International Scientific Conference: “Education as a Catalyst for Well-being” as Part of European Higher Education Week (EHEW 2025)
The international scientific conference “Education as a Catalyst for Well-being” was held at East European University as part of the European Higher Education Week (EHEW 2025), co-organized by the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement (LEPL).
The three-day conference aimed to explore education as a driving force for personal and societal well-being, to prioritize the role of universities in this context, identify well-being-related challenges, and seek solutions.
The opening ceremony was attended by and featured welcoming remarks from representatives of the Ministry of Education, Science, and Youth, as well as the Education, Science, and Youth Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, delegates from the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement, education researchers, scholars, experts, representatives of various higher education institutions, international participants, and invited guests.
The conference was supported and greeted by prominent international educational organizations, including Joseph Gairel, President of the European University Association (EUA), and David Townhill, International Director of Advance HE (UK).
On the second day of the conference, welcoming speeches were delivered by the Rector of East European University, Kakhaber Lazarashvili; Lasha Margishvili, Acting Director of the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement; and Davit Kukhalashvili, Head of the Higher Education Quality Assurance Department. Greetings were also offered by Prof. Maurizio Tira (EUA), Prof. Jean Holm (ADVANCE-HE), and Prof. Ivo Schäfer (Aschaffenburg University, Germany).
The plenary session was opened by Professor Davit Cherkezishvili, Chair of the Conference Academic Committee.
Keynote presentations during the plenary session were delivered by:
Emeritus Professor Paul Gibbs (Middlesex University, UK)
Prof. Angela Schölani and Prof. Nicky Spowls (Middlesex University, UK)
Manuel Lillo-Crespo (University of Alicante, Spain)
The conference continued with three parallel sessions:
Session 1: Well-being, Quality, and Internationalization in Education (Moderators: Kakha Lazarashvili, Paul Gibbs)
Session 2: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Digital Transformation, and Innovation (Moderators: Mariam Lashkhi, Davit Sikharulidze)
Session 3: Law and Public Administration (Moderators: Zviad Rogava, Shalva Kvinikadze)
Over 80 researchers from leading universities in the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Austria, Spain, Romania, Georgia, and other countries participated in the conference.
On the third day, concluding discussions were held. All participants received certificates and conference proceedings. Members of the organizing committee and support group were also awarded certificates of appreciation.
The conference concluded with a festive gala dinner.
The conference proceedings have been published in print (see link), and selected papers will be published in an international high-ranking academic journal. The academic committee includes both European and Georgian scholars and researchers.
