TBILISI — On October 16, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze unveiled the “Draft Concept for University Reform,” a sweeping initiative aimed at restructuring Georgia’s higher education system. The proposal identifies seven critical challenges and outlines a controversial roadmap for resolution, centered on a radical new principle: “One City – One Faculty.”
While the government frames the initiative as a necessary optimization to decentralize resources and curb migration to the capital, critics and students fear the changes could jeopardize the recognition of Georgian diplomas in Europe and tighten state control over academia.
The Core Problem: Centralization and Duplication
In his address, PM Kobakhidze highlighted a staggering statistic: 85% of Georgia’s students are concentrated in Tbilisi. He argued that this imbalance fuels internal migration, draining the regions of youth while leaving academic infrastructure in major cities like Kutaisi and Rustavi woefully underutilized.
Furthermore, the Prime Minister took a hard stance on international enrollment, stating that state universities should accept foreign students only in “exceptional cases provided by law,” signaling a potential shift towards a more insular academic policy for public institutions.
The 7 Strategic Challenges
The government’s concept paper identifies seven structural flaws in the current system:
- Hyper-Concentration: Excessive geographic centralization of the higher education system in the capital.
- Resource Mismanagement: Irrational use of resources and significant inequality in the quality of education across universities.
- Staffing Issues: Flawed personnel policies within universities.
- Academic Disconnect: A weak link between teaching and research, exacerbated by a lack of modern curricula and textbooks.
- Market Mismatch: A disconnect between higher education priorities and labor market demands.
- Funding: A dysfunctional financing system.
- Infrastructure: Dilapidated or inadequate infrastructure at state universities.
“More than 85% of students receive their education in Tbilisi, which is a problematic phenomenon, particularly regarding migration. This situation forces an excessive migration of young people from the regions to the capital… Other large cities, such as Kutaisi and Rustavi, have academic infrastructure that is inadequately utilized,” stated Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze.
The document is set to undergo public review before being finalized by a government commission and subsequently approved by the Cabinet.
Redefining Degrees: The Shift to 3+1
A central pillar of the reform is shortening the duration of academic degrees.
Zviad Gabisonia, Deputy Minister of Education, explained the proposed timeline: “The Prime Minister outlined seven challenges and seven solutions. While infrastructure overhauls may take years, we can begin other changes immediately. For the coming year, we are working on replacing the standard ‘4+2’ model (4-year Bachelor’s, 2-year Master’s) with a ‘3+1’ model. Under the Bologna Process, three years is considered an optimal period for a student to accumulate the necessary credits for a Bachelor’s degree.”
On Master’s Degrees: Gabisonia noted that Master’s programs vary globally: “There are 1-year programs, 1.5-year (90 credits), and 2-year programs. We are exploring a model where we could add an extra year to a classical 1-year program to meet the EU’s main regulation (a minimum of 300 total credits for PhD eligibility). Students might have the option of a ‘1+1’ model—getting a professional Master’s diploma in one year, or continuing for a second year to qualify for Doctoral studies.”
The Backlash: “A Drift Away from Europe?”
The student body and academic community have reacted with skepticism, fearing the changes contradict the very European standards Georgia aims to emulate.
Anano Abuladze, Student: “The proposed reform comes into conflict with European education standards. A 3+1 format, which effectively violates the Bologna Process, cannot improve education. While three years might suffice for some Bachelor’s degrees, a 1-year Master’s is physically incapable of including a research component; it would be reduced to mere vocational training. Furthermore, we risk being cut off from European education—if our 1-year Master’s degrees aren’t recognized, we won’t be able to pursue Doctorate degrees at adequate universities abroad.”
Mariam Darakhvelidze, Student: “I think it depends on the faculty. For some, three years is enough, but for others, four years is essential. As for the Master’s, two years seems more acceptable.”
Natia Pipia, Assistant Professor, TSU Faculty of Humanities: “A Master’s degree could theoretically be one year for certain specialties, but not all. We need specific details on which specialties are being discussed before we can judge whether this moves us closer to the Bologna Process or pushes us further away.”
“One City – One Faculty”: Optimization or Control?
The most politically charged aspect of the reform is the “One City – One Faculty” principle.
PM Kobakhidze’s Vision: “We want to establish a clear principle: within Tbilisi, a specific faculty will exist in only one state university. This will trigger a reorganization and redistribution of faculties. Naturally, there will be a transition period. No changes will be forced; current students will finish their degrees at their current universities, but they may voluntarily transfer.”
The Critics’ View: Education specialist Simon Janashia argues that this is a move toward centralization and asset stripping, rather than quality improvement.
“‘One City – One Faculty’ implies that certain specialties will only be available in two cities. Only Tbilisi and Kutaisi will host multi-profile universities, while others will be reduced to agrarian or pedagogical institutes. For example, if Law is currently taught at multiple state universities in Tbilisi, it will be restricted to just one.
What is the real goal? The government wants to control the education system. This has nothing to do with foreign education standards or program duration. The main objective is for the party to control universities on one hand, and to sell off university property on the other.”
The Government’s Rebuttal: Deputy Minister Gabisonia dismissed the accusations: “If the government wanted centralization, what is stopping us now regarding state-run universities? It is unclear what ‘control’ is being referred to. Our concept is not based on control; our task is to implement a reform that puts the future generation on the right educational path.”
The Schooling Debate: 11 Years vs. 12 Years
In addition to university reforms, the Prime Minister announced a plan to revert the general school system from 12 years back to 11 years.
“We believe that three years is sufficient for a Bachelor’s in almost all specialties, with exceptions like Medicine. Similarly, we plan to present a roadmap to transition schools back to an 11-year curriculum,” Kobakhidze stated.
The Bologna Concern: Deputy Minister Gabisonia attempted to clarify the international implications: “The 11 vs. 12-year debate is not directly tied to the Bologna Process… However, some EU countries require 12 or even 13 years of schooling (like Spain) for university entry. Our goal isn’t to violate regulations. We are discussing offering an optional 12th year for the small contingent of students who plan to study abroad, to ensure they meet credit requirements.”
Natia Pipia, Assistant Professor: “While the Bologna Process doesn’t strictly mandate 12 years, most member countries have 12 or 13. Reverting to 11 might make covering necessary competencies doubtful. However, the reality is that currently, 12th graders often do not attend school—they spend the year with private tutors preparing for exams. If the reform eliminates the ‘tutor institution’ and returns education to the classroom, that is positive. The education sector demands reform every 20 years… that time has certainly come.”
