On December 20, 2024, the “Soft Skills Laboratory” was opened at the Faculty of Humanities at Sukhumi State University. The ERASMUS+ project – “Development of Soft Skills in Higher Education Institutions of Armenia and Georgia Based on the Requirements of the 21st Century Labor Market” has been implemented since January 2024. The project is funded by the European Union.

The Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Prof. Marine Turava, addressed the audience with an introductory speech, emphasizing the importance of the project and expressing gratitude for the opportunity to assist students during their studies.

The Rector of Sokhumi State University, Prof. Zurab Khonelidze, introduced the mission of the university to the faculty and students, the main pillar of which is the innovative idea ofuniversity diplomacy, which is widely recognized by educational and scientific-research centers in the USA, Europe and Asia. He also touched upon the global processes taking place in the world.

Head of the Department of International Relations and Intercultural Communication, Project Coordinator, Prof. Indira Dzagania spoke about the project’s goal and expected results. The goal is to support the development of education in Georgia and Armenia, improve students’ career prospects, and develop soft skills for the 21st century labor market.

Soft skills are not tied to any field or discipline; they are essential in any profession and are useful to anyone who aims to accomplish a specific task. These skills include critical thinking, creativity, problem solving, public speaking, teamwork, digital literacy, communication skills, and leadership.

Soft skills also include the concepts of professionalism and ethics. It is not enough to be competent in our field; we must be able to successfully work with others.

The project coordinator is Vanadzor State University (Armenia), partners are: Sokhumi State University, Tbilisi State University; Ilia State University; Batumi State University; Armenian State Academy of Fine Arts; Armenian State Pedagogical University; Gori State University; Dresden Technical University (Germany); Lappeenranta-Laht University of Technology (Finland); University of Granada (Spain); Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology (Ireland); Civil Society Development Organization (Armenia); Armenian Vocational Education Quality Assurance Foundation; National Center for Education Quality Development (Georgia); Gyumri “Youth Initiative Center” – non-governmental organization; Vanadzor Municipality; Young Historians Association (Armenia); SAORSA; Economic Policy Research Center (Georgia); Association of Georgian Student Organizations.