As part of European Higher Education Week (EHEW 2025), the international scientific conference “Education – A Catalyst for Well-Being” was held at East European University (EEU), co-organized with the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement (NCEQE). The three-day conference brought together scholars and experts from Georgia and abroad.
The aim of the conference was to explore education as a driving force of individual and societal well-being, to highlight the role of universities in this field, to identify well-being-related challenges, and to discuss possible solutions.
The opening ceremony was attended by senior representatives of the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia, the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Science and Youth Affairs, representatives of the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement, educational researchers, academics, experts, representatives of higher education institutions, international conference participants, and invited guests.
Leading international educational organizations also expressed support for the conference. Participants were welcomed by Josep Garrell, President of the European University Association (EUA), and David Townhill , International Director of the UK’s Advance HE.
On the second day, welcome remarks were delivered by Kakhaber Lazarashvili, Rector of East European University; Lasha Margishvili, Acting Director of NCEQE; and Davit Kukhalashvili, Head of the Higher Education Quality Assurance Service. Greetings were also extended by Prof. Maurizio Tira (EUA), Prof. Jean Holm (Advance HE), and Prof. Ivo Schäfer (Aschaffenburg University, Germany).
The plenary session was opened by Prof. David Cherkezishvili, Chair of the Academic Committee of the Conference.
Keynote presentations were delivered by:
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Emeritus Prof. Paul Gibbs (Middlesex University, UK)
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Prof. Angela Scollan and Prof. Nicky Spawls (Middlesex University, UK)
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Prof. Manuel Lillo-Crespo (University of Alicante, Spain)
The conference continued in three parallel thematic sessions:
- Session 1: Well-Being, Quality, and Internationalization in Education (Moderators: Kakhaber Lazarashvili, Paul Gibbs)
- Session 2: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Digital Transformation, and Innovation (Moderators: Mariam Lashkhi, David Sikharulidze)
- Session 3: Law and Public Administration (Moderators: Zviad Rogava, Shalva Kvinikhidze)
More than 80 researchers from leading universities in the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Austria, Spain, Romania, Georgia, and other countries participated in the conference.
On the third day, final discussions were held, and all participants received certificates and printed conference proceedings. Certificates were also awarded to members of the Organizing Committee and supporting teams.
The conference concluded with a festive gala dinner.
The conference proceedings have been published in print (see link), and selected papers will be published in an international high-ranking journal. Members of the Academic Committee include distinguished scholars and researchers from across Europe and Georgia.
Conference website: https://eeu.edu.ge/ehew-2025-tbilisi/?lang=en
