On 3 July, Vocational Education Centre of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University organized the 3rd International Conference on Vocational Education, entitled “Transforming Vocational Education in the Global Era: Innovation, Skills and Partnership.”

The conference was attended by TSU Rector, Academician Jaba Samushia; Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia, Baia Kvitsiani; Member of the Parliament of Georgia, Vladimer Bozhadze; TSU Vice-Rector, Kakhaber Cheishvili; Head of Administration, Lasha Saginadze; Head of the TSU Vocational Education Centre, Levan Tsikaridze; as well as representatives of the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement and the Youth Agency.

The annual conference aims to promote discussion on the importance of vocational education, current challenges, recent developments and career development opportunities. Participants included vocational students and graduates, vocational teachers and administrative staff from vocational education institutions in Georgia and abroad.

According to TSU Rector, Academician Jaba Samushia, it is highly commendable that the conference provides a platform where Georgian and international scholars exchange views and discuss the issues and challenges currently facing vocational education. "I am proud to note that this conference is being held for the third time and has now attained the status of an international conference. Participants represent several countries, and the thematic scope is quite diverse. Above all, it focuses on integrating different fields within vocational education, as this is an interdisciplinary conference,” the Rector stated.

According to Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia Baia Kvitsiani, the Ministry, as the body responsible for shaping education policy and supporting vocational education, considers the existence of such events and platforms highly important. “Conferences of this kind play a significant role in raising awareness, particularly in light of the challenges we face during the ongoing transformation of the education system. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the organizers and wish the conference every success,” said Baia Kvitsiani.

According to Levan Tsikaridze, Head of the TSU Vocational Education Centre, the conference has truly become an important platform for discussing the latest developments and challenges emerging in the field of vocational education. “We are pleased that interest in the conference continues to grow each year. This year, we are also hosting international speakers. We believe that next year's conference will be even more representative, both in terms of the number of participants and the breadth of topics covered,” he added.

The conference has been held annually since 2024 and brings together representatives of vocational education institutions and partner organizations from across Georgia. Beginning in 2026, the conference has become international, welcoming foreign partners for the first time. This year, in addition to Georgia, presentations were delivered by speakers from Spain, Estonia and the Republic of Botswana.

Vanesa Resúa Eiras, International Projects Coordinator at the Vocational Education Centre in Vigo (Spain), expressed her hope that cooperation with the TSU Vocational Education Centre would continue to expand. “We have enjoyed long-standing cooperation with TSU at the higher education level, and now we would like to extend this successful partnership to vocational education as well. During the conference, I presented our vocational programmes and Erasmus+ internship opportunities with partner companies across Europe. I am delighted to be here and would like to thank TSU for giving me the opportunity to participate in this conference,” she noted.

The conference serves as a platform for sharing experience, discussing innovative approaches and exploring new opportunities for the development of vocational education in a global context.

The conference themes for 2026 included:

Transformation of vocational education;

Development of digital skills;

Cybersecurity and data protection;

Inclusive and accessible education: contemporary practices;

Student-centred innovative teaching;

Work-based learning models – learning by doing;

Identification and development of future competencies in vocational education (digital, green, and soft skills);

Vocational education and the labour market: current trends;

Successful models of international cooperation in vocational education (e.g. Erasmus+ mobility);

Development of joint educational programmes based on international partnerships: practical experience and best practices;

Development of strategic partnerships between education and industry at both local and international levels.

On 4 July, conference participants visited the Kakheti region. As part of the excursion, they toured the Gremi Architectural Complex, a monument of Georgian architecture. The visit concluded with a charitable visit to the social enterprise Temi in the village of Gremi.

კონფერენციის თეზისები 

კონფერენციის პროგრამა