Students, professors, and management at Tbilisi’s Ilia State University (IliaUni) have pledged to resist what they describe as an “unconstitutional” academic overhaul that would gut one of Georgia’s leading and most outspoken universities of many of its popular and highly-rated academic programs.
On February 12, under the “one city, one faculty” initiative, the Georgian Dream authorities announced that Ilia State University would retain only pedagogy and select STEM programs while most social sciences, humanities, and other disciplines would be eliminated. Student admissions would drop from 3,770 in the 2025–2026 academic year to just 300 places, which is a drastic 92% reduction.
The plan was unveiled days after GD had to backpedal on its intention to merge Tbilisi State University (TSU) with Georgian Technical University (GTU) after hitting resistance even among the otherwise supportive academic staff at GTU.
While IliaUni – which has repeatedly expressed criticism over Georgian Dream’s policies – appears to be the hardest hit, experts warn that the announced “reorganization” may extend to other state universities, potentially triggering wider restructuring across Georgia’s higher education system.
Founded in 2006 through the merger of six higher education institutions, Ilia State University currently enrolls approximately 17,000 students, including 700 international students. The university comprises three faculties (Arts and Sciences; Natural Sciences and Medicine; Business, Technology, and Education) and one School of Law. Under the new plan, most of these academic units would be dismantled, leaving only pedagogy and ABET-accredited STEM programs.
According to data from the National Center for Educational Quality Enhancement, by 2024 university operated one international doctoral school, 26 institutes, 50 research centers, and six laboratories. It employed 353 faculty members, 17 emeritus professors, 218 researchers, 869 invited lecturers, and 1,289 administrative and support staff.
Changes
Under Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s approved quotas for the state university programs, Ilia State University’s undergraduate intake will be capped at 300 students across the following programs:
Bachelor’s Programs:
- Earth Sciences – 30 places
- Mathematics, Physics, Biology, History, Georgian Philology, English Studies, French Studies (each with integrated one-year teacher preparation) – 20 places each
- Applied German Studies (with teacher preparation) – 10 places
- Liberal Arts – 20 places
- Computer Engineering – 20 places
- Civil Engineering – 20 places
- Civil Engineering (English language) – 15 places
- Computer Engineering (International, English-language) – 20 places
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering (English-language) – 15 places
- Early Childhood Development and Education – 20 places
Master’s programs are also significantly reduced, with five places allocated per field in areas including Earth Sciences, Medieval Studies, Applied Genetics, Applied Genetics (English-language), Addiction Studies, Religious Studies, Communication, Language and Speech Therapy, Central and Eastern European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (CEERES), Education Administration, Lexicography and Terminology, Atmospheric and Near Space Sciences, and German Studies.
Management and Students Protest
In a February 12 statement, the university’s highest collegial governing bodies condemned the changes as unconstitutional and damaging to academic freedom.
“This decision is unconstitutional and undermines higher education in Georgia, university autonomy, and academic freedom. It destroys internationally recognized research areas and academic programs, as well as the country’s prospects for European development,” the statement read.
The Board further argued that the decree “strips Ilia State University of the ability to implement educational and research programs across all fields of science, including social sciences and humanities, life sciences, and Physical sciences – in which Ilia State University is the undisputed national leader according to international rankings.”
“This harmful decision affects not only more than 17,000 students and up to 3,000 employees of Ilia State University, but also the broader society, to whose development the university makes a significant contribution,” the statement noted.
Calling for the decision to be revoked, the university said the reform is not based on “evidence or research data,” and “destroys Ilia State University’s achievements in research and teaching.”
Students gathered at the university’s campus on the evening of February 12 to protest the changes.
“We, the students gathered here, unanimously demand the withdrawal of the so-called reform, the preservation of university autonomy, and the right to full-fledged education,” a representative of the student movement told demonstrators. They called on academic staff for “disobedience and resistance,” and not to comply with the cancellation of programs.
“Strength lies in student unity, fall to the regime, and freedom to the regime’s prisoners,” students declared.
Education scholars Shalva Tabatadze and Ketevan Chachkhiani analyzed admission data at state universities, with Tabatadze noting that Ilia State University’s intake will fall from 3,770 students in 2025-2026 to 300, accounting for a 92% decrease. They also estimate that bachelor’s admissions at state universities overall have been reduced by approximately 3,000 places compared to the previous academic year.
Experts expect other institutions to be affected.
„Reorganization will take place everywhere, and it will be carried out by the Ministry of Education and Science rather than by the universities themselves,“ Tabatadze further wrote.
The plan envisions designating Tbilisi State University as what the authorities describe as a “mother university.” Under the broader restructuring, TSU would offer programs in Exact and Natural Sciences, Humanities (excluding pedagogy), Law, Economics, and Business Administration, as well as Social and Political sciences. Georgian Technical University will be reduced to Engineering and technical disciplines.
Iago Kachkachishvili, Head of the Department of Sociology and Social Work at TSU, raised concerns, saying that the number of places for sociology studies has been reduced by 88.5% compared to 2025–2026.
“For the 2025-26 academic year, sociology teaching at the bachelor’s level was provided by three state universities – TSU, Ilia State University, and Sokhumi State University – with a total of 260 places. Now this program remains only at TSU and only with 30 places,” Kachkachishvili said on Facebook.
“Sociology becomes marginalized in an authoritarian society,” Kachkachishvili wrote, arguing that the authorities view public opinion as “a barrier on the path to absolute consolidation of power” and that the reform amounts to “a systemic reduction of free and critical academic programs.”
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