Tbilisi, Georgia: The First Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia, Alexander Tsuladze, inaugurated the “University Opportunity Development Program (UCBP)” at a ceremony in Tbilisi on 12 February 2024, Monday.
The University Opportunity Development Program ( UCBP ) is a new initiative funded by the US Embassy in Georgia that aims to enhance Georgian higher education institutions’ research administration and development capabilities.
The program will provide training, mentoring, and networking opportunities for university staff and researchers and facilitate collaboration between Georgian and US universities.
Tsuladze praised the UCBP as a valuable opportunity for Georgian higher education and research institutions to improve their performance and impact in science, technology, and innovation. He also thanked the US government for its long-standing partnership and support for various educational projects in Georgia, which he said were crucial for advancing the country’s development goals.
The American Councils for International Education administer the UCBP in partnership with the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA), a leading professional association for research administrators in the US. The program will run for two years and involve 12 Georgian universities selected through a competitive process.
The US Embassy in Georgia said the UCBP was part of its broader efforts to promote academic excellence, scientific discovery, and innovation in Georgia and strengthen the ties between Georgian and US institutions and experts. The embassy also expressed its hope that the program would contribute to Georgia’s economic and social well-being and its people.
University Opportunity Development Program
The University Opportunity Development Program is also known as the University Capacity Building Program (UCBP). It aims to improve the entrepreneurial capacity of Georgian higher education institutions (HEIs) by strengthening the strategic skills and overall knowledge of university administrators and research development officers.
Georgian universities produce graduates in academic programs that are disconnected from market demands. It will invest in HEIs to improve the university organizational environment and support the effective operation of research development offices.
By supporting grant programs and university grant team project management, the program will help ensure that the research development function in universities improves grant funding success and helps universities achieve their research goals.
The proposed study tour will assist university leaders in learning how to optimize best practices and organizational structures to cope with the pressures of external forces like limited funding and increased demand for research in the competitive higher education marketplace.
