On Vocational Education

Law of Georgia

On Vocational Education

Article 1. Purpose and scope of the Law🔗

1. The purpose of this Law is the development of the vocational education system of Georgia, the determination of state policy in the field of vocational education and the promotion of its implementation.

2. This Law determines the legal framework of the vocational education system, establishes the principles of management of the vocational education system and the legal grounds for carrying out activities in the field of vocational education, and regulates other main issues related to the field of vocational education.

Article 2. Goals of state policy in the field of vocational education🔗

1. The goals of state policy in the field of vocational education are:

a) promotion of the development of the country's economy;

b) promotion of social inclusion, personal and professional development of the individual;

c) promotion of lifelong learning;

d) approximation and compatibility of the vocational education system of Georgia with the single European educational space.

2. To achieve the goals of state policy in the field of vocational education, the state ensures:

a) equal access to vocational education for everyone;

b) offering diverse forms of teaching and learning (work-based learning and others) and innovative approaches, taking into account technological development;

c) ensuring the connection of vocational education with general education and higher education and the flexibility of the vocational education system;

d) adapting vocational education to the existing and future demands of the labour market and preparing a person for employment and entrepreneurial activity;

e) development of the national qualifications framework, creation of mechanisms for the recognition of non-formal education, development of the system of accumulation and transfer of credits;

f) development of internal and external mechanisms for ensuring the quality of vocational education;

g) promotion of a person's competitiveness in the labour market through his/her vocational training and vocational retraining;

h) promotion of social partnership in the field of vocational education;

i) development of the system of vocational orientation, counselling and career planning in formal education;

j) establishment of the system of training, professional development and career advancement of vocational education teachers;

k) promotion of the mobility of vocational students and vocational education teachers;

l) sharing and introduction of the best international experience.

Article 3. Definition of terms🔗

For the purposes of this Law, the terms used herein have the following meaning:

a) authorization – the procedure of obtaining college status, the purpose of which is to ensure compliance with the standards necessary for carrying out the relevant activity in order to issue a document certifying education recognized by the State;

b) non-formal education − part of the lifelong learning system, which implies the acquisition of "knowledge and awareness", "skill" and/or "responsibility and autonomy" outside formal education;

c) associate degree − a qualification awarded to a person as a result of the successful completion of a short-cycle educational programme and the accumulation of the relevant number of credits;

d) diploma − a document certifying the qualification awarded by an authorized institution;

e) diploma supplement/certificate supplement − a document issued by an educational institution together with the diploma/certificate to certify the content of the education received by a professional student;

f) individual study plan − a study plan tailored to the needs of a professional student or attendee (including a professional student or attendee with special educational needs and/or a professional student or attendee with disabilities), which is based on the relevant professional educational programme/short-cycle educational programme/professional training programme/professional retraining programme/state language training programme and, together with other elements of this programme, describes the learning outcomes to be achieved by the professional student or attendee and the individual ways of achieving them;

g) inclusive professional education − an equally accessible educational process, within the framework of which all professional students and attendees are ensured to receive education taking into account individual educational needs and capabilities;

h) qualification − the formal result of the assessment and confirmation of the achievement of a learning outcome by an authorized institution/institutions, which is confirmed by a certificate recognized by the State, a state document certifying higher or professional education – a diploma, or a state document certifying general education;

i) competence − the ability to adequately apply learning outcomes in the relevant context (in the process of learning or activity, for personal and professional development);

j) credit − a unit comprising a set of confirmed learning outcomes, which may be recognized in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia for obtaining one or several qualifications;

k) module − a component existing within the framework of a professional educational standard or independently developed, which combines logically related learning outcomes and describes the ways, means and conditions of their achievement;

l) short-cycle educational programme − an educational programme corresponding to the generalized learning outcomes defined for level 5 of the National Qualifications Framework, the basis for the creation of which is a professional educational standard and which is linked to a bachelor's educational programme or to that educational programme corresponding to the generalized learning outcomes defined for level 7 of the National Qualifications Framework, which also passes through the generalized learning outcomes defined for level 6 of the National Qualifications Framework;

m) listener − a person who studies in a professional training programme, a professional retraining programme and/or a state language training programme;

n) profession standard − a set of tasks and duties related to a specific profession;

o) professional education − education that ensures the development for a person of the competence/competences required by a specific profession and/or the labour market and which is/are aimed at the professional, social and personal development of the person throughout life;

p) document certifying professional education − diploma, certificate;

q) professional educational institution/college − a legal entity authorised, in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, to implement professional educational programmes, short-cycle educational programmes, professional training programmes, professional retraining programmes and state language training programmes;

r) professional educational programme − a set of learning objectives, learning outcomes, module/modules, corresponding credits, teaching methods, assessment forms and peculiarities of organising the learning process. The professional educational programme is completed by the award of the qualification corresponding to level 3/4/5 of the National Qualifications Framework provided for by the professional educational standard and the issuance of a diploma. If a joint professional educational programme/short-cycle educational programme is implemented together with an educational institution recognised in accordance with the legislation of a foreign country, the professional educational programme is completed by the award of the professional qualification corresponding to level 3/4/5 of the National Qualifications Framework or provided for by the legislation of a foreign country and the issuance of a diploma/diplomas;

s) vocational education standard – a document that determines the qualification/qualifications to be awarded, the number of credits required for the award of the relevant qualification/qualifications, the learning outcomes to be achieved, the set of modules through which the achievement of the defined learning outcomes is necessary for the award of the qualification/qualifications, the prerequisites for admission to the relevant educational programme/educational programmes and for the implementation of this programme/these programmes, the fields of employment and the requirements related to the development and implementation of the educational programme/educational programmes (if any);

t) vocational student – a person who studies in a vocational education programme or a short-cycle educational programme;

u) mobility of a vocational student – the free movement of a vocational student to participate in the learning process, both in Georgia and abroad, accompanied by recognition of the education, credits or qualification obtained during the study period;

v) regulated profession – an activity the pursuit of which is conditional upon holding the relevant qualification and/or passing the state certification examination and/or for the pursuit of which, in order to be awarded the required qualification, it is necessary to pass the relevant examination provided for by the legislation of Georgia and/or undergo periodic vocational retraining;

w) educational institution – a general education institution authorised to implement a basic vocational education programme, a secondary vocational education programme, a vocational training programme and a vocational retraining programme; a college authorised to implement any type of vocational education programme, a short-cycle educational programme and a vocational training programme/vocational retraining programme; a higher education institution;

x) work-based learning – a form of implementation of a vocational education programme/short-cycle educational programme/vocational training programme/vocational retraining programme that provides for the achievement of some of the learning outcomes provided for by this programme in a simulated work environment and/or a real work environment (including through dual learning);

y) training enterprise – a person that has obtained the right to implement vocational education programmes/short-cycle educational programmes in the form of work-based learning together with an educational institution;

z) state language training programme/state language training module – an educational programme/module the purpose of which is the teaching of the state language for the purposes of completing a vocational education programme/short-cycle educational programme/vocational training programme/vocational retraining programme and/or promoting the civic integration of persons for whom Georgian is not a native language;

aa) certificate − a document issued by an authorised institution confirming the achievement by a person of the learning outcome provided for by a professional training programme or a professional retraining programme, as well as the achievement of the learning outcome defined by individual modules;

bb) person with special educational needs − a person defined by the Law of Georgia “On the Rights of Persons with Disabilities”, as well as a person who has pronounced learning-related difficulties and/or a disability and who requires adaptation of the learning process, which implies modification of a professional educational programme/short-cycle educational programme/professional training programme/professional retraining programme/state language training programme, drawing up an individual learning plan, changing the learning environment and conditions and/or additional special educational services;

cc) learning outcome − a statement about the “knowledge and awareness” (the result of assimilation of information, facts, principles, theories, theoretical and practical methods related to the field of study or activity), “ability” (the possibility of using the relevant knowledge to perform a specific task and solve problems) and/or “responsibility and autonomy” (the use by a person of knowledge and skills with a degree of independence corresponding to the values) to be achieved by the person;

dd) system of professional orientation, counselling and career planning in formal education − a wide range of measures that help a person, at any stage of receiving formal education, to determine their own capability, competence and interest in order to take decisions relating to education and the choice of profession and to manage their own career;

ee) formal education − part of the lifelong learning system, which implies the acquisition of “knowledge and awareness”, “ability” and/or “responsibility and autonomy” and the confirmation of the foregoing by a state-recognised certificate, a state document certifying higher or professional education – a diploma, or a state document certifying general education;

ff) Distance learning – a learning process or part thereof organized for obtaining vocational education in a vocational educational programme/short-cycle educational programme/vocational training programme/vocational retraining programme/state language preparation programme, in an educational institution of Georgia/in a legal entity authorized to implement a vocational training programme/vocational retraining programme, conducted in a distance/electronic form or using other means of communication, based on information and communication technologies, which does not envisage the simultaneous presence of the vocational student/trainee and the personnel of the educational institution at a defined place. To implement distance learning, proper planning of the vocational educational programme and the use of appropriate approaches and methods for organizing and conducting the learning process are necessary.

Law of Georgia of 14 July 2020 No. 6838 – website, 28.07.2020.

Law of Georgia of 15 May 2024 No. 4162 – website, 21.05.2024.

Law of Georgia of 27 June 2024 No. 4299 – website, 04.07.2024.

Article 4. Right to receive vocational education and main guarantees🔗

1. Everyone has the right, without any discrimination, to enjoy the right to receive vocational education in the manner established by the legislation of Georgia.

2. A vocational student, a trainee, as well as a teacher of vocational education and their associations have the right to enjoy, without discrimination, all the rights and freedoms determined by the legislation of Georgia and by the educational institution.

3. The educational institution shall ensure the existence of an individually tailored learning process and the necessary special educational services for persons with special educational needs and persons with disabilities, as well as the accessibility of the learning environment of the educational institution.

Article 4¹. Compliance with the requirements established by the Law of Georgia "On Family Values and Protection of Minors"🔗

It is inadmissible to include in the educational programme of a vocational educational institution/college, and/or to disseminate, by an employee of a vocational educational institution/college, within the scope of the activities of this institution/college and/or on the territory of the same institution/college, such information, or to facilitate the dissemination of such information, which is aimed at the popularization of attribution to neither biological sex of a person and/or attribution to a sex different from his/her biological sex, of a relationship expressed on the grounds of sexual orientation between representatives of the same biological sex, or of incest. For the purposes of this article, the term "popularization" shall be interpreted in accordance with the Law of Georgia "On Family Values and Protection of Minors".

Law of Georgia of 17 September 2024 No. 4446 – website, 03.10.2024.

Article 5. Language of instruction🔗

1. The language of instruction in an educational institution is Georgian, and in the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia – also Abkhazian.

2. In an educational institution where the following study:

a) a professional student and/or attendee with hearing impairment – where necessary, Georgian sign language is used;

b) a professional student and/or attendee with visual impairment – where necessary, the Braille system is used.

3. In an educational institution, in addition to the languages provided for by paragraphs 1 and 2 of this article, instruction in another language is permitted if this is determined by an international treaty of Georgia or the matter of instruction in this language is agreed with the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia (hereinafter – the Ministry).

Law of Georgia of 16 March 2021 No. 349 – website, 18.03.2021.

Law of Georgia of 30 November 2023 No. 3835 – website,

15.12.

202

3

year

Article 6. Vocational education🔗

Vocational education is implemented:

a) through a vocational educational programme, the types of which are:

a.a) a basic vocational educational programme, which is completed by the award of a qualification corresponding to level 3 of the National Qualifications Framework;

a.b) a secondary vocational educational programme, which is completed by the award of a qualification corresponding to level 4 of the National Qualifications Framework;

a.c) a higher vocational educational programme, which is completed by the award of a qualification corresponding to level 5 of the National Qualifications Framework;

b) through a vocational training programme, which prepares a person to perform individual tasks and duties related to a profession. The learning outcomes provided for by the vocational training programme may correspond to level 2/3/4/5 of the National Qualifications Framework;

c) through a vocational retraining programme, the aim of which is the acquisition and/or development of competences for carrying out professional activity in the same field. The learning outcomes provided for by the vocational retraining programme may correspond to level 2/3/4/5 of the National Qualifications Framework.

Article 7. Prerequisites for admission to a vocational education programme🔗

1. A person who has completed at least a basic general education programme shall be admitted to a basic vocational education programme.

2. A person who has completed at least:

a) a basic general education programme shall be admitted to the secondary vocational education programme in which the learning outcomes of the secondary level of general education are integrated;

b) a full general education programme shall be admitted to a secondary vocational education programme.

3. A person who has completed a full general education programme shall be admitted to a higher vocational education programme.

4. A person shall be obliged, within 3 months from enrolment in one of the programmes provided for by paragraphs 1–3 of this Article, to submit to the relevant educational institution a document certifying basic general education/a document certifying full general education, a document equated thereto, or another document certifying education, which was issued to the said person on the basis of receipt of basic general education/full general education in accordance with the legislation of Georgia. This person shall be released from the obligation to submit the said documents if the completion by him/her of the relevant level of general education is confirmed in the information management system of vocational education.

5. A person who meets the conditions established by the relevant programme shall be admitted to a vocational training programme or a vocational retraining programme.

Law of Georgia of 15 May 2024 No. 4162 – website, 21.05.2024.

Law of Georgia of 24 June 2025 No. 692 – website, 26.06.2025.

Article 8. Profession standard, professional educational standard and module🔗

1. The profession standard/profession standards are the basis for the creation of the professional educational standard/professional educational standards.

2. The professional educational standard is the basis for the creation of the professional educational programme/professional educational programmes and the short-cycle educational programme.

2¹. A joint professional educational programme/short-cycle educational programme implemented by an educational institution of Georgia and an educational institution recognised in accordance with the legislation of a foreign country may be based on the professional educational standard or be developed in accordance with the legislation of the said foreign country.

3. The procedure for the development and approval of the profession standard/profession standards shall be determined by the Government of Georgia.

4. The procedure for the development, elaboration and approval of the professional educational standard and the module/modules shall be determined by the Ministry.

5. In accordance with the procedure for the development, elaboration and approval of the professional educational standard and the module/modules, in the event of the abolition of the professional educational standard or the removal of one of the qualifications from the professional educational standard, the educational institution shall be entitled to enable the professional students enrolled in the relevant programme to complete their studies and to award the qualification provided for by this programme.

6. In the case provided for by paragraph 5 of this article, the educational institution shall not be entitled to admit new professional students.

7. In accordance with the procedure for the development, elaboration and approval of the professional educational standard and the module/modules, in the event of a change of the professional educational standard, the educational institution shall be obliged to ensure the compliance of the professional educational programme/short-cycle educational programme with the changed professional educational standard. The educational institution shall be entitled to adopt a reasoned decision, in parallel with the changed professional educational programme/short-cycle educational programme, to implement the professional educational programme/short-cycle educational programme existing before the change of this programme only for the professional students enrolled before the change of the said programme.

Law of Georgia of 15 May 2024 No. 4162 – website, 21 May 2024.

Article 9. Professional educational programme🔗

1. The relevant educational institution shall develop and approve the professional educational programme.

2. The professional educational programme shall be calculated in credits.

3. The secondary professional educational programme shall, in accordance with the procedure established by the Ministry, include the learning outcomes of the secondary level of general education.

4. The Ministry shall establish the rules and conditions for enrolment in the professional educational programme.

5. An educational institution of Georgia and a legal entity authorised to implement a professional training programme/a professional retraining programme may jointly implement only that part/only that module of the professional educational programme which they are entitled to implement.

6. A professional educational programme/a short-cycle educational programme/a professional training programme/ a professional retraining programme/a programme of training in the state language may include such components as are implemented remotely, in accordance with the procedure and conditions established by the Ministry.

Law of Georgia of 27 June 2024 No. 4299 – website, 04.07.2024.

Article 10. Short-cycle educational programme🔗

1. The short-cycle educational programme shall be developed and approved by a college and/or a higher educational institution.

2. The short-cycle educational programme shall be calculated in credits.

3. The short-cycle educational programme may be implemented:

a) in accordance with the Law of Georgia "on Higher Education", within the framework of a bachelor's educational programme or within the framework of that educational programme which corresponds to the generalised learning outcomes defined for level 7 of the National Qualifications Framework and which also passes through the generalised learning outcomes defined for level 6 of the National Qualifications Framework;

b) in accordance with this Law, in the form of a separate educational programme.

4. The rules and conditions for enrolment in the short-cycle educational programme provided for by subparagraph "a" of paragraph 3 of this Article shall be established by the Law of Georgia "on Higher Education".

5. The Ministry shall establish the rules and conditions for enrolment in the short-cycle educational programme provided for by subparagraph "b" of paragraph 3 of this Article.

6. An educational institution of Georgia and a legal entity authorised to implement a professional training programme/a professional retraining programme may jointly implement only that part/only that module of the short-cycle educational programme which they are entitled to implement.

Article 11. Work-based learning🔗

1. In the implementation of a vocational education programme/short-cycle education programme/vocational training programme/vocational retraining programme, work-based learning shall be used.

2. The achievement of some learning outcomes provided for by a vocational education programme/short-cycle education programme/vocational training programme/vocational retraining programme in a real work environment may be possible through practice or internship, as well as through study at a training enterprise.

3. The achievement of some learning outcomes provided for by a vocational education programme/short-cycle education programme/vocational training programme/vocational retraining programme may be possible in a simulated work environment − at an educational institution.

4. The rules and conditions for the implementation of a vocational education programme/short-cycle education programme/vocational training programme/vocational retraining programme in the form of work-based learning shall be established by the Government of Georgia upon the submission of the Ministry.

5. During work-based learning, labour safety shall be ensured in accordance with the legislation of Georgia.

Article 12. Joint vocational education programme/short-cycle education programme🔗

1. For the purpose of consolidating and optimally distributing resources and integrating into the international educational space, a vocational education programme/short-cycle education programme may be jointly implemented by several educational institutions of Georgia and/or an educational institution recognised in accordance with the legislation of a foreign country.

2. After the completion of a joint vocational education programme/short-cycle education programme, a joint diploma/diplomas shall be issued.

3. The rules and conditions for the development and implementation of a joint vocational education programme/short-cycle education programme shall be established by the Ministry.

4. A citizen of Georgia shall be enrolled in a joint vocational education programme/short-cycle education programme in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia. Another person shall be enrolled in a joint vocational education programme/short-cycle education programme in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of the respective country, at one of the educational institutions determined by prior agreement of the educational institutions implementing this programme.

5. A vocational student enrolled in a joint vocational education programme/short-cycle education programme of several educational institutions of Georgia shall be counted by each educational institution within the total number of vocational students established for it.

Law of Georgia of 15 May 2024 No. 4162 – website, 21.05.2024.

Article 13. Exchange vocational education programme/short cycle education programme🔗

1. The exchange vocational education programme/short cycle education programme may be implemented by educational institutions recognised in accordance with the legislation of Georgia and the legislation of a foreign country.

2. The procedure and conditions for the development and implementation of the exchange vocational education programme/short cycle education programme shall be established by the Ministry.

3. A vocational student participating in the exchange vocational education programme/short cycle education programme of an educational institution recognised in accordance with the legislation of a foreign country, who obtained the status of a vocational student at an educational institution recognised in a foreign country, shall continue studies at a partner educational institution of Georgia on the basis of an act issued by the head of that educational institution.

4. A vocational student participating in the exchange vocational education programme/short cycle education programme, who obtained the status of a vocational student at an educational institution of Georgia, shall continue studies at a partner educational institution of a foreign country in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of that country.

5. It is inadmissible to suspend this status for a vocational student who has left Georgia for a foreign country within the framework of the exchange vocational education programme/short cycle education programme.

6. A vocational student who has arrived in Georgia from a foreign country within the framework of the exchange vocational education programme/short cycle education programme shall not be counted by an educational institution of Georgia in the total number of vocational students established for it.

Article 14. Programme of training in the state language/module of training in the state language🔗

1. The programme of training in the state language/module of training in the state language shall be developed and implemented in accordance with the procedure established by the Ministry.

2. The module of training in the state language may be implemented as part of a vocational education programme, a short cycle education programme, a vocational training programme or a vocational retraining programme.

3. The programme of training in the state language is independent of the vocational education programme, the short cycle education programme, the vocational training programme or the vocational retraining programme.

4. The procedure and conditions for enrolment in the programme of training in the state language shall be established by the Ministry.

5. Completion of the programme of training in the state language/module of training in the state language shall be confirmed by an appropriate certificate.

Article 15. Professional training programme and professional retraining programme🔗

1. The professional training programme and the professional retraining programme shall be developed and approved by a legal entity authorised to implement these programmes.

2. The procedure for developing and approving the professional training programme and the professional retraining programme shall be determined by the Ministry.

3. Obtaining the right to implement the professional training programme and the professional retraining programme by a legal entity is voluntary and shall be carried out in accordance with the procedure and conditions established by the Government of Georgia, for the purpose of issuing a certificate — a document confirming state-recognised professional education.

4. The procedure and conditions for enrolment in the professional training programme and the professional retraining programme shall be established by the Ministry.

Article 16. Confirmation of learning outcomes🔗

1. As a result of completing the basic professional educational programme/secondary professional educational programme/higher professional educational programme, the person shall be awarded the qualification of level 3/4/5 of the National Qualifications Framework, respectively, which shall be confirmed by the issuance of the respective diploma and diploma supplement.

2. As a result of completing a secondary professional educational programme in which the learning outcomes of the secondary level of general education are integrated, a diploma and a document confirming complete general education shall be issued, except for the case provided for by paragraph 3¹ of this Article.

3. The precondition for the issuance of the diploma provided for by paragraph 2 of this Article is the confirmation, in accordance with the procedure established by the Ministry, of the learning outcomes of the secondary level of general education achieved by the professional student.

3¹. A professional student who has completed a secondary professional educational programme in which the learning outcomes of the secondary level of general education are integrated, on the basis of achieving learning outcomes different from the programme's learning outcomes, as defined by an individual study plan, shall be issued a document confirming complete general education and the document provided for by paragraph 6 and/or paragraph 7 of this Article.

4. As a result of completing a short-cycle educational programme, the person shall be awarded the qualification of level 5 of the National Qualifications Framework — an associate degree, which shall be confirmed by the issuance of the respective diploma and diploma supplement.

5. The achievement of the learning outcomes provided for by the professional training programme or the professional retraining programme shall be confirmed by a certificate and a supplement.

6. The achievement of the learning outcomes defined by a module shall, upon request, be confirmed by a certificate and a supplement.

7. In the event of the learning outcomes defined by a module not being fully confirmed, the educational institution implementing this module shall be obliged, upon request, to issue a certificate on the learning outcomes confirmed within the framework of the said module.

Law of Georgia of 24 June 2025 No. 692 – website, 26.06.2025.

Article 17. Recognition of non-formal education and formal education🔗

1. Recognition of learning outcomes achieved within the framework of non-formal education and formal education shall be carried out in accordance with the rules established by the Ministry.

2. Within the framework of a regulated profession, recognition of non-formal education shall be carried out in accordance with the procedure and conditions established by the Government of Georgia.

3. When recognizing learning outcomes achieved within the framework of formal education, as a result of a substantive review, the correspondence of the learning outcomes provided for by one educational programme with the learning outcomes provided for by another educational programme may be established, regardless of their formulation.

4. Recognition of formal education obtained within the framework of the short-cycle educational programme provided for by subparagraph „b“ of paragraph 3 of Article 10 of this Law shall be permissible by a bachelor's educational programme or by that educational programme corresponding to the generalized learning outcomes defined for level 7 of the National Qualifications Framework, which also meets the generalized learning outcomes defined for level 6 of the National Qualifications Framework, in the case of obtaining the right to study in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia.

Article 18. Recognition of professional education obtained abroad🔗

1. Recognition of a qualification obtained at an educational institution of a foreign country or of learning outcomes achieved at an educational institution of a foreign country shall be carried out in accordance with the procedure established by the Ministry.

2. Enrolment of a person holding an educational document of a foreign country in a professional educational programme/short-cycle educational programme shall be carried out in accordance with the procedure established by the respective educational institution, on the basis of a document confirming recognition of the education obtained abroad.

Article 19. Regulated profession🔗

1. A regulated profession is a high-risk profession related to human health, personal development and/or high public interest.

2. Only by law may be determined those regulated professions which require obtaining the respective professional education and/or passing the state certification examination and/or for carrying out activities in which, in order to be awarded the required qualification, it is necessary to pass the respective examination and/or periodic professional retraining.

3. The rules and conditions for conducting the state certification examination in a regulated profession, as well as the rules and conditions for periodic professional retraining, shall be determined by the respective legislation.

Article 20. Principles of management of the professional education system🔗

Management of the professional education system shall be carried out on the basis of the principles of publicity and transparency.

Article 21. Government of Georgia🔗

The Government of Georgia in the field of vocational education:

a) implements state policy;

b) upon submission by the Ministry, approves the strategy for the development of vocational education;

c) upon submission by the Ministry, approves the rules and conditions for obtaining the right to implement a vocational training programme and a vocational retraining programme, as well as the rules and conditions for considering a vocational training programme and a vocational retraining programme as recognised by the State;

d) upon submission by the Ministry, establishes the rules and conditions for implementing a vocational educational programme/short-cycle educational programme/vocational training programme/vocational retraining programme in the form of work-based learning;

e) upon submission by the Ministry, approves the rules and conditions for a person to obtain the status of a training enterprise;

f) upon submission by the Ministry, approves the rules and conditions for obtaining the right to recognise non-formal education;

g) upon submission by the Ministry, establishes the rules and conditions for the recognition of non-formal education within a regulated profession;

h) upon submission by the Ministry, establishes the rules and conditions for financing vocational education, a short-cycle educational programme and a programme of training in the state language;

i) upon submission by the Ministry, establishes the rules and conditions for determining the value of products created/remunerated services rendered in the educational process by an educational institution founded by the State or with its participation, and for disposing of the income received from the said activity;

j) upon submission by the Ministry, including taking into account the principle of social partnership, creates an advisory body in the field of vocational education and approves its statute;

k) upon submission by the Ministry, approves the rules for a vocational student to receive a student discount;

l) determines the rules for developing and approving the profession standard/profession standards;

m) upon submission by the Ministry, determines the rules and conditions for agreeing with its founding body the matter of the founding of an entrepreneurial legal entity or a non-entrepreneurial (non-commercial) legal entity by a college founded by the State or with its participation;

m¹) where necessary, upon submission by the Ministry, establishes a fee for obtaining a right and/or a service provided for by this Law;

n) exercises other powers determined by the legislation of Georgia.

Law of Georgia of 30 May 2019 No. 4749 – website, 31.05.2019.

Law of Georgia of 15 May 2024 No. 4162 – website, 21.05.2024.

Article 22. Ministry🔗

1. The Ministry in the field of vocational education:

a) implements state policy;

b) is entitled to pilot approaches/models to be introduced, for this purpose allocate funding to the private, public and civil sectors, and issue in the field of vocational education, in addition to the legal acts directly provided for by this Law, other legal acts as well, which, for the purpose of promoting the said piloting, regulate the relevant legal relations differently for the relevant period;

c) for the purpose of implementing a vocational educational programme/a short-cycle educational programme/a vocational training programme/a vocational retraining programme/a state language training programme, establishes legal entities of public law, approves their charters and exercises state control over them, and is also entitled to merge, reorganize and liquidate them;

d) for the purpose of implementing a vocational educational programme/a short-cycle educational programme/a vocational training programme/a vocational retraining programme/a state language training programme, establishes private law non-entrepreneurial (non-commercial) legal entities;

d¹) approves the standard for the director of a college founded by it (except for a college founded with the participation of the Ministry with the private sector, existing in the form of a private law legal entity) and the director of a college founded by an educational institution included in the Ministry's system, and the rules for holding a competition for the selection of a college director;

d²) is entitled, in connection with the selection competition for the director of a college founded by it (except for a college founded with the participation of the Ministry with the private sector, existing in the form of a private law legal entity) and the director of a college founded by an educational institution included in the Ministry's system, to establish time limits and rules for filing and considering an administrative complaint that differ from those provided for by the General Administrative Code of Georgia;

d³) on the basis of a competition, appoints for a term of 5 years and dismisses from office the director of a college founded by it (except for a college founded with the participation of the Ministry with the private sector, existing in the form of a private law legal entity) and the director of a college founded by an educational institution included in the Ministry's system;

e) approves the regulation on the authorization of educational institutions;

f) approves the rules for recognition of learning outcomes achieved in non-formal education and within the framework of formal education;

g) approves the credit system in the field of vocational education;

h) approves the rules and conditions for integrating the learning outcomes of the secondary level of general education into a secondary vocational educational programme;

i) approves the rules for the elaboration, development and approval of the vocational educational standard and module/modules;

j) approves the rules and conditions for the development and implementation of a joint professional educational programme/short-cycle educational programme, as well as the rules and conditions for the development and implementation of an exchange professional educational programme/short-cycle educational programme;

k) approves the rules for the development and implementation of a programme of training in the state language;

l) approves the rules and conditions for admission to a professional educational programme, the rules and conditions for admission to a short-cycle educational programme and the rules and conditions for admission to a programme of training in the state language;

m) approves the rules and conditions for admission to a professional training programme and a professional retraining programme;

n) approves the forms of the document certifying professional education and its annex, as well as the forms of the diploma certifying an associate degree and the diploma annex;

o) approves the rules for the mobility of a professional student;

o¹) approves the rules for keeping the electronic journal of an educational institution implementing professional educational programmes;

p) approves the professional standard of a teacher of professional education;

q) approves the code of ethics of a teacher of professional education;

r) approves the rules and conditions for the commencement of activity, professional development and career advancement of a teacher of professional education;

s) approves the rules and conditions for the payment of remuneration for a teacher of professional education in an educational institution founded by the state or with its participation;

t) develops the rules and conditions for the identification of a person's special educational need and for the implementation of inclusive professional education;

u) approves the rules for confirming the learning outcomes of the secondary level of general education achieved by a professional student within the framework of a professional educational programme in which the learning outcomes of the secondary level of general education are integrated. The Ministry is entitled, in accordance with the rules provided for by this subparagraph, to establish time limits and rules for filing and considering an administrative complaint that differ from those provided for by the General Administrative Code of Georgia;

v) approves the strategy for professional orientation, counselling and career planning in formal education;

w) approves the rules and conditions for the creation and administration of the information system for the management of professional education;

w¹) during an epidemic/pandemic takes decisions on the suspension, resumption and remote conduct of the learning process in educational institutions implementing a professional educational programme, a professional training programme and a professional retraining programme;

w²) approves the rules and conditions for the remote delivery of the components of a professional educational programme/short-cycle educational programme/professional training programme/professional retraining programme/programme of training in the state language;

w³) approves the procedure for recognition of vocational education obtained in the occupied territories of Georgia;

w⁴) approves the procedure for obtaining the right to implement the preparatory programme for a vocational education teacher;

x) exercises other powers determined by the legislation of Georgia.

2. For the purpose of implementing a unified state policy in the field of vocational education, the Ministry establishes legal entities.

3. The Ministry is entitled, within the framework of targeted programmes for the popularisation and development of vocational education, to allocate funding to the private, public and civil sectors.

4. The Ministry is entitled to determine the legal entity/legal entities within the Ministry's system that have the authority to develop and submit to the Ministry the legal acts provided for by Article 21 of this Law and by paragraph 1 of this Article.

Law of Georgia of 12 June 2020 No. 6288 – website, 15.06.2020.

Law of Georgia of 15 November 2023 No. 3662 – website, 05.12.2023.

Law of Georgia of 27 June 2024 No. 4299 – website, 04.07.2024.

Law of Georgia of 24 June 2025 No. 692 – website, 26.06.2025.

Article 23. Establishment of a college, its acquisition of status and the carrying out of educational activity🔗

1. A college is established and carries out activity in the form of a legal entity of public law or a legal entity of private law.

2. An executive authority body of Georgia is entitled, for the purpose of carrying out professional educational activity, in agreement with the Ministry, to establish a legal entity of public law or a non-entrepreneurial (non-commercial) legal entity of private law.

2¹. The executive authority bodies of the Autonomous Republics of Abkhazia and Adjara are entitled, for the purpose of carrying out professional educational activity, in agreement with the Ministry, to establish legal entities of public law and non-entrepreneurial (non-commercial) legal entities of private law.

3. A municipality is entitled, for the purpose of carrying out professional educational activity, in agreement with the Ministry, in accordance with the Organic Law of Georgia "Local Self-Government Code", to establish a legal entity of public law or a non-entrepreneurial (non-commercial) legal entity of private law.

4. The right to carry out a professional educational programme, a short-cycle educational programme or a state language training programme defined by this Law is held by an authorised legal entity − a college. A college is entitled, without obtaining an additional right, to carry out a professional training programme and/or a professional retraining programme within the framework of the professional educational programme/short-cycle educational programme that it has acquired the right to carry out as a result of authorisation.

5. A general educational institution is entitled, without creating an independent legal entity, to carry out only a basic professional educational programme, a secondary professional educational programme, a state language training programme, a professional training programme and/or a professional retraining programme.

6. A higher educational institution is entitled, without creating an independent legal entity, to carry out any type of professional educational programme, a short-cycle educational programme, a state language training programme, a professional training programme and/or a professional retraining programme.

7. A higher educational institution is entitled, for the purpose of carrying out a professional educational programme and/or a short-cycle educational programme, to establish a non-entrepreneurial (non-commercial) legal entity.

8. Chapter X of this Law shall not apply, taking into account its content, to an educational institution existing in the form of a legal entity of private law (except for an educational institution established with the participation of the State).

Law of Georgia of 2 November 2021 No. 965 – website, 05.11.2021.

Article 24. Merger, reorganisation and liquidation of colleges🔗

Merger, reorganisation and liquidation of colleges shall be carried out in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia by their founder/founders.

Article 25. Principles of college management and obligations of the college🔗

1. College management shall be carried out on the basis of the principles of publicity and transparency.

1¹. A college founded by the Ministry (except for a college existing in the form of a legal entity of private law founded with the participation of the Ministry with the private sector), a college founded by an educational institution within the Ministry's system, and a college founded on the basis of paragraphs 2−3 of Article 23 of this Law shall be headed by a director, who shall be appointed to the position on the basis of a competition, in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, for a term of 5 years. A person may be appointed to the position of director of the same college consecutively only twice.

1². The director of a college provided for by paragraph 1¹ of this Article shall be released from the position early if:

a) he/she has resigned from the position;

b) a final guilty judgment of the court has entered into legal force in respect of him/her;

c) he/she has been recognized by the court as missing, declared dead or recognized as a recipient of support, unless otherwise determined by a court decision;

d) he/she has been unable to perform the powers determined for him/her by the legislation of Georgia or the charter (statute) of the college for 4 consecutive months;

e) he/she does not properly perform the powers determined for him/her by the legislation of Georgia or the charter (statute) of the college;

f) he/she does not meet the standard of a college director;

g) he/she has died.

1³. In the case provided for by paragraph 1² of this Article, the director of the college shall be released from the position early by a substantiated individual administrative-legal act of an authorized person. This act may be appealed to the court in accordance with the procedure of administrative proceedings.

1⁴. The director of a college provided for by paragraph 1¹ of this Article shall have a deputy (deputies). The number of deputies of the college director shall be determined by the staffing list of the college. Before the appointment of a new director to the position, the college director shall appoint and dismiss the deputy (deputies) of the college director by an individual administrative-legal act and shall determine his (their) functions.

2. The college shall be obliged to:

a) cooperate with employers and/or employers' associations in the process of developing and implementing a professional educational programme/short-cycle educational programme;

b) ensure the participation of professional students, attendees, teachers of professional education and social partners in the process of making decisions related to the development of the educational institution;

c) ensure, in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, the accessibility of the decisions made to interested persons;

d) ensure equal enjoyment by professional students and attendees of the rights provided for by the legislation of Georgia;

e) in the event of the abolition of a professional educational standard or the removal of one of the qualifications from a professional educational standard, in accordance with the procedure for the development, elaboration and approval of a professional educational standard and module/modules, as well as in the event of a change to a professional educational programme, notify the professional student thereof in writing and explain to him/her the right provided for by paragraph 3 of Article 29 of this Law;

f) in accordance with the legislation of Georgia, ensure the creation of an environment safe for health, life and property on the college territory during study time;

g) create all conditions necessary for the conduct of the study process;

h) when planning and implementing the study process, take into account the educational needs of adolescents and adults;

i) within the framework of the system of professional orientation, counselling and career planning in formal education, ensure the implementation of the measures provided for by the legislation of Georgia;

j) create the conditions for the implementation of inclusive professional education; where necessary, for a professional student and attendee with special educational needs, develop an individual study plan, in accordance with which the teaching, social adaptation and integration into public life of the professional student and attendee shall be carried out;

k) ensure the fulfilment of other obligations determined by the legislation of Georgia and the charter of this college.

3. The governing bodies of the college (except for the director of a college founded by the Ministry, the director of a college founded by an educational institution within the system of the Ministry, and the director of a college founded on the basis of paragraphs 2−3 of Article 23 of this Law), the procedure for their election/appointment, the requirements to be set for them, their powers and the procedure for their activity shall be determined by the charter (statute) of the college.

3¹. The governing bodies of a college founded with the participation of the Ministry with the private sector, existing in the form of a legal entity of private law, the procedure for their election/appointment, the requirements to be set for them, their powers and the procedure for their activity shall be determined by the charter (statute) of the college.

3². The director of a college founded on the basis of paragraphs 2−3 of Article 23 of this Law shall be appointed to and dismissed from office by the founder of the college on the basis of a competition for a term of 5 years.

3³. The founder of a college founded on the basis of paragraphs 2−3 of Article 23 of this Law shall be entitled to establish the standard for the director of the respective college, the procedure for holding the competition for the selection of the college director, and also, in connection with the competition for the selection of the college director, to establish time limits and a procedure for the submission and consideration of an administrative complaint different from that provided for by the General Administrative Code of Georgia.

4. A college is entitled, for the purpose of ensuring security and public order, to conclude a contract for security and public order protection services with a Legal Entity of Public Law – the Mandaturi Service of the Educational Institution.

Law of Georgia of 15 November 2023 No. 3662 – website, 05.12.2023.

Article 26. Authorisation🔗

1. As a result of authorisation, a legal entity acquires the status of a college and is entitled to issue:

a) a state-recognised document certifying education − a diploma;

b) a state-recognised document certifying education − a certificate for a professional training programme and/or a professional retraining programme, which it implements within the framework of the professional educational programme/short-cycle educational programme the right to implement which it has acquired as a result of authorisation.

2. The authorisation standards for colleges concern:

a) the mission and strategic development of the college;

b) educational programmes;

c) professional students and measures for their support;

d) human resources;

e) material, information and financial resources.

3. A college is entitled to implement only the professional educational programme and short-cycle educational programme indicated in the authorisation application, as well as the professional educational programme and short-cycle educational programme which it added during the period of validity of the authorisation by an application on the addition of an educational programme.

4. A college is entitled, without additional authorisation, to implement a professional training programme and/or a professional retraining programme within the framework of the professional educational programme the right to implement which it has acquired as a result of authorisation.

Article 27. Acquisition of the right to implement a professional educational programme/short-cycle educational programme🔗

1. A general educational institution shall acquire the right to implement a basic professional educational programme and a secondary professional educational programme, while a higher educational institution shall acquire the right to implement a professional educational programme and a short-cycle educational programme, in accordance with the procedure established by the Regulation on Authorisation of Educational Institutions.

2. A general educational institution implementing professional educational programmes shall be entitled, in accordance with the procedure established by the Regulation on Authorisation of Educational Institutions, during the period of validity of authorisation, to add basic professional educational programmes and secondary professional educational programmes, while a higher educational institution − professional educational programmes and short-cycle educational programmes.

3. A general educational institution/a higher educational institution shall be entitled, without additional authorisation, to implement a professional training programme and/or a professional retraining programme within the framework of the professional educational programme the right to implement which it has acquired as a result of authorisation.

Article 28. Teacher of professional education🔗

1. A teacher of professional education is a person who directs the learning process within the framework of professional education.

2. The commencement of activity by a teacher of professional education, his/her professional development and career advancement shall take place in accordance with the rules and conditions for the commencement of activity, professional development and career advancement of a teacher of professional education.

3. The rules and conditions for the commencement of activity, professional development and career advancement of a teacher of professional education shall determine:

a) the rules and conditions for the commencement of activity of a teacher of professional education;

b) the types of teacher of professional education;

c) the criteria and procedure for the evaluation of a teacher of professional education;

d) other matters related to the professional development and career advancement of a teacher of professional education.

Article 28¹. Restriction established for personnel🔗

A person convicted of a crime against sexual freedom and inviolability, as provided for by the Law of Georgia "On Combating Crimes Directed against Sexual Freedom and Inviolability", and/or a person who, on the basis of the same law, has been deprived by a court of the right to work in an educational institution, may not be employed in a professional educational institution/college.

Law of Georgia of 17 March 2020 No. 5757 – website, 23.03.2020.

Article 29. Rights of a professional student and attendee🔗

1. A professional student/attendee shall have the right to:

a) receive quality professional education;

b) in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia and the legal acts of the relevant educational institution/legal entity, use its material and technical base, information resources, library and other learning resources;

c) freely establish professional and other student organizations in accordance with their own interests and/or join them;

d) exercise other powers conferred on them by this Law and other legislative and subordinate normative acts of Georgia.

2. A professional student shall have the right, in accordance with the procedure established by the legislation of Georgia, to enjoy the right of mobility of a professional student.

3. A professional student shall have the right, in accordance with the procedure for the elaboration, development and approval of the professional educational standard and module/modules, in the event of the abolition of the professional educational standard or the removal of one of the qualifications from the professional educational standard, as well as in the event of a change of the professional educational programme/short-cycle educational programme, to complete their studies in the professional educational programme/short-cycle educational programme in which they are studying, or to enjoy the right of mobility of a professional student.

4. Disciplinary proceedings against a professional student/attendee shall be proportionate to the disciplinary misconduct. It may be conducted only in the cases and in accordance with the procedure determined by the charter of the educational institution/the procedure established by the legal entity and/or the internal regulations.

5. A professional student/attendee shall have the right to appeal to court a decision taken in respect of them by the educational institution/legal entity.

Article 30. Financing of vocational education, short-cycle educational programme and state language training programme🔗

1. Financing of vocational education, short-cycle educational programme and state language training programme shall be carried out, in accordance with the legislation of Georgia, by the state authorities of Georgia, the ministries of the Autonomous Republics of Abkhazia and Adjara authorised in the field of education, and municipalities. Financing of vocational education, short-cycle educational programme and state language training programme may also be carried out, in accordance with the legislation of Georgia, by other agencies and organisations.

2. The bodies provided for by paragraph 1 of this Article shall, in accordance with the procedure established by the Government of Georgia, ensure the financing of vocational education, short-cycle educational programme and state language training programme in an educational institution founded by the State or with its participation, as well as in a legal entity of private law − an educational institution, in accordance with state policy and priorities.

3. The revenues and expenditures of a college founded by the State shall be reflected in its budget. The college has an account opened in the State Treasury and has a seal.

4. An educational institution founded by the State may be financed from other sources permitted by the legislation of Georgia.

5. Financing of vocational education, short-cycle educational programme and state language training programme may be carried out by natural persons and legal entities of private law.

Article 31. Economic activity of an educational institution🔗

1. An educational institution founded by the State or with its participation is entitled to carry out economic activity, including the sale of products created in the learning process/provision of remunerated services, as well as to attract financial resources permitted by the legislation of Georgia, including to receive income from such economic activity as is not dangerous to human health and does not adversely affect the quality of instruction.

2. The purpose of the economic activity carried out by an educational institution founded by the State or with its participation shall be only its economic sustainability, the development of the learning process, the obtaining of additional resources for financing the learning process and the improvement of the quality of the products created/services provided.

3. The resources attracted from the sale of goods created in the learning process/services provided and from economic activity of an auxiliary nature shall, in accordance with the legislation of Georgia, be used only for the achievement of the goals of the educational institution and the performance of its functions.

Article 32. Establishment of another legal entity by a college🔗

1. A college is entitled, in order to achieve the goals defined by the charter of this college, to establish an entrepreneurial legal entity or a non-entrepreneurial (non-commercial) legal entity. In the case of establishment of an entrepreneurial legal entity or a non-entrepreneurial (non-commercial) legal entity by a college established by the state or with its participation, the college shall hold not less than a 50% share/stocks.

2. The exercise of the authority provided for by paragraph 1 of this article by a college established by the state or with its participation shall be agreed with its founding body/bodies.

Article 33. State control of a college🔗

1. State control of a college established by the state shall be exercised by the respective founding body.

2. State control means supervision of the legality (compliance with the requirements of Georgian legislation and with individual administrative-legal acts of the body exercising state control), expediency, effectiveness and financial-economic activity of the activity carried out by the college.

3. The college shall submit to the body exercising state control a report on the activity of the past year on compliance with the requirements of Georgian legislation and on the educational process. The forms and deadlines for submitting this report shall be established by an individual administrative-legal act by the body exercising state control.

4. For the purpose of exercising state control, the respective body is entitled to request the submission of materials and information, or it shall study on site the compliance by the college with the requirements of Georgian legislation and with individual administrative-legal acts of the body exercising state control.

Article 34. Property of a college🔗

1. Upon establishment of a college, the state shall transfer to it the respective property in accordance with the procedure established by Georgian legislation.

2. Buildings and structures in the use of the college and their respective land areas are state property.

3. The college shall dispose of the property transferred to it by the state on the basis of the consent of the body exercising state control, in accordance with the procedure established by Georgian legislation.

4. On the basis of the consent of the body exercising state control, the college is entitled to transfer property acquired from income received from economic activity to an entrepreneurial legal entity or a non-entrepreneurial (non-commercial) legal entity established by it, free of charge or for consideration, with the right of use. The property remaining as a result of the liquidation of the entrepreneurial legal entity or the non-entrepreneurial (non-commercial) legal entity, which was transferred to it in accordance with the procedure established by this article, shall, after completion of the liquidation, be returned in full to the respective college.

5. The property remaining as a result of the liquidation of a college established by the state shall, in accordance with Georgian legislation, be returned in full to the state.

Article 35. Reporting of the college🔗

The rules for the college's reporting shall be determined by the college's charter.

Article 36. Information System for the Management of Vocational Education🔗

1. The Information System for the Management of Vocational Education shall reflect information on educational institutions, the respective educational programmes, the personnel implementing the educational programme and the personal data of persons entitled to be enrolled in/having been enrolled in the programme (including, in cases provided for by the legislation of Georgia, data on their state of health), as well as other information determined by the legislation of Georgia.

2. The collection, storage, processing, analysis and administration of data in the Information System for the Management of Vocational Education by the Ministry, in compliance with the requirements of the Law of Georgia on Personal Data Protection, shall be ensured, in accordance with the established procedure, by a Legal Entity of Public Law within the Ministry's system designated by the Ministry.

3. The Legal Entity of Public Law provided for by paragraph 2 of this Article shall be entitled, for the purpose of performing the functions provided for by the same paragraph, to receive and use personal data held by other Legal Entities of Public Law within the Ministry's system.

Article 37. Obligations of an educational institution and the presumption of accuracy of the data of the Information System for the Management of Vocational Education🔗

1. An educational institution shall be obliged to enter the respective information into the Information System for the Management of Vocational Education within the time limit established by the legislation of Georgia.

2. The failure by an educational institution to enter the respective information into the Information System for the Management of Vocational Education in a timely manner may become grounds for suspending the respective action to be carried out on the basis of the data of the Information System for the Management of Vocational Education or for refusing to carry out that action.

3. Where there is a discrepancy between the information reflected in the legal acts of an educational institution and the respective information reflected in the Information System for the Management of Vocational Education, the data of the Information System for the Management of Vocational Education shall be taken into account.

4. In cases provided for by the legislation of Georgia, forms of confirmation of the information entered into the Information System for the Management of Vocational Education may be established.

Article 38. Responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the information entered into the Information System for the Management of Vocational Education🔗

The entity obliged to reflect this information in the said system shall be responsible for the accuracy and completeness of the information entered into the Information System for the Management of Vocational Education.

Article 39. Transitional Provisions🔗

1. Authorized vocational educational institutions in accordance with the Law of Georgia No. 4528-Is of 28 March 2007 on Vocational Education – vocational colleges and community colleges – shall be considered as colleges holding authorization obtained in accordance with this Law for the remaining term of authorization, and their vocational educational programs – as vocational educational programs of authorized colleges.

1¹. A college/educational institution may implement only a vocational educational program developed on the basis of a vocational standard:

a) for the remaining term of authorization;

b) for the purpose of continuity of the status of the college/educational institution, in the case of obtaining re-authorization.

1². In the case provided for by paragraph 1¹ of this Article, a college/educational institution shall be entitled to allow vocational students enrolled in a vocational educational program developed only on the basis of a vocational standard to complete their studies and to award the qualification provided for by the said program no later than 31 December 2021. A college/educational institution shall not be entitled to enroll new vocational students in this program.

1³. In the case provided for by subparagraph „b“ of paragraph 1¹ of this Article, the college/educational institution shall indicate in the authorization application information on the implementation of a vocational educational program developed only on the basis of a vocational standard and on the number of vocational students in the said program, which is not subject to assessment in the authorization process.

1⁴. In the case of expiry of the term of authorization/revocation of authorization/refusal of authorization/deprivation of the right to implement vocational educational programs, vocational students in a vocational educational program developed only on the basis of a vocational standard and implemented by the college/educational institution may exercise vocational student mobility and transfer to another vocational educational program, including to another vocational educational program developed only on the basis of a vocational standard.

1⁵. In the case of implementation of a vocational educational program developed on the basis of the framework document for a vocational educational program, the college/educational institution shall be entitled to allow vocational students enrolled in this program to complete their studies and to award the qualification provided for by the said program, as well as to enroll new vocational students in this program. In the case provided for by this paragraph, the norms provided for by paragraphs 5 and 6 of Article 8 of this Law shall apply.

1⁶. Educational institutions implementing professional educational programmes which, for the purpose of continuity of authorisation, are required/were required to undergo authorisation from 1 January 2024 through 31 December 2024 inclusive, shall have the right to submit an authorisation application to the Legal Entity of Public Law − the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement during 2025, according to the schedule established by the Government of Georgia.

1⁷. The educational institutions defined by paragraph 1⁶ of this Article shall be considered authorised until the completion of the proceedings on the authorisation application provided for by the same paragraph.

1⁸. An educational institution shall be obliged to enable the professional students enrolled in those professional educational programmes which were not provided for by the new authorisation application to complete their studies and to award the qualification provided for by the said programmes. During this period these programmes shall be considered authorised.

1⁹. The right to submit an authorisation application to the Legal Entity of Public Law − the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement within the period defined by paragraph 1⁶ of this Article shall extend to those educational institutions which, for the purpose of maintaining the continuity of the status of an educational institution, were required to submit an authorisation application to the Legal Entity of Public Law − the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement after 1 September 2023. Actions carried out during this period shall be considered to be in accordance with the legislation.

1¹⁰. The operation of paragraphs 16–1⁹ of this Article shall extend also to general educational and higher educational institutions in the part concerning professional educational programmes.

2. The professional standard and the framework document of a professional educational programme approved in accordance with the Law of Georgia No. 4528-Is of 28 March 2007 "On Professional Education" shall be considered, respectively, as the standard of the profession and the professional educational standard created on the basis of this Law after the entry into force of this Law, until the approval of the standard of the respective profession and the professional educational standard. All actions carried out on their basis before the entry into force of this Law and after its entry into force shall be considered as carried out in accordance with the legislation of Georgia.

2¹. A college/educational institution shall be entitled to enable the professional students enrolled in a professional educational programme created on the basis of a framework document to complete their studies and to award the qualification provided for by this programme also in the case where the term of validity of the framework document has expired or the framework document has been revoked. A college/educational institution shall not be entitled to enrol professional students in the said programme if the professional educational standard does not establish a different condition.

2². In the case provided for by paragraph 2¹ of this article, the college/educational institution shall indicate in the authorisation application only information on the implementation of the professional educational programme created on the basis of the framework document and on the number of professional students enrolled in the said programme, which is not subject to assessment in the authorisation process.

2³. In the event of expiry of authorisation/cancellation of authorisation/refusal of authorisation/deprivation of the right to implement professional educational programmes, professional students enrolled in a professional educational programme created on the basis of the framework document implemented by the college/educational institution may exercise the mobility of a professional student and transfer to other professional educational programmes, including to professional educational programmes created on the basis of a professional educational standard developed in accordance with the procedure for the development, elaboration and approval of a professional educational standard and module/modules defined in accordance with Article 8 of this Law.

2⁴. If the awarding qualification and level of education provided for by the relevant professional educational standard defined by paragraph 2 of this article remain unchanged, the college/educational institution shall, before announcing a new admission to the programme created on the basis of the framework document of the professional educational programme, bring the professional educational programme into compliance with the professional educational standard and notify the Legal Entity of Public Law − National Centre for Educational Quality Development thereof. In the event of confirmation of the said compliance, the Legal Entity of Public Law − National Centre for Educational Quality Development shall submit to the Council for Authorisation of Professional Educational Institutions an initiative to amend the relevant decision, and the college/educational institution shall be entitled to implement this programme for the term of this authority. In other cases, the college/educational institution shall not be entitled to enrol new professional students in the said programme.

3. From 1 September 2017, where, by decision of the relevant authorisation council, an amendment is made to a vocational education programme created on the basis of the framework document of the vocational education programme, which amendment is caused by a change to the framework document of that vocational education programme and by bringing the said vocational education programme into compliance therewith, educational institutions shall be entitled, in parallel with the amended vocational education programme, for the term of validity of the framework document of the vocational education programme existing before the amendment, to also deliver the vocational education programme created on the basis of the framework document of the said vocational education programme only for the vocational students enrolled in that programme, and the education received by them/the qualification awarded to them/the document certifying the qualification issued to them, as well as the funding of vocational education for them, shall be deemed to have been carried out in accordance with the legislation of Georgia.

4. The Georgian language module integrated into a vocational education programme in accordance with the Law of Georgia of 28 March 2007 No. 4528-I “On Vocational Education” shall be deemed to be a module of training in the state language delivered in accordance with this Law.

5. Until 1 January 2019, an educational institution delivering vocational education programmes is entitled, in accordance with the legislation of Georgia, instead of the diploma provided for by this Law, to issue a vocational diploma.

6. The Ministry shall approve the rules and conditions for equating the documents certifying vocational education issued in accordance with the Law of Georgia of 28 March 2007 No. 4528-I “On Vocational Education”, as well as the documents certifying vocational education equated under the procedure established by the same Law, with the documents certifying vocational education provided for by this Law.

7. Vocational students who were enrolled before 1 May 2019 in a vocational education programme in which the learning outcomes of the secondary level of general education are integrated shall be entitled, in accordance with the procedure established by the Ministry, to confirm the achievement of the learning outcomes of the secondary level of general education. Where the achievement of the learning outcomes of the secondary level of general education is confirmed, the document certifying vocational education issued to the vocational students provided for by this paragraph shall be deemed to be a document equated with the document certifying complete general education. The Ministry shall be entitled to fund the vocational education programme in which the learning outcomes of the secondary level of general education are integrated.

8. From 1 May 2019, the Ministry shall ensure the introduction of the vocational education programme provided for by paragraph 3 of Article 9 of this Law.

9. The Ministry shall, within 6 months from the entry into force of this Law, ensure the appointment of the heads of the colleges founded by the Ministry through a competition procedure. In accordance with this paragraph, the appointment of the heads of the colleges founded by the Ministry entails the termination of the powers of the directors of the colleges founded by the Ministry who were appointed before the entry into force of this Law.

10. The register of educational institutions is a data source of the information system for the management of vocational education. The information existing in the register of educational institutions before the entry into force of this Law shall be deemed to be information reflected in the information system for the management of vocational education.

11. The Legal Entities of Public Law determined by the Ministry shall, within 1 year from the entry into force of this Law, ensure the implementation of the measures necessary for reflecting the information existing in the register of educational institutions in the information system for the management of vocational education.

12. The rules for maintaining the register of educational institutions shall retain legal force until the entry into force of the rules and conditions for the creation and administration of the information system for the management of vocational education and until the completion of the measures envisaged by paragraph 11 of this article.

13. During the period envisaged by paragraph 11 of this article, the register of educational institutions shall be maintained in accordance with the rules for maintaining the register of educational institutions, and the actions carried out on the basis of the register of educational institutions shall be considered as carried out in accordance with the legislation of Georgia.

14. The subordinate normative acts and individual administrative-legal acts issued on the basis of the Law of Georgia No. 4528-I of 28 March 2007 "On Vocational Education", as well as the actions carried out on their basis before the entry into force of this Law and after the entry into force of this Law, shall retain legal force until the issuance of the respective acts on the basis of this Law.

15. The Ministry and, upon the submission of the Ministry, the Government of Georgia shall, within 2 years from the entry into force of this Law, ensure the issuance and adoption, respectively, of the respective subordinate normative acts arising from this Law and the compliance of the relevant subordinate normative acts with this Law.

16. An educational institution implementing vocational training/vocational retraining programmes, or a legal entity entitled to implement them, shall ensure that the students enrolled before 1 January 2024 in the vocational training/vocational retraining programmes created on the basis of the framework document of the vocational educational programme abolished in 2023 complete their studies and are issued the certificate envisaged by the legislation of Georgia. The actions carried out during this period shall be considered as being in accordance with the legislation.

Law of Georgia No. 4749 of 30 May 2019 – website, 31.05.2019.

Law of Georgia No. 4162 of 15 May 2024 – website, 21.05.2024.

Article 40. Invalid normative act and entry into force of the law🔗

1. Upon entry into force of this law, the Law of Georgia of 28 March 2007 “On Professional Education” shall be declared invalid (Legislative Herald of Georgia, No. 15, 23 April 2007, Art. 117).

2. This law shall enter into force upon publication.

President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili

Kutaisi,

20 September 2018

N3442-Is