PM Kobakhidze: Georgia to develop Tbilisi and Kutaisi as dual university hubs covering all academic fields

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Thursday announced the Government’s plan to establish two primary higher education hubs in the capital city of Tbilisi and the western city of Kutaisi, where universities would collectively provide programmes across all academic disciplines. T

The initiative was presented during the education reform presentation held earlier today.

The Prime Minister said transforming Kutaisi into a full-scale university city would serve as a strategic response to regional and systemic challenges related to overconcentration in the capital.

“Since excessive concentration has been identified as a challenge, our concept focuses on the geographical decentralisation of the higher education system. Along with Tbilisi, Kutaisi will become the second major university center in the country. Historically, Kutaisi was an industrial city during the Soviet period but lost that function in the 1990s. Turning it into a university city will give it a new purpose and revitalise its role in Georgia’s academic and regional development,” Kobakhidze said.

He added that Kutaisi’s historic connection to academic traditions, notably through the Gelati Academy, makes it an ideal location for this initiative.

“Our goal is to ensure that in Tbilisi and Kutaisi combined, students can access higher education in all fields, including humanities, natural and exact sciences, technology, law, social and political sciences, foreign languages, pedagogy and medicine,” the Prime Minister explained.

Kobakhidze also mentioned plans to strengthen regional universities in Batumi, Zugdidi, Akhaltsikhe, Gori and Telavi, particularly focusing on agricultural studies and pedagogy. The Government, he noted, would support these institutions through infrastructure upgrades and capacity development.

“In addition, we aim to improve the functioning of art, sports and theological institutions operating in Tbilisi,” he concluded.