Centre for Civil Integration and Inter-Ethnic Relations (CCIIR) is a non-governmental/research organization established in 2005. Since then, with the financial support of different donor organizations, CCIIR implements projects addressing the needs and demands existing in education system of Georgia and elaborating recommendations for improvement of education policy. The mission of the organization is to support the integration process of ethnic minorities in Georgia through empowerment, advocacy, capacity building and education interventions enabling them to be equal participants of social, cultural, political and economic life of the country. CCIIR’s vision is to ensure equal access to education and achieve positive state development in this regard.
Today the organization is one of those 16 analytical organizations, which signed an Ethical and Quality Standards Document. The document presents comprehensive standards to guide the work of Georgian think tanks and establishes principles to ensure that the think tanks meet the highest possible professional standards. CCIIR owns publishing house and possesses broad network of partners throughout the country.
CCIIR Programs & Priority Areas
CCIIR's multilevel approach includes but not limited to:
- Policy study & analysis - in this regard CCIIR carries out comprehensive researches in general and tertiary education, conducts continuous monitoring activities, provides dialogue with policy makers.
- Multilingual/multicultural education - the organization raises awareness of the diversity in Georgian, supports development of tolerance, participates in development and introduction of multicultural education programs/curriculums at state universities.
- Literacy & bi-literacy - in this regard CCIIR supports improvement of reading literacy in ethnic minority school children through development of leveled readers, various teaching, learning and methodological resources; creates e-learning platforms.
- Teaching Georgian as a second language - support to the bilingual instruction and reform of non-Georgian schools - to this purpose the organization implements programs for quality improvement of state language instruction in ethnic minority schools of Georgia.
- Professional development of teachers and academic staff - in this direction CCIIR develops professional development programs as well as bilingual and second language education programs for educators, conducts training seminars and workshops in bilingual teaching methods and strategies, provides development of pedagogical approaches that support intercultural relationships.
- Publishing - CCIIR publishes policy documents/research papers, academic, methodological, instructional materials, textbooks, dictionaries, journals, electronic products etc.
Target Groups of CCIIR
- Two major ethnic minority groups of Armenian and Azerian, who are underprivileged and marginalized groups and compactly resided in Kvemo Kartli and Samtskhe-Javakheti regions of Georgia.
- Minority public schools and preschool educational institutions, where the language of instruction is Azerian and/or Armenian.
- Georgian HEIs.
- National policymakers.
- A transformation-driven youth.
- Civil society and non-governmental organizations/funds working in the field of education.
- Local and international donor organizations.
- Media.