On March 5, 2024, IDFI, with the financial support of USAID National Governance Program, launched the spring semester of the Certification Program in Fighting Corruption. The Program began with the Master's subject "Fighting Corruption - International Actors, Anti-Corruption Platforms".

The course is led by Ketevan Tsanava, who is the Head of the Department of Policy Planning and Government Coordination of the Government Administration of Georgia, the Head of the Secretariat of the Interagency Coordinating Council of Open Governance Georgia and the Interagency Coordinating Council of Public Administration.

The course "Fighting Corruption - International Actors, Anti-Corruption Platforms" will cover topics such as anti-corruption strategies and action plans, international legal instruments for fighting corruption, international and regional platforms for fighting corruption, corruption in the judicial system, and public services and corruption. The course participants include students of Ilia State University and other authorized higher education institutions in Georgia, as well as representatives of the private, public, and civil sectors. Program participants will deepen their theoretical and practical knowledge regarding anti-corruption and good governance reforms.

IDFI began the implementation of the Certification Program in Fighting Corruption in 2019, in cooperation with Ilia State University. In recent years, about 200 participants have completed the program. With the continuation of the certification program during the 2024-2025 academic years, with the support of the USAID National Governance Program, IDFI offers additional opportunities to members of the program's alumni network and to young people interested in public policy issues. IDFI representative and Program Coordinator Teona Turashvili spoke regarding these additional opportunities during the course opening. In particular, within the framework of the new initiative, young researchers and professionals will have the opportunity to participate in the contest of policy papers to produce evidence-based policy papers and recommendations on various public policy issues, within the framework of which open lectures, online trainings, and consultation/mentorship sessions will be held. Authors of outstanding policy papers will have the opportunity to present their analytical papers to representatives of public institutions, receive a paid fellowship, and/or participate in a planned Winter School on Good Governance.

The mentioned activities are planned as part of the new project - Empowering Youth for Evidence-Based Policy-Making, which aims to empower youth, students, and young professionals in becoming active contributors to the policy-making process through capacity building, sharing practical experience/best practices, and providing a wide-range of opportunities to prepare and communicate evidence-based analyses and recommendations.