Mark Doel, Emeritus Professor in the Centre for Health and Social Care Research, has been conferred an Honorary Professorship at Tbilisi State University (TSU), Georgia.

The Honorary Professorship is given in recognition of his services to social work and social work education in Georgia and the well-established partnership between TSU and SHU through EU Tempus projects, which began in 2005. Many colleagues from the social work team have given their time and expertise to the partnership with TSU. The award is prestigious and rare, with Professor Doel's only the third in the Faculty of Social Sciences at TSU. Mark was robed by a young man and woman in Georgian National dress. Appreciations of his scholarship and collaboration were given by Professor Iago Kachkachishvili, social work educator Salome Namicheishvili and the Rector of the University, Alexander Kvitashvili, who presented a beautiful, calligraphic scroll, hand-inscribed in Georgian and English. 

The award was given to Prominent Scholar, Professor Mark Doel, for his active collaboration and outstanding efforts in developing scientific relations with Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. During the ceremony Professor Doel was described as the father of social work in Georgia.

During the visit Professor Doel also taught research classes with social work Masters students, presenting examples from research conducted by CHSCR. He leads the PhD in social work programme at TSU until the leadership can be transferred to a Georgian PhD in social work. The programme has seven doctoral students, whom Professor Doel supervised during this recent visit.