 2 phases – a pilot in the first year (2022) for around 5 projects followed by a further about 35 in the following years (2023-2024).

Nino Begiashvili also talked about promoting the internationalization of higher education. As she mentioned the I2Q Project will support the development of a joint doctoral program, the students’ entrepreneurship skills and English language skills considering discipline requirements.