Chairman of the Government of Ajara Meets with Beneficiaries of the Vocational Education Internationalization Program

The Chairman of the Government of Ajara, Zurab Pataradze, alongside the Chairman of the Supreme Council of Ajara, Tsotne Ananidze, and the Regional Minister of Education and Sports, Maia Khajishvili, convened an official meeting with students and educators participating in the regional sub-program designed to promote the internationalization of vocational education.

 

During the session, the Chairman emphasized the strategic importance of expanding vocational education pathways, acquiring international institutional experience, and generating advanced career opportunities for the region's youth.

 

"Championing vocational education stands as a core priority for our administration," stated Chairman Zurab Pataradze. "We hosted ten exceptional students from our regional vocational colleges who are slated to depart for Estonia. This exchange will grant them direct access to modern technologies and innovative operational approaches, allowing them to collaborate with foreign specialists and subsequently integrate this advanced knowledge into their professional careers at home.

 

Today, we engaged deeply with the ideas and visions of these young professionals. It is particularly encouraging to see their keen focus on the tourism and hospitality sectors, paired with forward-thinking concepts for startups and innovative projects. Our overarching objective is to secure comprehensive developmental avenues for motivated students and empower a skilled generation capable of driving meaningful economic progress both regionally and nationally," the Chairman concluded.

 

As a key component of this capacity-building framework, 25 educators from the region's state-operated vocational institutions, specifically "New Wave" and "Black Sea" colleges, previously completed study tours in Germany, Croatia, Estonia, and Portugal to enhance their professional qualifications and exchange pedagogical best practices.

 

Beginning in 2026, the scope of the sub-program was strategically expanded to directly include students. For the current academic cycle, full funding has been awarded to ten meritorious students, evenly selected from "Black Sea" and "New Wave" colleges. The cohort will participate in an intensive, one-month vocational exchange program specialized in hospitality and catering at the prestigious Valgamaa Vocational Training Centre in the Republic of Estonia.

 

The high-level meeting was also attended by Gia Chkonia, Member of the Parliament of Georgia; the Mayor and the Chairman of the City Council of Kobuleti Municipality; senior representatives from the Government of Ajara and local self-governments; and the administrative heads of the participating vocational institutions.