The overall aim of the project proposal is improvement of student services at Georgian HEIs by means of establishing psychological counselling centers for students at target partner universities in all regions of Georgia. Specific objectives of the project are: a) establishment of psychological counselling centers at target partner HEIs for students; b) preparing and retraining staff to work at psychological counselling centers; c) elaboration of recommendations and legislation documentation for policy makers and governmental agencies of Georgia; d) raising mental health awareness among students and wider audience by running viral campaigns and information meetings will allow the raise of mental health awareness among students, who might feel intimidated or shy to ask for psychological help/mental health support and counselling; e) creation of Association of University Counselling Centers of Georgia, which will ensure inclusion of regional psychotherapists and counsellors, and most importantly, will support the sustainability of the project results after its completion.

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.