The Class of 2023: Fourth cohort of EU-funded scholars from Eastern Partner countries graduates in Tbilisi with IB Diploma 

On 23 May, the Eastern Partnership (EaP) European School programme marked the graduation of its fourth cohort of students from the six EaP countries in a ceremony hosted by the New School – International School of Georgia at the Rustaveli Theatre in Tbilisi, Georgia. 

The Class of 2023 of the scholarship programme comprises 38 students, including two students from Armenia, three from Azerbaijan, seven from Belarus, 17 from Georgia, five from the Republic of Moldova, and four from Ukraine. All students, 26 girls and 12 boys, successfully graduated with the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma and are now set to continue their undergraduate studies with full or partial scholarships – up to €1.6 million combined – at top universities around the world.

“The Eastern Partnership European School’s International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, supported by the European Union, plays an important role in providing quality education to high school students from all six Eastern Partnership countries and opening doors for their personal and professional growth,” said Catalin Gherman, Deputy Head of Cooperation of the EU Delegation to Georgia, at the ceremony.

Since the launch of the scholarship programme in 2018, a total of 145 students from all six Eastern European countries have been awarded with full two-year EU-funded scholarships to study on the IB Diploma Programme. Another 20 students will join the programme in September for the 2023-2025 academic years. Overall scholarship funds attracted by four cohorts of graduates since 2018 is over €5 million.

Ninety five per cent of the school’s graduates have been awarded full or partial scholarships to study multiple disciplines, from STEM to social sciences, in leading universities worldwide, including Erasmus, Maastricht, Utrecht, the Sorbonne, Bologna, Harvard, Yale, Brown, Hong Kong and others. After completing their studies, the majority of students plan to return to their home countries to dedicate the gained knowledge and experience to their development. 

“Eastern Partnership European School in Georgia is one of the most remarkable success stories of EU-Georgian relations, and the Government of Georgia is fully committed to ensure the sustainability of the project,” said Gela Geladze, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Georgia. 

The Eastern Partnership European School in Georgia is a part of the broader regional effort of the European Union to address the needs of youth, focusing on secondary education. It offers high quality education to pupils from six Eastern Partnership countries – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine – increasing their employment opportunities and promoting a better understanding of the EU.

The project is funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by UNOPS in partnership with New School – International School of Georgia, the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Organisation.