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Integrating Multicultural Education in Sokhumi State UniversityLia Akhaladze, Tamar Jojua, Tamar Shinjiashvili, Rusudan Pipia Sokhumi State University, GeorgiaEncounters in Education, Between Cultures and PedagogyKay Academic CollegeBeer Sheva, Israel

25 March, 2014 1Our presentation shows the integration of Multicultural Education within the TEMPUS program DOIT Development of an International Model for Curricular Reform in Multicultural Education and Cultural Diversity Training Into the teaching courses at Sokhumi State University

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Sokhumi State University (SSU) is one of the Georgian HEI's of DOIT.

SSU was founded in 1932 in one of the historical regions of Georgia - Abkhazia, in Sokhumi. At first it functioned as the State Pedagogical Institute.

Since 1993 due to the military aggression of this region by Russia a greater part of SSU relocated to Tbilisi and became Sokhumi branch of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University.

In 2007 by the decision of Georgian government this higher education institution was given back its former name - Sokhumi State University (SSU).

11 March 2013Dr. Hanan Maoz, Tempus-DOIT Project, Landuau, Germany311 March 2013Dr. Hanan Maoz, Tempus-DOIT Project, Landuau, Germany4

Today, SSU offers 27 programs on BA, 21 on MA and 11 on PhD levels and 2 special programs of 60 credits, among them there are the following programs at the Faculty of Education: On BA level 1) Primary level teacher education program; 2) Inclusive education program; 3) Basic and secondary level teacher education program;

On MA Level the following programs are offered: Teaching methodology in different subject disciplines; Educational psychology Teacher education programs at the faculty of Education involves 290 students and around 30 faculty ranging from the rank of full professors to lecturers and scientific workers. The faculty and student body of SSU include members of a variety of ethnic groups, including Georgian, Abkhazian, Armenian and Azerbaijani students.

On January 26, 2012 a mandate was signed between the rector or SSU and the President of GCE that made SSU an official member of DOIT's consortium. 7Our research within DOIT was presented at several international and national conferences.

Scientific Forum dedicated to the founder of Georgian Psycological School-Dimitry Uznadzes 125 th birth anniversary. Georgia, Tbilisi. June, 2013

The European Conference on Education 2013 (IAFOR). England, Brighton. July, 2013

International Scientific Conference dedicated to 140 th birth anniversary of Ilya Chavchavadze . Georgia, Kutaisi. November, 2013.

Annual Faculty Conferences at Sokhumi State University. Georgia, Tbilisi. May-June, 2013

Conference Papers Plans for Future (2014)Annual Faculty Conferences: DOIT - Achivements and Future Prospects, Lia Akhaladze, Tamar Jojua, Tamar Shinjiashvili, Rusudan Pipia Active Citizenship, Lia Akhaladze, Tamar Shinjiashvili

International Conference of National Georgian Library, Tbilisi, Georgia:Multiculturalism in Present Abkhazia, Lia Akhaladze, Tamar Jojua, Tamar Shinjiashvili, Rusudan Pipia Sokhumi State University is in two working teams of DOIT:Georgian DOIT team - culturally specific materials for Georgia developed several syllabi in Georgian language based on the different expertise of all members of the group. These separate syllabi were then integrated into one common syllabus that was translated into English called Multiethnic and Multicultural Georgia. SSU's team prepared the following topics and subtopics for this syllabus:

In the second working team - Pedagogical Approaches that Promote Inter-Cultural-Ethnic Understanding in the classroom - Sokhumi team has developed two syllabi.

The both syllabi are created on the basis of Banks five dimensions:Sokhumi State University has already put several teaching courses in three educational programs in the direction of multicultural education.

11 March 2013Dr. Hanan Maoz, Tempus-DOIT Project, Landuau, Germany17BA LevelAt the Faculty of Education a new course, Multicultural Education is integrated into the curriculum and made mandatory for the teacher education.

SSU will be implementing a new program (minor specialization) on the bachelor degree level for educational science on Intercultural Relations" .

This program is being developed by DOITs SSU team and Quality Assurance Department at SSU.

11 March 2013Dr. Hanan Maoz, Tempus-DOIT Project, Landuau, Germany19 Master LevelThe course "Intercultural Relations in Abkhazia: History and Modernity" is designed to introduce MA students - historical basics and modern situation of intercultural relations in one of the historical regions of Georgia - in Abkhazia.During the Fall semester, 2013 the teaching course Culturally Specific Materials for Georgia was implemented at BA primary teacher training program at the faculty of Education. 56 students were registered in this course.During the spring semester two syllabi within DOIT project are being taught at SSU: Culturally Specific Materials for Georgia Children Rights

Culturally Specific Materials for Georgia was chosen by 14 BA of Inclusive Education program students.

Children Rights is being taught in current semester: in two BA programs 60 ECTS teacher training program and in BA international Relations Program. 11 students are registered in 60 ECTS program and 25 students in international relations program.Curriculum Reform that is being implemented at SSU will include the integration of the following courses of DOITs program: Intercultural EducationChildrens Rights in and Through EducationMultiethnic and Multicultural GeorgiaCulture and IdentityActive CitizenshipCommunication and Social MediaPedagogical Approaches for intercultural teacher and so on. The Administration of SSU allocated a room at the Faculty of Education within DOIT project. The equipment, purchased according to the regulations of the project was installed in this room. This TEMPUS room and the equipment are actively used by the academic staff and students who are integrated in teaching/learning process of above mentioned courses of DOIT.

We are sure that future effective collaboration with our European and Israeli partners will further promote DOIT's goals as well as lead to other collaborative projects.

At this stage the process of Integration Multicultural Education, in accordance with the DOITs goals and principles, in SSU is successful, we can say for sure - YES, DOIT has had a positive influence on research and development of our university curriculum!

Thank you for Attention!