In the target countries of the E-FIX project of Central and South Eastern Europe and the assoc. countries AM and GE, there is considerable idle potential for EE and REN products and services. Both potential energy project developers and financers face barriers regarding the accurate assessment of energy project feasibility and achieving investment security. An innovative Energy FInancing miX is needed in order to access new sources of finance and facilitate an increased implementation of sustainable energy projects. The E-FIX project will trigger private investments using a mix of inn. financing mechanisms, to be specific: credit lines for energy performance contracting, crowdfunding models and leasing models for EE and REN projects. The overall objective of the E-FIX project is to prepare the European market – with a focus on countries of various EU enlargement rounds, as well as markets of countries, which have recently reached EU association status – for the intensified usage of innovative financing mechanisms in the energy sector in order to facilitate the increase of investments in energy projects and services. The E-FIX project will initiate a comprehensive roll-out of inn. energy financing mechanisms in the 6 partner countries (PL, CZ, AT, HR, AM and GE). The 3-dimensional roll-out will cover capacity building, strategy development and piloting of model solutions. The E-FIX project will result in increased investments in sustainable energy projects in the partner countries as well as lay the groundwork for better-informed and equipped stakeholders. The trainings of these stakeholders will provide them with the capacity to act as E-FIX Ambassadors, multiplicators to promote and implement the E-FIX approach. On a larger scale, the E-FIX approach will be disseminated EU-wide, activating dormant private finance thereby contributing to the general growth of the EU markets of energy technology and services as one step into the direction of a low carbon economy.

Georgia is on its way to constructing a new country with civic society respecting democratic values. Within the deepening of global competition, it is apparent that to assure economic development, it becomes essential to use the comparative advantage and create the regional strategy oriented on knowledge. In the achievement of this goal, regional universities will play important role as centers of generation and diffusion of knowledge, creation of qualified working force and the base of the development of regions of the country. In Social-economic Development Strategy “Georgia 2020” and Unified Strategy for Education and Science for 2017-2021, which reflect the priorities and problems that need to be resolved in order to achieve long-term, sustainable growth, regional development plays a significant role in the development of the country and is viewed as an important factor for achieving success on a national level. The aim of the project is to make Georgian regional HEIs more relevant to the communities and regions they are located and to serve as a basis for regional development. Mission and Strategy of Regional Universities will be developed in compliance with regional needs. The project will support the network of Regional Universities in planning and development of relevant strategy and mission. Involvement of the Universities in the development of Regional Strategy will increase. Close collaboration with local authorities and other social partners will take place. Cooperation with EU universities and sharing their experience will introduce the best practices that will improve and modernize management structures in universities and will make their administrative structures compatible with those of the European universities. Changes in management at institutional level will raise productivity of the university administration management that will in its turn have an impact on creation of new regional policy.

The wider objective of the project is to lay the foundation to instill peace oriented mind-set in Georgian society through education. The proposal aims to develop graduate curricula in Peace Studies at 4 HEIs in Georgia. Specific objectives are the following: (1) to provide targeted Georgian faculties with capacity development measures to enable them to meet European standards aligned with Bologna process; (2) to implement Peace Studies modules integrated in relevant academic programs at Georgian partner universities; (3) to equip Georgian universities with modern learning resources; (4) to provide wide opportunities for Georgian students by offering them internship and EU research mobility programs; (5) to establish the Institute for Peace Studies on the premises of Caucasus University and build a networks among the universities; (6) to promote peace studies research by conducting International Peace Conference in Tbilisi and launching scholarly journal in Peace Studies; (7) to further raise awareness and understanding of peace processes in conflict-affected regions of Georgia by conducting training for regional university students. These objectives will be achieved through producing the principal outputs and during the lifetime of the project, it will have impact on 16 Georgian professors whose capacity will be increased through study tours and collaboration with 8 European colleagues; 400 potential beneficiary students who will be offered the opportunity to complete Peace Studies courses (4 new and 12 upgraded existing courses); 32 students’ skills and competences increased who will be selected for internships in Georgia (16 students) and for research mobility programs in EU (16 students); 80 regional university students awareness concerning peace processes will be raised through 4 regional training cycles in conflict-affected areas; about 100 stakeholders informed about project outcomes through International Peace Conference, Project launch and final conferences.

The INTEGRITY Programme stands to be a national initiative of Georgian universities, implemented by the means of generous support and funding of the Erasmus+ CBHE Programme - SM pillar ‘Modernization of policies, governance and management of higher education systems’, presumably impacting the entire HE system. The rationale of this collaboration supported the provision of higher education with INTEGRITY through the core objective to enhance the quality of teaching and learning processes that are based on the principles of academic integrity, supported by policies, mechanisms and tools that help prevent and detect cases of plagiarism in higher education institutions in Georgia. Specific objectives implemented are as follows: 1. Introduction of plagiarism detection – Turnitin Feedback Studio in Georgian universities, acquiring licenses and integration into the existing Learning Management System(s).2. Design and launch of PR Campaign on Plagiarism in Georgian HEIs targeting both students and faculty/teaching staff.3. Development and delivery of capacity building training for faculty in Effective Teaching and Learning Assessment (TLA) with the focus on the principles of academic integrity.4. Development and enhancement of student academic support services outside the classroom to boost Academic & Writing Skills (academic writing centers/student services centers/volunteer senior student tutors/ library services).5. Review Academic Writing Curriculum against standards and requirements established in the EU- adopting modern standards established for academic communication to prevent plagiarism.6. Elaboration and passing of university policies that are conducive to quality teaching and learning processes based on the principles of academic integrity. The project covered the following key areas for intervention: 1. Quality of Teaching & Learning & Faculty Training; 2. Student Academic Support Services; 3. Academic Writing; 4. Institutional Policies and Mechanisms; 5. PR Campaign and Awareness Raising. The relevance of this initiative responded to these internal and external forces demanding the measures of academic integrity in Georgian academia. a) The external QA measures emphasizing regulation of Plagiarism; b) 'The Problem of Plagiarism and Its Perceptions in Georgia' (2016) research report; c) The national needs assessment of GE HEIs in December 2016 by ISU;d) EU HE Standards; c) The successful case of piloting Turnitin at ISU transferring knowledge to other partners. While delivering Education during COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, which created the largest disruption of education systems in history, affecting nearly 1.6 billion learners worldwide, including Georgia, the project became essentially relevant. In the emergency distance education, the project provided the tools (Turnitin) and resources (tailored training sessions) required for distance learning during university closures. The INTEGRITY consortium (14 Georgian HEIs, 2 government authorities, and 4 EU HEIs), has delivered a flagship SM project in Georgia with great achievement and added-value at the (a) individual (50,300 students informed, 20,703 students trained, engagement of 1260 lecturers via launching 60,000 Turnitin licenses/366,000 submitted papers in 2633 academic courses and introduction of new and updated 27 academic writing courses, enhancing assessment and digital skills of over 655 admin and 3061 academic staff, and training of 71 non-HEI individuals, (b) institutional (14+7 GE HEIs),(c) sector (transferable to the entire HE sector through dissemination program and gained experiences), and (d) society levels (changing perceptions and culture on academic integrity through dissemination reaching out to 17,516 participants).