One of the key directions of the Center of Electoral Systems Development, Reforms and Trainings (The Training Center) is supporting the enhancement of civil and electoral culture of voters. To achieve this, since 2010, on the basis of a mutual cooperation memorandum, the Center of Electoral Systems Development, Reforms and Trainings, under the aegis of the Central Election Commission, has been implementing educational programs directed at the enhancement of civic education and electoral culture, including an educational program in electoral law field (Training course on electoral law) for law faculty students, as well as for political and social sciences faculty (Media school) students at 16 higher educational institution all over the country. The educational course is aimed at the enhancement of necessary professional knowledge of the students of higher educational institutions in election law field, development of their practical skills and civic awareness raising.
Since 2010 to date, 2,110 students took the educational course in election law. Students regularly participate in various activities organized by the CEC and the Training Center, including students debate clubs (where the students and invited experts, professors, hold discussions around different issues in the election law field); campaigns for young voters held in open air; meetings with the CEC members; the process of filming a film on training procedures, etc.
The students who took the educational course were employed during the elections period under various projects implemented at the CEC of Georgia, including at the CEC Contact Center.
In 2013 the project – Training Course in Election Law was nominated for the international competition – International Election Award 2013. At the decision of the international electoral award committee the project for the nomination First Time Voter was recognized as the most innovative and original project of 2013, that has longstanding results in the direction of the development of electoral culture of young voters.
The CEC Training Center, according to the curricula of partner universities, in the first semester of 2014-2015 will carry out the educational program at 8 higher educational institutions. Including at:
To ensure the implementation of the curriculum the CEC Training Center prepared electronic presentations, reference textbooks for professors and the students of the higher educational institutions of Georgia.
