The importance of the Center for Continuing Education in implementing the University's third mission

Abstract

Modern universities play an important role not only in education and research but also in social and economic development. This function is often referred to as the “third mission” of universities, which involves knowledge transfer to society, support for innovation, and cooperation between universities and various sectors. The aim of this study is to analyze the activities and projects implemented within the framework of the university’s third mission and to evaluate the role of the Continuing Education Center in this process based on the example of Akaki Tsereteli State University. The study is based on a survey conducted among the academic and administrative staff of the university. The findings show that the implementation of the third mission is associated with diverse activities, including professional development programs, public engagement initiatives, innovative projects, and international cooperation. At the same time, several challenges were identified, such as limited resources, institutional coordination issues, and insufficient development of cooperation mechanisms. The study highlights the important role of the Continuing Education Center in addressing these challenges and strengthening the university’s engagement with society.