Lecturers

A brief description of the experience

Doctoral candidate of sociology of education, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. M.A in International Politics, Georgian Institute of Public Affairs. Has more than 14 years of experience in grant project development and management. Is a Resident Director of the Georgia Branch of the American Research Institute of the South Caucasus (ARISC) since 2014. She worked at the Center for Social Sciences (CSS) on different positions in 2010-2023. In 2014-2023 she served as an Administrative Director of CSS, as well as a researcher in the Education and Development program. Has conducted a number of research projects especially in respect to studying higher education and is the author/co-author of respective publications. Since 2018 she is the higher education expert of European Union Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), Erasmus+ Capacity Building in the Field of Higher Education and Erasmus Mundus Design Measures (since 2023). Currently, she is a fundraising consultant at USAID Human and Institutional Capacity Development (HICD) Activity, Kaizen, a Tetra Tech Company. 

Courses: 

• Academic writing 
• Analytical and critical writing 
• Science management – commercialization and fundraising 

Research and Publications: 

• Lezhava, D. (forthcoming) Education vs Informal Practices: What Hinders the Development of Knowledge-based Economy in Georgia? TalTech Journal of European Studies, Vol 14, No 1.
• Amashukeli, M., Lezhava, D. & Chitashvili, M. (2022). Higher Education in Georgia and Self-assessment of Competences by the University Graduates. Center for Social Sciences: Tbilisi [in Georgian]
• Amashukeli, M., Lezhava, D. & Chitashvili M. (2020). “Conditioned” Quality Assurance of Higher Education in Georgia: Talking the EU Talk. TalTech Journal of European Studies Vol. 10, No. 2 (31) pp. 75-95. 
• Bakradze, M., Bochorishvili, M., Lezhava, D., Miminoshvili, N., Mikadze, M., Mkalavishvili, M., Nozadze, G., Putkaradze, E. (2019). Citizenship. School Textbook for VII Grade. Tbilisi: Publishing House Diogene [in Georgian]

Projects: (ასეთის არსებობის შემთხვევაში)

• Project coordinator (in 2021-2022), “Meditized EU: Mediatized Discourses on Europeanization and Their Representations in Public Perceptions.” (2021-2024) Donor: Horizon 2020 | The EU Framework Programme for Research. H2020-SC6-TRANSFORMATIONS-2020.
• Project coordinator, “MARKETS: Mapping Uncertainties, Challenges and Future Opportunities of Emerging Markets: Informal Barriers, Business Environments and Future Trends in Eastern Europe, The Caucasus and Central Asia.” (2020-2024). Donor: Research Executive Agency of the European Commission, Marie Sklodowska Curie Innovative Training Network. MSCA-ITN-2019
• Project coordinator, KnowEU: Enhancing Knowledge on Georgia’s EU Integration among Ethnic Minorities (2019-2021). Donor: Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Activities
• Researcher, “Challenges to Bologna: High-productive Labor Force and Higher Education in Georgia” (2019-2022). Donor: Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation
• Project coordinator, “Introducing American-style Graduate School Model to Georgian Universities” (2019-2020). Donor: US Embassy to Georgia
• Project leader/researcher, “Study of Georgian Labor Market and Its Links with the University Education.” (2019). Donor: GICE Partnership 
• Project coordinator and research fellow, “SHADOW: An Exploration of the Nature of Informal Economies and Shadow Practices in the Former USSR Region.” (2018-2021). Donor: European Commission, Marie Sklodowska Curie Innovative Training Network. MSCA-RISE-2017
• Project Director, Research grant on “Interrelation between Higher Education Return and Work Orientations and Job Satisfaction in Georgia” (2017-2018), Donor: Open Society Georgia Foundation
• Project coordinator, Raising Awareness on Georgia’s Europeanization in Academia [RAGEA]. (2016-2017). Donor: Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Activities.
• Project Director, Research grant on “Assessment of Bologna Process, Case Study: Georgia” (2015-2016), Donor: Open Society Georgia Foundation
• Project Director, Research grant on “Higher Education programmes’ effectiveness in carrier development: compatibility of Social Science academic programmes outcomes with the labor market requirements” (2014-2015), Donor: Open Society Georgia Foundation
• Project leader, Dictionary-Guidebook of Social Sciences: Psychology, Gender, Applied Statistics, Public Policy and Administration (2014-2016). Donor: Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation

Research interests: 

Higher education policy and management, informal practices in education system, higher education and labor market, Bologna reforms