Accreditation of Doctoral Programs in Public Health in Georgia

Abstract

Georgia joined the Bologna process in 2005 and since that time 3 cycle of education  (BA, MA, PhD) was introduced in the country. Exception are programs in the fields of medicine, veterinary and teacher education, they are defined by the national legislation as one-cycle integrated programs equivalent to the Master’s level. In 2005 external and internal mechanisms of Quality assurance was implemented in the higher educational system. External quality assurance is administered by the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement (NCEQE), internal mechanisms are used in the higher educational institutions (HEIs).

Institutional evaluation is a mandatory for all HEIs which provide the right to deliver educational programs. According to the legislation in Georgia there are three types of HEIs (University, Teaching University and College). Just HEIs with status of ,University’ is authorized  to deliver doctoral programs. 

Accreditation (programs’ evaluation) is obligatory for regulated professions (medicine, veterinary, law, teacher preparation and maritime education) and for doctoral programs as well.  Only after accreditation doctoral programs in any fields, including Public Health, can be implemented. During the accreditation process the panel of external experts evaluates the compliance of educational programmes with accreditation standards, each standard is broken down into the sub standards. This set of accreditation standards apply to all education programs, including doctoral programs in Public Health.

Erasmus + project “Doctoral Programmes in Public Health and Social Science” (DPPHSS) was launched in November 2018. Project aimed modernization of Public health Doctoral Programme in Georgia and Armenia. The project involves four universities from two beneficiary countries, among them are two universities from Georgia: Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University and University of Georgia. In the framework of ongoing Erasmus project doctoral programs in Public Health was updated and re-accredited based on national accreditation standards by NCEQE in both Georgian Universities.

At TSU the doctoral programme "Public Health and Epidemiology" was developed, updated and amended based on Resolution №100 of the TSU Academic Council.  Updated program and syllabi  was reviewed on several meetings of Public Health Curriculum Committee consisting of 8 members involved in the Erasmus + DPPHSS project. Doctoral programme "Public Health and Epidemiology" was approved by the TSU Faculty of Medicine Board Meeting #13 in November and by TSU Academic Council Meeting (#142/2019) in December 2019. On 29-30 April 2020 at TSU there was a Site-Visit of expert panel and on 17 July 2020 Doctoral program get Accreditation with full compliance to the national standards.

Successful completion of the accreditation process of the Public Health Doctoral Programme in Public Health in Georgia in in line with goals set by the Erasmus + DPPHSS international project.