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  • ekaterine_shaverdashvili@iliauni.edu.ge

Ekaterine shaverdashvili

Direction:Educational Studies
Position:Full Professor

Full Professor of Educational Sciences at Ilia State University, Georgia; Member of the Representative Council. Holds a University Certificate in German Studies (Didactics of German as a Foreign Language) and a PhD from the University of Kassel, Germany.

Since 2006: Full Professor at Ilia State University. Has conducted teaching and research activities at universities and research institutions in Germany, Austria, and Canada, including Jena, Saarland, Kassel, Berlin, Bremen, Ludwigsburg, Bonn, Münster, Bielefeld, Leipzig, Salzburg, and Montreal.

  • Since 2019: Head of the Innovative Educational Research Center.
  • 2009–2015: Director of the Research Centre for Language Didactics.
  • 2015–2019: Expert in the Department of National Curriculum at the Ministry of Education of Georgia, contributing to educational policy and curriculum reform.
  • Author of 3 monographs and 40 scientific articles; co-author and editor of curricula, university courses, professional development modules, textbooks, and teaching materials for German as a foreign language and Georgian as a second/foreign language.
  • Co-founder of the German-language scientific and practical journal MfG.
  • Has 50 years of professional experience in public, private, and non-governmental sectors in Georgia and abroad.
  • 2000–2006: Referent and Acting Head of the Language Department at the Georgian branch of the Goethe-Institut. Led international projects on language education, teacher professional development, and educational reform in Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.
  • Since 2006: Consultant and trainer at the Goethe-Institut.
  • 2007–2015: President of the International Association of German Language Teachers in Georgia; served as an international trainer in Georgia and abroad.
  • 2009–2013: Georgian coordinator of the four-year GIP (Germanistische Institutspartnerschaft/DAAD) teaching and research partnership between the Institute of German Studies at Friedrich Schiller University Jena and the Research Centre for Language Didactics at Ilia State University.
  • Since 2016: Georgian coordinator of the international teacher professional development programme DLL – Deutsch Lehren Lernen, a collaboration between Ilia State University, Goethe-Institut, and Friedrich Schiller University Jena.
  • 2016–2019: Consortium member of the ERASMUS+ project CURE (Curriculum Reform for Promoting Civic Education and Democratic Principles in Israel and in Georgia).
  • 2020–2024: Consortium member of the ERASMUS+ project ESTA (Educating Science Teachers for All).
  • 2025–2027: Consortium member of the ERASMUS+ project PROVE (Promoting Values Education in South Caucasus Higher Education Institutions).
  • Recipient of more than 40 individual international teaching and research grants from institutions including DAAD, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, EU, DFG, Gustav-Kettel-Stiftung, Goethe-Institut, and the Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation.
  • Active participant in international conferences, scientific forums, academic exchange programmes, and international educational projects.
  • Currently works as an invited expert and trainer for various institutions, including Goethe-Institut and GPIDA.
  • Member of international professional organizations, including IDV, HoLLT, GI, GfdS, and AVaKE; served as President of AVaKE (2020–2022).
Scientific interests / research interests
  • Language policy and language teaching;
  • History of education;
  • Values Education (VaKE);
  • Blended learning;
  • Alternative methods and CLIL.

Publication record and selected scientific contributions (Short List)

  • Scientific significance / contribution: Presents comparative historical research on crisis management and pedagogical reforms within socialist educational systems in the GDR and Georgia (1960–1989).
  • Shaverdashvili, E., Kiguradze, T., Ramishvili, P., & Freese, A. (Forthcoming 2026). The Role of Literary Texts in German Language Teaching in Georgia.
  • Scientific significance / contribution: Offers a long-term empirical and historical analysis of literary text inclusion in DaF instruction, tracking paradigm shifts from soviet-era high-culture focus to functional-communicative approaches.
  • Mosiashvili, T., Gogrichiani, M., Shaverdashvili, E., & Patry, J.-L. (Forthcoming 2026). Implementing Values Education in Georgia: Constructivist Values and Knowledge Education in a Country with Soviet Legacy.
  • Scientific significance / contribution: Investigates the empirical implementation of constructivist VaKE methodologies in post-Soviet educational contexts to enhance democratic values and critical thinking.
  • Shaverdashvili, E., & Maglakelidze, S. (Forthcoming 2026). Competency Alignment Analysis of Teacher Education Programs Based on the DACUM Framework: The Case of Public Universities in Georgia.
  • Scientific significance / contribution: Provides a comprehensive evaluation of teacher preparation program alignment with labor market requirements across Georgian public universities.
  • Demmig, S., & Shaverdashvili, E. (2025). These E »Deutsch in der Hochschule«. Eine Diskussion. Zeitschrift für Deutsch im Kontext von Mehrsprachigkeit, 41(1–2), 112–133.
  • Scientific significance / contribution: Discusses language policy challenges and multilingual strategies for German language instruction in higher education institutions.
  • Japaridze, D., Maghlakelidze, S., Shaverdashvili, E., & Tutberidze, D. (2024). The Role of Higher Education in Reducing the Mismatch between Graduates’ Skills and Employer Expectations. International Scientific Conference “EDUCATION, RESEARCH, PRACTICE” Proceedings, 5, 300–318. https://doi.org/10.52340/erp.05.34
  • Scientific significance / contribution: Evaluates empirical workforce requirements and skills alignment to reduce graduate overeducation and labor market mismatch in Georgia.
  • Shaverdashvili, E. (2024). Language policy and minority languages: results of a study on the position of minority languages in Georgia. In E. Krasnopeyeva (Ed.), Sammelband (Linguistik International, Vol. 45, 494 pp.). Peter Lang.
  • Scientific significance / contribution: Explores empirical outcomes regarding regional sociolinguistic dynamics and minority language preservation policy.
  • Shaverdashvili, E., & Chkhikvadze, N. (2022). English as a Foreign Language in Georgia: From Past to Present. In S. Doff & R. Smith (Eds.), Policies and Practice in Language Learning and Teaching: Twentieth-Century Historical Perspectives (pp. 289–316). Amsterdam University Press. https://chooser.crossref.org/?doi=10.2307%2Fj.ctv3142vgh.15
  • Scientific significance / contribution: Provides a comprehensive historical overview of 20th-century foreign language policy shifts in Georgia.
  • Petriashvili, L., Shaverdashvili, E., Mosiashvili, T., & Baratashvili, M. (2022). Experience in Working with VaKE model in the Georgian Higher Education Space. In E. Weyringer, J.-L. Patry, D. Pnevmatikos, & B. Brossard Borhaug (Eds.), The VaKE Approach: International Handbook. Brill Sense.
  • Scientific significance / contribution: Demonstrates the integration of constructivist values education into university curricula.
  • Shaverdashvili, E., & Mosiashvili, T. (2018). Knowledge and value education. Introduction. Ilia State University Publishing House, Tbilisi [შავერდაშვილი, ე., & მოსიაშვილი, თ. (2018). ცოდნა და ღირებულებითი განათლება. შესავალი. ილიას სახელმწიფო უნივერსიტეტი, თბილისი].
    • Scientific significance / contribution: Frameworks the conceptual foundation and pedagogical integration of values education within the Georgian educational framework.
  • Shaverdashvili, E. (2017). Fremdsprachenpolitik und die Rolle des Deutschen als Fremdsprache in Sowjetgeorgien. In U. Eder & F. Klippel (Eds.), Sprachunterricht im Kontext gesellschaftlicher und politischer Ereignisse und Entwicklungen (Münchener Arbeiten zur Fremdsprachen-Forschung, Vol. 36, pp. 91–103). Waxmann.
  • Scientific significance / contribution: Examines sociopolitical influences on foreign language acquisition policies in Soviet Georgia.
  • Shaverdashvili, E. (2016). Deutschlehreraus- und Fortbildung in Georgien. Probleme und Perspektiven. In Zhu, Zhao, & Szurawitzki (Eds.), Publikationen der IVG (Vol. 13, pp. 71–79). Peter Lang.
    • Scientific significance / contribution: Evaluates institutional challenges, systemic perspectives, and quality assurance mechanisms in pre-service and in-service German teacher education in Georgia.
  • Shaverdashvili, E. (2014). Basics of Teaching Foreign Languages. Ilia State University Publishing House, Tbilisi.
    • Scientific significance / contribution: Authored a comprehensive foundational textbook for foreign language pedagogy and methodology used in university-level teacher education.
  • Shaverdashvili, E., & Antadze, N. (2013). Fachsprachendidaktik und berufsorientierter Deutschunterricht an georgischen Universitäten. In: Theorie und Praxis der deutschen Fachsprache(n) in Georgien, Hrsg. Abralava u.a. University of Georgia, Tbilisi, S. 135–141.
    • Scientific significance / contribution: Examines the methodology and practical implementation of German for Specific Purposes (ESP/GSP) in university curricula.
  • Shaverdashvili, E. (2013). Das Bild der deutschsprachigen Länder in Lehrplänen und Lehrwerken für DaF in Georgien. In S. Demmig, S. Hägi, & H. Schweiger (Eds.), Das DACH-Prinzip in der Landeskunde (pp. 141–153). Iudicium.
    • Scientific significance / contribution: Analyzes regional studies (Landeskunde) and the implementation of the DACH-principle within foreign language curricula and textbooks in Georgia.
  • Shaverdashvili, E. (2011). Fachlexikon Fertigkeit Hören. In: MfG, Heft 2, Tbilisi, S. 5–13.
    • Scientific significance / contribution: Provides a specialized terminological dictionary framework for developing listening comprehension skills in foreign language pedagogy.
  • Shaverdashvili, E. (2010). Bewertungsmodelle Bolognaprozess im Hochschulwesen Georgien. In: MfG, Sonderheft, Tbilisi, S. 4–12.
    • Scientific significance / contribution: Analyzes assessment models and credit system alignment within Georgian higher education during the Bologna Process transition.
  • Shaverdashvili, E. (2009). Fremdsprachenpolitik im Wandel und die Stellung des Deutschen als Fremdsprache in Georgien. In: Germanistische Studien, Heft 9, pp. 95–102.
    • Scientific significance / contribution: Investigates foreign language policy shifts and the evolving status of German as a foreign language in post-Soviet Georgia.
  • Shaverdashvili, E. (2009). Gemeinsamer Europaeischer Referenzrahmen und Bildungsreform Georgien. In: MfG, Heft 2, Tbilisi, S. 5–13.
    • Scientific significance / contribution: Evaluates the integration of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) into Georgian national educational reforms.
  • Shaverdashvili, E., & Ramishvili, F. (2008). Fiction Texts on German Language Lesson. Journal: Logos, N5, Tbilisi, pp. 135–148.
    • Scientific significance / contribution: Explores methodological strategies for utilizing literary and fictional texts to enhance communicative skills in German language classrooms.
  • Textbooks end Regional Adaptations
    • Shaverdashvili, E. & Akhalkathi, M. (2006–2008). geni@l (A1, A2, B1) – author of the regional adaptation of the German language textbook series. Langenscheidt.
    • Shaverdashvili, E. & Akhalkathi, M. (2006–2008). Optimal (A1, A2, B1) – author of the regional adaptation of the German language textbook series. Langenscheidt & Sulakauri.
    • Shaverdashvili, E. (Academic Director), Kighuradze, T., Kutateladze, E., et al. Episodes: Supplementary Learning Materials Based on Video Films for Learners of the Georgian Language. Tbilisi: Ilia State University Press.
    • Akhalkatsi, M., Kvanchiani, Sh., Ramishvili, P., & Shaverdashvili, E. (Co-author / Academic Director). (2016). Vorkurs Deutsch (Lernjahr 1) – German Preparatory Course (Student's Book, Teacher's Book & Audio Material). Tbilisi: Bakur Sulakauri Publishing.
    • Akhalkatsi, M., Kalandadze, K., Chumburidze, T., Shaverdashvili, E. (2001–2002). Landeskunde – Regional Cultural Studies Supplementary Teaching Materials / Series (Heft 1...). Tbilisi: Diogene.
  • Articles in the Journal "Teacher". Teacher's House, Ministry of Education of Georgia (6-part Series, 2013)
    • Modern Foreign Language Lesson
    • From Traditional Teaching Culture to Modern Intercultural Teaching
    • Language Competences – Isolated or Integrated Teaching?
    • Working on the Text and Reading Strategies in Language Lessons
    • Role of the Textbook in Foreign Language Lessons
    • Typology of Tasks for Developing Listening Competence (TPDC, № 1–6, Tbilisi, 2013)

Current Courses

  • Philosophy of Teaching and Planning German Language Lessons
  • Teaching German Language
  • Intercultural Teaching of Georgian as a Second/Foreign Language
  • Research Paper (German Language)
  • School Practice (German Language)
  • Values and Knowledge Education
  • Working on Academic Paper
  • Doctoral Colloquium
  • Participant in more than 50 international conferences and congresses, with presentations in foreign/second language didactics and educational sciences.
  • Author, co-author, and editor of textbooks and teaching materials for German as a foreign language and Georgian as a second language.
  • Coordinates the international German language teacher preparation programme at Ilia State University in cooperation with Friedrich Schiller University Jena and Goethe-Institut.
  • Participant in numerous international and regional projects related to German language education in Georgia, including Deutsch im Kindergarten, Deutsch im Museum, Deutsch lehren lernen, and Monat der deutschen Sprache.
  • Participant in Erasmus+ projects CURE (2016–2019), ESTA (2020–2024), and PROVE (2025–2027).
  • Former President of the German Language Teachers’ Association / IDV (2007–2015); currently Honorary Member.
  • Has supervised more than 40 Master's students and more than 12 doctoral students, including five completed doctoral dissertations.
  • Has served as a scientific consultant and reviewer for doctoral research at universities in Germany and Austria.
  • Partner of the Language Center at the University of Innsbruck since 2016 and coordinator of participating students from Georgia.

 

  • Participant in more than 50 international conferences and congresses, with presentations in foreign/second language didactics and educational sciences.
  • Author, co-author, and editor of textbooks and teaching materials for German as a foreign language and Georgian as a second language.
  • Coordinates the international German language teacher preparation programme at Ilia State University in cooperation with Friedrich Schiller University Jena and Goethe-Institut.
  • Participant in numerous international and regional projects related to German language education in Georgia, including Deutsch im Kindergarten, Deutsch im Museum, Deutsch lehren lernen, and Monat der deutschen Sprache.
  • Participant in Erasmus+ projects CURE (2016–2019), ESTA (2020–2024), and PROVE (2025–2027).
  • Former President of the German Language Teachers’ Association / IDV (2007–2015); currently Honorary Member.
  • Has supervised more than 40 Master's students and more than 12 doctoral students, including five completed doctoral dissertations.
  • Has served as a scientific consultant and reviewer for doctoral research at universities in Germany and Austria.
  • Partner of the Language Center at the University of Innsbruck since 2016 and coordinator of participating students from Georgia.

 

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