TAM Report / Georgia - Industry collaboration

GENERAL INFORMATION

TAM title: Micro-credentials and industry collaboration: Ensuring qualification relevance and employment opportunities

Type of Event: Webinar and online workshop 

Modality: Online

Country: Georgia

Dates: 2–3 December 2025

Participants: A total of 94 individuals registered for the event, representing higher education institutions, the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia, quality assurance bodies, and other relevant stakeholders.

THEMES COVERED

• Definition, trends, and strategic significance of micro-credentials in the European Higher Education Area 
• EU Council Recommendation on micro-credentials (short, stackable, quality-assured, portable, flexible delivery) 
• Irish and EU best practices in design, quality assurance, recognition, and implementation 
• Alignment with NQF, ECTS, ESG principles and Bologna commitments 
• Institutional readiness and Georgian policy landscape 
• Industry collaboration and labour-market alignment 
• Institutional barriers, curriculum integration, QA gaps, stakeholder engagement 
• Emerging trends (e.g. AI) and their impact on design and recognition

KEY OUTCOMES

During the workshop, participants:

• Confirmed strong national interest in micro-credentials as instruments for lifelong learning and workforce development 
• Identified the main challenge as operationalising policy into quality-assured and trusted institutional practice
• Recognised the need for a clear but flexible national framework aligned with NQF, ECTS, and ESG 

• Emphasised that micro-credentials should complement rather than replace degree programmes

   

OVERVIEW

Delivered online over two days, the TAM combined expert-led presentations, Georgian contextual input, interactive polls (Vevox), breakout group work, and structured discussions. Day 1 addressed the European policy landscape, EU Council recommendations, Irish best practices, and QA models across EU countries. Georgian HEREs provided national context, outlining system readiness and institutional challenges. 

Day 2 focused on institutional implementation and collaborative design. Participants worked in breakout groups to analyse barriers, QA gaps, industry involvement, and emerging trends. Discussions were synthesised into practical and context-sensitive recommendations. The TAM demonstrated that coordinated action between ministries, QA bodies, HEREs, HEIs, and industry stakeholders can position micro-credentials as tools for a more flexible and inclusive higher education system in Georgia 

THE FOLLOW UP ACTIVITY

Title of the activity: Follow-up Publication – “Micro-credentials and industry collaboration: Ensuring qualification relevance and employment opportunities”

Dates: Publication created in January 2026 and published on the NEO website

Audience: Higher education institutions, policymakers, quality assurance bodies, and other stakeholders involved in higher education reform, quality assurance, and skills development in Georgia. The publication was disseminated through the NEO newsletter, reaching over 600 individuals from different sectors and fields, and is available on the NEO website for wider public access

Description: Following the Technical Assistance Mission held on 2–3 December 2025, the Georgian HEREs prepared a follow-up publication with feedback from the international expert.

The publication consolidates the discussions, findings, and conclusions of the TAM, focusing on the design, quality assurance, recognition, and labour-market relevance of micro-credentials, as well as industry collaboration. Developed using a desk-based analytical approach, the publication draws on expert presentations, interactive discussions, and recommendations formulated during the TAM. It presents European policy frameworks, international practices, and evidence from the Georgian context in a clear and structured format. The main outcome of the follow-up activity is the publication itself, serving as an information and dissemination resource to extend the impact of the TAM beyond event participants.

ENHANCING IMPACT: PROPOSED NEXT STEPS

• Disseminate the publication widely among higher education institutions, national authorities, quality assurance bodies, and employers to support informed understanding of micro-credentials.
• Use the publication as a reference document for further discussion and reflection on the development, quality assurance, recognition, and labour-market relevance of micro-credentials in Georgia.
• Promote structured dialogue among stakeholders on integrating micro-credentials within the national higher education system.
• Encourage continued cooperation between higher education institutions and industry in the design and implementation of micro-credentials

RESOURCES AND BACKGROUND MATERIAL

• Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) (2024). Micro-credentials in Irish Higher Education: Guidance Document. QQI, April 2024. Available at: https://www.qqi.ie/sites/default/files/2024-04/het-microcredentials-guidance-document-april-2024_0.pdf
• MicroCreds (2025). MicroCreds – Ireland’s National Micro-credential Platform. Available at: https://microcreds.ie/ 
• SOLAS (2025). Micro-qualifications: Supporting Lifelong Learning and Workforce Development. SOLAS – Further Education and Training Authority, Ireland. Available at: https://www.solas.ie/microqualifications/
• Bologna Process – EHEA (2023). TPG A Recommendations on Micro-credentials. Thematic Peer Group A on Qualifications Frameworks, European Higher Education Area (EHEA), 9 November 2023. Available at: https://ehea.info/Immagini/QUATRA_-_TPG_A_recommendations_on_micro-credentials_09.11_.2023_.pdf