SURVEY OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS INVOLVEMENT IN THE REGIONS OF GEORGIA IN THE CONTEXT OF GRADUATE EMPLOYMENT

Reforms in the field of education have been going on for almost 30 years since Georgia gained its independence. During the period, numbers of ministers and heads of educational institutions were replaced. Unfortunately, the subject of graduate employment remains an unresolved issue. Higher education institutions (HEIs) are crucial in training qualified graduates and employing them according their profession. The given paper presents the qualitative analysis of Higher Education Institutions involvement in the context of graduate employment. The study involves all accredited universities and teaching universities located in the regions of Georgia by January 2020, which had at least first-generation of graduates. This approach determines the reliability and validity of the study. Hence, the research encompasses 4 universities and 6 teaching universities located in the regions of Georgia. The aim of the research is to evaluating the current conditions of HEIs in relation to labor market stakeholders, determine the problems and challenges in regards of graduates’ employment by profession. Analyze the functions of career services and outline the aspects that create horizontal and vertical unemployment of graduates. The presented article is one of the first academic attempt that examines region based Higher Educational Institutions by qualitative research method, using interview technique. Therefore, its scientific and practical significance is important in terms of the developing regional and then national higher educational environment.