International Student Mobility and Related Challenges in Georgia

Education is a source of personal and professional growth and social progress. The role of education in promoting sustainable development and the social well-being of the country is noteworthy. In 2005, Georgia’s accession to the Bologna Process laid the foundation for the Europeanization of the country’s higher education system. Since then, the importance and orientation of international student mobility, both the driving force and the result of the Bologna Process, have increased. International student mobility involves the movement of students abroad for academic development and international experience. It allows students to learn about new cultures, share their own culture, form a value system, and develop complex skills. International mobility offers students the opportunity to receive highquality education and acquire skills that, in most cases, are not taught in a local higher education institution. It is also considered a way to access international career prospects, which improves employment opportunities in today’s rapidly changing labor market. Over the past two decades, reforms in the Georgian higher education system have focused on improving compliance with European standards, quality of education, international competitiveness, and sustainability. Strategically effective steps have been taken towards Georgia’s integration into the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) as a full member. However, for a small and still developing country like Georgia, despite continuous efforts to meet European standards, there are still several challenges regarding international student mobility. This paper aims to study international short-term student mobility and short-term mobility programs operating in Georgia and to identify barriers related to the mobility process. Keywords: higher education, international student mobility, Bologna process, European Higher Education Area (EHEA).