A diploma awarded upon completion of a 4-year higher education program before September 1, 2010 may be equated with a master’s degree. The amendments are planned to the Law on Higher Education, drafted by the Ministry of Education.

Under the current legislation, diplomas obtained after completing 4-year programs before September 2010 are equated with a bachelor’s degree, while diplomas issued after completing 5-year (so-called part-time) one-cycle programs are equated with a master’s degree. According to the authors of the draft law, this creates an unequal situation, which the proposed changes aim to correct.

“Without implementing this amendment, individuals who completed a four-year one-cycle higher education program will not be able to exercise their rights without resorting to court. Without adopting this law, an unfair and unequal approach will remain, as diplomas issued after completing a 4-year (full-time) one-cycle program are equated with a bachelor’s degree, while diplomas issued after completing a 5-year (part-time) program are equated with a master’s degree,” the explanatory note states.

In addition, recognition of diplomas issued without accreditation before September 2010 will be simplified.

The draft law also concerns individuals who completed their studies before September 2010 at higher education institutions that lost accreditation or failed to obtain it. According to the amendments, recognition of their education will become possible without court involvement.

“Adoption of the law is necessary so that persons who were enrolled in higher education institutions in accordance with legislation before September 1, 2010, and who completed their studies in non-accredited conditions due to the institution losing or failing institutional accreditation, are able to have their education recognized.

It should be noted that without this law, individuals who partially received education in unlicensed institutions (cases where an institution obtained a license after a student had already been enrolled in an educational program — within a week, month, or year) would not be able to confirm the validity of their education without applying to court.

Given that the Supreme Court of Georgia has already established practice in such cases and individuals are granted recognition of their education through court proceedings, it is advisable to introduce relevant legislative amendments so that such persons are not required to apply to court in order to exercise their rights,” the draft law states.