Amid recent ongoing public discussions on medical education, Tbilisi State Medical University feels obliged to declare that the international recognition of diplomas issued by higher medical institutions authorized by the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement (NCEQE, https://eqe.ge) is not under threat.
This statement is based on the fact that in 2018 the Center underwent an evaluation by international experts of WFME (https://wfme.org/), who confirmed that the quality assurance standards of higher medical education in Georgia, the sectoral benchmark of higher medical institutions, which is regularly updated and fully aligned with the standards of the World Federation, and the authorization and accreditation standards and procedures are compliant with the joint requirements of the World Health Organization and the World Federation for Medical Education. As a result, since 2018, the Georgian National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement has been recognized by WFME, this status is valid until 2028.
The mission of WFME is to ensure the improvement of the quality of medical education worldwide through the global standards it has developed (undergraduate, postgraduate medical education and continuing professional development, https://wfme.org/standards) and, in case of meeting WFME requirements and criteria, recognition of accreditation bodies in countries (in Georgia, this recognition was obtained by the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement - NCEQE, https://eqe.ge). The right of the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement of Georgia to conduct accreditation obtained from WFME means that the accreditation granted by the Center to universities operating both in Georgia and abroad will be recognized worldwide.
It is important to note that WFME recognition depends solely on the quality of medical education and global standards. The accreditation bodies of many countries around the world (not only EU member states) are recognized by WFME, which means that graduates of higher medical education institutions accredited by them have access to further training, licensing and professional activities internationally. This is confirmed by the map and list of countries whose accreditation bodies are recognized by the World Federation (for example, the list includes countries such as the USA, South Korea, Japan, Sudan, etc.) and are not EU member states. See http://wfme.org/news/three-accrediting-agencies-awarded-wfme-recognition-status/?fbclid=IwAR219fIgfI3N0MGXrpjFERRLr-924n4Y1gfkaEYgIdqm5N6s0VLp-vM2-TI.
Thus, the assumption that WFME recognition is directly linked to political events or to NCEQE registration by EQAR or ENQA assessment is unfounded. The legitimacy of diplomas issued by accredited higher medical education institutions in Georgia is not threatened and the future careers of graduates are completely secure. Obviously, in the future, becoming a member of the European Union will make Georgian higher medical institutions even more attractive to international students.
Links for further information
Below are listed sources where you can find detailed information about WFME recognition, NCEQE accreditation and related policies:
1. World Federation for Medical Education (WFME)
• WFME Recognition Programme:
https://wfme.org/recognition/
This link will show you how WFME evaluates accreditation bodies.
• List of WFME accredited bodies:
https://wfme.org/accreditation/accrediting-agencies-status/
Here you can see a list of accreditation bodies that are recognized by WFME. This includes NCEQE.
2. National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement of Georgia (NCEQE)
• Official website: https://www.eqe.ge/en
This site will provide information about accreditation standards, quality assurance policies and their recognition.
3. Commission on Foreign Medical Graduate Education (ECFMG)
• ECFMG Accreditation Requirements for Foreign Medical Schools:
https://www.ecfmg.org/accreditation/
Here is given information on how ECFMG recognizes WFME-recognized accrediting bodies, allowing graduates to become licensed and continue their training in the United States.