[For English scroll down]

2022-2027 During this period, Erasmus+ Georgia National Office (NEO) announces the competition for the selection of Higher Education Experts (HERE).

We cordially invite independent experts and representatives of non-governmental organizations working in relevant fields to submit applications.

mission

The mission of the National Higher Education Expert Group is to use its knowledge to encourage reform and progress in the higher education sector of the country concerned. Therefore, to participate in the development of development plans and reforms in the field of higher education. The HERE mission has three fundamental directions, namely:

• to assist the respective country in the direction of higher education, policy development, by encouraging the modernization reform process in the higher education system and through close communication with local authorities, especially in higher education institutions in terms of curriculum development, governance modernization, management and operational improvement; promoting the deepening of relations with representatives of the higher education system, the general public and economic actors;
• Involvement in political dialogue with the European Union, in the direction of higher education, within the scope of opportunities, through synergy and coordination with various political dialogue platforms created within the Erasmus+ program, and participation/support in other potential initiatives established according to the guidelines of the European Commission.
• Supporting Erasmus+ and other EU-based projects, disseminating their results, especially best practices and innovative initiatives, and using them for modernization and development.

HERE activities International level

Activities will be carried out internationally by an external service provider under the supervision of the European Union and the European Education and Culture Executive Agency. Types of activities mentioned above:

• Thematic workshops designed to meet the specific needs of third countries not associated with the Erasmus+ programme. The purpose of the thematic seminars is to share new knowledge and practices. This may include visits to higher educational institutions and other institutions. It also provides a platform for asking questions, discussions and sharing practices on various topics.
• Study visits to leading universities, both across the EU and third countries, focusing on specific sectoral interests common to these countries. The above-mentioned visits provide an opportunity to hold meetings with both academic and non-academic circles, which are directly responsible for the implementation of specific reforms and policy development in the direction of higher education. The mentioned meetings will have the format of presentations, debates and will be held in question and answer mode.
• International, large-scale conferences, which will be held with the participation of leading experts in the field, and relevant workshops will be held, where special attention will be paid to HERE groups from third countries. The topics of these conferences will be related to the main challenges of modernization and the higher education sector, such as governance, management, financing, curriculum development and lifelong learning.
• Technical Assistance Mission – Specific technical recommendations are provided by the EU and third countries to the HERE Group to enable them to provide training and consultancy to a wide range of target audiences such as university staff, officials and other representatives of higher education institutions. The service provider will identify the relevant experts who will be mandated to carry out the aforementioned short-term missions. The initiative for technical assistance will be expressed at the request of the HERE group, through NEO, and will be distributed at the national and regional levels. 
• Reviews and publications – HERE may be involved in the preparation of reviews and publications initiated by the European Commission and EACEA related to the higher education sector, its institutions, policies, reforms and modernisation. with the process.
• A virtual community of experts and material resources – HERE will provide a web-based platform that can be used to communicate and share/distribute information. This includes the preparation of information materials, brochures and case studies.

HERE activities nationally level.

Along with international activities, the HERE Group will be involved in consulting activities at the national level, more specifically:

• At the institutional level, the responsibility of the HERE Group is to consult and advise, helping higher education institutions to introduce and implement reforms.
• HERE should be actively involved in promoting reforms and raising awareness campaigns, especially in the direction of the EU higher education program and initiatives.
• At the national level, HERE should assist local authorities in formulating, implementing and monitoring higher education reforms. In turn, the aforementioned may include:
  • sharing recommendations and expert knowledge;
  • Participation in the policy formulation process and the preparation of codes, laws and regulations at the national level.
  • participation in seminars, workshops, round tables (teaching, trainings, dissemination and dissemination of information);
  • conducting lectures, participating in panel discussions and debates;
  • public speeches and interviews (radio, television, newspapers, specialized press);
  • preparation of reports, analyzes and studies;
  • Preparation of scientific papers on the reform of higher education in the third country.

Cooperation nationally level

At the national level, HERE operates as a group of members, supported by the Erasmus+ National Office and acting in line with the strategic objectives of local authorities.

Nominated HERE team members commit to regularly attend team meetings and to be available for national missions. Also, they will closely follow the development of higher education reform in their country and will actively participate in the planning of HERE activities.

International in events participation

In order to get the most out of the trainings offered, HERE Group members are obliged to take advantage of the opportunity to participate. They will carry out the necessary preparatory or follow-up work for participation in any necessary conference/event and, if requested, will participate in them as speakers and ensure the dissemination of relevant information.

Financial aspects

Members of the HERE group should be aware that there is no fixed remuneration for their work. However, their travel expenses related to national or international activities will be covered by the NEO.

National HERE team members appointed Should were, ან in the past Should to be down listed from positions one-on one (ან Their on the combination):

• (vice-) rector;
• Dean and/or Head of Department;
• senior academicians;
• Directors of study (Directors of Study);
• Heads of administrative services (such as international relations offices, quality assurance departments, career guidance services, etc.);
• Ministry officials related to higher education;
• other experts and researchers of higher education;
• Students.

application submission last Date: 21/11/2023 (Tbilisi, 18:00 Georgian time)

application forms: CV and cover letter in English, which should describe why you are a suitable candidate for the said position.

application filing procedure: The PDF version of the application forms should be sent to the following email address:   erasmusplusingeorgia@gmail.com

In the subject field, indicate – higher of education reform of experts National group

The National Team of Higher Education Reform Experts

For the period 2022-2027, the NEO (National Erasmus+ Office in Georgia) is looking for members of a new Higher Education Reform Experts (HERE).

Independent experts or NGO representatives working in the relevant fields are highly encouraged to submit the applications.

Mission

The mission of the National Teams of Higher Education Reform Experts is to provide a pool of expertise in order to promote reforms and enhance progress in higher education (HE) in the countries concerned and therefore participate in the development of policies and reforms in Higher Education in their respective country. The mission of the HERE is threefold:

• Support policy development in their respective countries by supporting modernization reform processes and strategies in Higher Education, in close contact with the local authorities concerned and in particular as regards for instance curriculum development, modernization of governance, management and functioning of higher education systems and institutions, strengthening relations between the higher education sector and the wider societal and economic environment, etc.
• Support policy dialogue with the EU in the field of higher education possibly in synergy and coordination with the various policy platforms established under the Erasmus+ program or other potential initiatives established by, and under the guidance of, the European Commission.
• Support Erasmus+ and EU funded projects by disseminating their results and outcomes, notably best practices and innovative initiatives and exploiting them for modernization and development purposes.

HERE activities at international level

Activities at the international level will be organized by an external service provider, under the supervision of the European Commission and the EACEA, and will correspond to the following types:

• Thematic seminars designed to meet specific needs common in various Third countries not associated to the Erasmus+ program. The aim of the thematic seminars is to provide new knowledge and practical experience. They may include field visits at higher education institutions or other relevant stakeholders. They will also provide a platform for questions, discussion and exchange of practices on specific topics and processes.
• Study visits that will take place in prominent universities of EU Member States and third countries associated or non-associated with the Erasmus+ program, focusing on specific topics and fields of interest, common to various third countries. Such visits will provide an opportunity to meet with academic and non-academic staff directly responsible for the introduction and implementation of specific reforms or policies in the field of Higher Education. The visits will include meetings with several types of stakeholders as well as presentations, question & answer sessions and debates.
• International large-scale conferences including keynote speeches by prominent experts and specific workshops dedicated to the attention of the HERE teams of all Third countries not associated to the Erasmus+ program. Such conferences will deal with themes and topics connected to the core issues of the modernization of the higher education sector in fields such as governance, management, funding, curriculum development and lifelong learning.
• Technical assistance missions: Specific technical expertise and advice by EU or Third country experts will be provided locally to HERE teams to carry out training and consultancy activities in the Third countries not associated to the Erasmus+ program, targeted at a wide audience of university staff, officials and other higher education stakeholders. The service provider will identify relevant experts, who can be entrusted with such short-term missions. These technical assistance activities will be organized upon specific request from the HERE teams, channeled by the NEOs, at the national or regional level.
• Surveys and publications: HERE may be involved in the preparation of surveys or publications commissioned by the European Commission or EACEA in relation to the higher education sector, its institutions, policies, reforms and modernization process.
• Virtual expert community and material: HERE will be provided with a web platform to communicate, communicate and exchange. This includes the provision of information materials, brochures and case studies.

HERE activities at the national level

In addition to the international activities referred to above, HERE teams will have to perform counseling and advisory activities at the national level and more concretely:

• At the institutional level, HEREs' work will consist of counseling, advising and providing assistance to higher education institutions with regards to the introduction and implementation of reforms.
• HERE should be actively involved in all kinds of promotional and awareness-raising activities about higher education reforms in general and EU higher education programs and initiatives in particular. Experts with specialist knowledge and experience may be recruited for the development and delivery of training activities for HERE in those areas.
• At the national level, HERE will support national authorities in designing, implementing and monitoring policy reforms in the field of higher education. Overall, this could include the following types of activities:
  • Advice and expertise;
  • Involvement in policy making process, preparation of national reports, codes, draft laws & decrees;
  • Organizing or participating in seminars, workshops, roundtables (teaching, training, informing, disseminating);
  • Lecturing, participation in panel discussions and debates;
  • Interviews (radio, TV, newspaper, specialized press), public appearances;
  • Drafting of reports, analysis, studies;
  • Publication of papers on the higher education reform processes in the Third country.

Cooperation at the national level

At the national level, HEREs act as members of a team, supported by the National Erasmus+ Office and following the strategic goals set by the National Authorities.

The nominated HEREs commit themselves to regularly attend the meetings of their team and to be available for missions at the national level (eg presentations, meetings, lectures). They shall follow closely the higher education reform developments in their country and take an active part in the planning of the HERE activities.

Participation in international events

Regular international training activities (conferences, seminars, study visits) will be organized for HEREs by a service provider selected by the EACEA.

HEREs selected to take part in an event commit themselves to make the most of this training opportunity. They will carry out any necessary preparatory and follow-up work, accept to act as speakers if requested, participate in the debates and contribute to dissemination activities in their home country.

Financial aspects

When being nominated for the task, HEREs shall be aware that they are not remunerated for their activities. However, their travel costs and costs of stay linked to national or international activities will be covered by the NEO.

Members of the national HERE team should hold (or have held) one of the following positions (or a combination thereof):

• (Vice-) Rectors
• Deans and Heads of Departments
• Senior Academics
• Directors of Study
• Responsible of administrative services (such as International Relations Offices,
• Quality Assurance departments, Career orientation services, etc.)
• Ministry officials dealing with higher education
• Other Higher Education experts and researchers

Deadline for submission of application: 21/11/2023 (18:00 PM Tbilisi, Georgia time)

Application forms: CV and a motivation letter in English (describing why you are the suitable candidate for this position);

Submission: PDF version of the application documents should be submitted at the following email address:   erasmusplusingeorgia@gmail.com

In the subject line, please mention – The National Teams of Higher Education Reform Experts