Second International Conference within the frames of the EU funded ERASMUS+ Jean Monnet Project

On 14 and 15 June 2022 the Institute for European Studies of Tbilisi State University hosted the Second International Jean Monnet Conference within the frames of the EU funded ERASMUS+ Jean Monnet Project “Establishing Interdisciplinary Bachelor’s Programme in European Studies at Tbilisi State University” (EUStBA). The conference was a logical follow-up of the previous 4-day Jean Monnet workshops dedicated to the teaching and learning methods and led by the Associated Professor of the TSU Pedagogical Institute  Eter Gvineria. 

The conference was open with the welcoming speech of  Nino Lapiashvili, the Director of the TSU Institute for European Studies who also presented the Erasmus+ Jean Monnet project implementation progress as well as outlined the synergies of the project with the IES activities, including the best practices of cooperation.  A clear example of the latter is the official presentation of the Double Degree Master’s Programme with Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences (Latvia) and conclusion of the cooperation agreement by the Rectors of the two universities. Rector of TSU Prof. George Sharvashidze and Acting Rector of Vidzeme University of Applied sciences Prof. Agense Davidsone signed the agreement on June 14th during the opening ceremony of the Jean Monnet Conference. The opening of the conference was organised in the Auditorium of Antimoz Iverieli at the premises of the TSU Central Library.

Keynote speaker of the international conference was  Kamil Zwolski, Associate Professor in International Politics, Jean Monnet Chair of European Security Governance, Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy Politics & International Relations at the University of Southampton. The best practices of teaching and learning methods applied by Vidzeme University of Applied Science as well as experiences in structured staff trainings had been shared by  Māra Arāja, the Director of Communication and Media Studies of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences (Latvia). 

During the two day conference the academic staff of the Institute for European Studies who are involved in the teaching process at Undergraduate, Master’s and Doctoral levels, presented the findings of the research and discussed their obseravtions on opportunities and challenges of various teaching and learning methods in European Studies based on their own teaching courses. The sessions had been moderated by  Nino lapiashvili, the key discussant was  Eter Gvineria. The results of the conference will be transformed into the scientific articles and will be published in the special Jean Monnet edition of the bilingual Georgian-English Journal of the TSU Institute for European Studies. 

After the Q&A session and summing-up the international conference in teaching and learning methods was officially closed.

The  main idea of the conference and the workshops dedicated particularly to the teaching and learning methods in European studies and aimed at offering the IES academic personnel the self-development opportunities as well as advancing accreditation process of the European Studies Undergraduate and Master’s programmes, had been successfully accomplished. 

Additional Comment:  The opening session of the conference was organized in a hybrid format (as it was planned initially); However, due to the security reasons (the erupted student violence at TSU on June 10th and the subsequent events related to take-over of the Rector’s Office), the Conference Planning Team decided to go fully online during the conferences sessions.

Conference Agenda and Cover Photos.

Conference Press Release.