Program Improvement Competitive Grants Winners Announced
Launched in 2015 within the industry-led Skills and Workforce Development Project of the Millennium Challenge Account - Georgia (MCA - Georgia), and funded under a second USD 140 million compact between the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and the Government of Georgia, the USD 12 million Program Improvement Competitive Grants (PICG) aims at funding innovative proposals through expanding and improving existing technical vocational education and training (TVET) programs in higher-level Science, Technology, Math and Engineering (STEM).
The grant program also covers the Agriculture, Maritime, Information Technology and Tourism Sectors.
This year’s grantees competed for up to USD 12 million in grants, with grant sizes from USD 300,000 to USD 3 million.
The 2016 winners were announced as: The Agriculture University of Georgia, Batumi State Maritime Academy, Georgian Aviation University, Georgian Institute of Public Affairs, Georgian Mountain Guide Association, Georgian Technical University, Vocational College Phazisi, Railway Transport College, Community College Spektri and Vocational College Tetnuldi.
International experts and an independent technical evaluation panel evaluated 70 concept papers at the first stage of the competition, with an overall grant amount of USD 69 million requested. The total amount of all submitted applications, including co-financing from the industry, came to over USD 90 million.
10 winning projects were chosen after a three-level evaluation and selection process.
Four of the ten projects will be implemented in the regions of Georgia, and the remainder in Tbilisi.
As Ian Kelly, United States Ambassador to Georgia, highlighted in his speech at the awards ceremony, “The uniqueness of MCC’s technical-vocational education program lies in its focus to improve STEM education in Georgia.”
He also noted the importance of increasing access for women to technical jobs and fields.
“The program is a big opportunity for international companies investing in the country,” the Ambassador said. “Programs like these are critical because they improve Georgia’s business environment, support prosperity and place Georgia as a contributing member of the global economy. Creating a technically skilled 21st century workforce ensures Georgia remains open for business.”
Nancy Lee, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of MCC, spoke about the aims of the compact to improve the quality of education in science and technology in Georgia, with strategic efforts across the Georgian educational system from the start of a student’s general education up to university programs.
The MCC undertakes “to transform the technical and vocational educational system in Georgia into a competitive, highly qualified world-class workforce that serves the needs of businesses in Georgia and meets the needs of a 21st century economy,” Lee said.
“Each PICG winner, as well as every company and every person investing in vocational education, will have a deep impact on our country’s future development,” said Alexander Jejelava, Minister of Education and Science of Georgia, at the awards ceremony, going on to underline the importance of the education reform component in the four stage reform plan initiated by the Government of Georgia.
“This is the victory of our country and our people. We’re founding a basis for highly qualified professionals and we’re creating a basis for a higher level of self-realization,” Jejelava said.
He then thanked the US government, Millennium Challenge Corporation and the American people for their continuous efforts to develop the educational sector in Georgia.
Nino Gugunishvili