Georgia's Quality Centre Remains in EQAR: What This Means for Diplomas

Different dates for report and decision

News source reports on 11 October about the registration of the National Centre for Educational Quality Enhancement in EQAR. EQAR agency's official record dates the decision to 22 September 2026 and indicates the registration is valid until 30 April 2029. Accordingly, this is weekend coverage of a decision made earlier.

The official record describes substantial compliance with ESG standards. Changing this wording to 'full satisfaction of all requirements' would not be accurate. The significance of registration must be assessed by the actual content of the decision and its period of validity.

Three distinct legal steps

EQAR concerns the registration of a quality assurance agency. University authorisation establishes the appropriate status of the institution; specific programme accreditation assesses the quality conditions of the programme. The recognition of a diploma abroad is decided by the competent authority of the receiving country according to its own rules. Automatic recognition of all diplomas does not follow from the agency's registration.

Article 63 of the Law on Higher Education defines the purpose and conditions of programme accreditation; Article 64 relates to the accreditation assessment process. Therefore, students should verify the decisions regarding their institution and specific programme, including validity periods and possible conditions.

Why academic and professional recognition differ

Admission to a master's programme, confirmation of education for an employer, and admission to a regulated profession are not a single procedure. In the case of medicine or other regulated professions, additional language, practice, examination, or registration requirements may exist. The presence of Georgia's agency in the European register does not automatically cancel these individual requirements.

If a foreign body requests additional documents, the legal basis for its request and the purpose of verification must first be established. An apostille or certified translation facilitates the formal use of a document; they do not replace a separate assessment of educational quality and professional competence.

Student checklist

• University authorisation and programme accreditation for the relevant study period.
• Diploma, supplement, completed subjects, and credits.
• Receiving country's recognition body and the precise purpose of the application.
• Justification for the decision and local appeal procedure in case of refusal.

Conclusion

The EQAR record is an important confirmation of the agency's international quality status. An individual student's outcome still depends on the programme's status, their qualifications, and the receiving country's procedure. For formal use of documents, see Apostille, Legalisation, and Certified Translation.

Verification Date

Legislation and cited sources verified as of 12 October 2026. The analysis is based on available materials and does not automatically reflect developments subsequent to the published report.