Issue 1, 2013 February-March - Investor.ge

seeks to capitalize best practice and innovationin the professional educationsector in Georgia. It will be open to allpublic and private providers of technicaltraining and professional education, withthe objective of developing new coursesthat are linked closely to employmentoutcomes. This will allow existingcourses to be improved; ensure coursesalign to the needs of employers; andallow existing good practice in Georgia(and there are some really good examplesbeing supported by international partnersand domestic providers) to be furtherdeveloped, documented and showcasedto the whole sector. We hope to focuson projects with strong links to industry. A: The Millennium Challenge Account– Georgia (MCA-G), togetherwith the Ministry of Education and Scienceand MCC, has recently conductedpublic consultations throughout Georgiato inform the design of the grant facility.I think the government and MCC agreethat consultations with public and privatepartners are a key part of designingeffective economic growth policy andinvestments.In the first stage through February,the government and MCC are solicitingfeedback through an open “Call forIdeas” from potential partners- allowingthem to share their priorities and possibleprojects. Pending the approval ofthe MCC-Georgia Compact, an opencompetition for grant funding would bepublicized with the specific rules andcriteria for awards openly available. Weexpect that phase to begin in late 2013.