PICG Grants
The aim of the Programme Improvement Competitive Grants (PICG) is to fund innovative, industry-driven proposals for establishing new or expanding and improving existing technical vocational education and training (TVET) programs that are aligned with industry demands, labour market needs and modern work-practices, particularly in higher-level Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) areas, Agriculture and Tourism. In their program proposals, grantees must demonstrate how their grants will address industry needs, including elements of public-private partnership, e.g. through co-funding.
Program Improvement Competitive Grants (PICG) was officially launched on June 22, 2015. 70 concept papers were submitted during the first, concept paper stage of the competition, with the overall requested grant amount of $69 million. The total budget amount of all submitted applications, including the co-financing from the industry was more than $90 million. The applications were evaluated by the independent Technical Evaluation Panel and international experts. After a rigorous three-level evaluation and selection stage and due diligence process, ten proposals have been selected for final awarding.
The awarded grants will focus on improving and introducing professions and qualifications of international standards demanded by the industry in the following sectors: maritime, engineering, tourism, information technologies, aviation and agriculture. Four out of ten projects will be implemented in the regions of Georgia, while the remaining in Tbilisi. The overall budget for all ten proposals is USD 19.6, out of which USD 12 million is the grant amount.
The winner organizations are: Agriculture University of Georgia, Batumi State Maritime Academy, Georgian Aviation University, Georgian Institute of Public Affairs, Georgian Mountain Guide Association, Georgian Technical University, Vocational College Phazisi, Railway Transport College, Community College Spektri and Vocational College Tetnuldi.
For detailed information, please refer to section 'Grantees' under the PICG Grants of the project website.
