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LEADHEGA

Project No.: 101237161

Project No.: 101237161
Title: Leadership in Higher Education Development in Georgia and Azerbaijan
Programme: ERASMUS-EDU-2025-CBHE-STRAND-1
Project Duration: 1. November 2025 – 31. October 2027
Project Leader: Teona Dzneladze
Project Coordinator: LEPL Teaching University – Batumi State Maritime Academy (BSMA), Georgia

 

Project Overview and Objectives

LEADHEGA aims to develop leadership capacity in Georgian and Azerbaijani higher education institutions, equipping leaders with competencies in governance, strategic planning, risk management, financial sustainability and quality assurance aligned with European Higher Education Area standards. Anchored in an internationally validated leadership qualities and skills framework, the initiative brings together universities from Georgia, Azerbaijan and three EU Member States to design, pilot and implement a tailored leadership development programme supporting higher education modernization. The project pursues six primary objectives:

  • Identify best practices worldwide, across the EU, and in EU partner universities for leadership development and adapt them to Georgian and Azerbaijani higher education contexts.
  • Design a leadership development programme focusing on governance, strategic planning, and management tailored to regional needs.
  • Train university staff in Georgian and Azerbaijani HEIs to deliver the leadership development programme effectively.
  • Pilot the newly developed leadership programme with selected leaders from partner institutions.
  • Disseminate the leadership programme and its impact across Georgian and Azerbaijani HEIs, the EU, and internationally.
  • Ensure sustainability by embedding the programme within institutional frameworks and securing long-term university commitment.

Project Activities and Work Packages

Objectives will be achieved through four integrated work packages:

  • Project Preparation, Management & Quality Assurance – Establishing governance structures, management handbook, consortium partner agreement, quality assurance plan and systematic monitoring throughout the 24-month implementation.
  • Programme Development – Research visit to EU partner (EMUNI, Slovenia) to assess best practices, design of leadership development programme materials and train-the-trainer workshops, identification and equipping of leadership training labs at each Georgian and Azerbaijani partner institution.
  • Piloting – Delivery of train-the-trainer workshops to 12 university staff, pilot of the leadership development programme with 2 cohorts of 25 leaders each (50 total including non-partner institutions), supported by EU partner mentoring, systematic evaluation and programme revision, followed by translation into Georgian and Azerbaijani.
  • Dissemination & Exploitation – Development of dissemination plan, sharing of research findings across regional HE sectors, international leadership symposium, testimonials and promotional materials, project website, and academic publications.

Expected Impact

The project will empower higher education leaders in the South Caucasus to drive institutional transformation, bridge the gap between European best practice and regional implementation needs, and foster sustainable cross-border collaboration. By uniting universities from Georgia, Azerbaijan and the EU in developing leadership capacity, LEADHEGA supports ongoing higher education reforms, contributing to improved governance structures, enhanced institutional effectiveness, and greater impact on economies and societies in both countries.

Project Consortium

The project consortium brings together higher education institutions and international partners from the Black Sea and South Caucasus regions, Europe, and the Mediterranean, combining academic expertise, applied education, and leadership development to strengthen higher education capacity, employability, and international cooperation.

Coordinator

  • Batumi State Maritime Academy (Georgia) 

Georgian Partners

  • Kutaisi International University (Georgia) 
  • BAU International University Batumi (Georgia) 

Azerbaijani Partners

  • ADA University (Azerbaijan)
  • Azerbaijan Technical University (Azerbaijan) 
  • Academy of the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan (Azerbaijan)

European & International Partners

  • EMUNI University (Slovenia) 
  • Education Leadership International (Ireland) 
  • Pegaso International (Italy)Â