The Center for Preschool and Inclusive Education (CPIE) represents one of the centers of Institute for Child Development (ICD) at Ilia State University (ISU). The ICD incorporates early intervention programs and centers working with children and youth with special needs. The mission of ICD is to connect teaching, practice and research for positive changes in early childhood services, professional education in this field and also serve as a practice field for students of ISU. The CPIE is the team of professionals working on different level (practice, teaching, policy development) to support quality early education through introducing and advocating for the best, evidence based practice in early childhood education.
The CPIE team are authors of early childhood curriculums, handbooks, teaching programs and policy documents – standards and regulations in Georgia. In addition, CPIE staff are leading lecturers and trainers in in-service and pre-service (minor program in early childhood education) programs of early education at Ilia State University.
Take into consideration the existing situation of pre-service programs in ECE in Georgia, only bachelor program is minor program at ISU, the CPIE team initiated to develop the major program in early childhood education.