Minister of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia, Giorgi Amilakhvari, introduced Giorgi Khubua, the newly appointed rector, to the administration and academic staff of Kutaisi International University (KIU). The Minister expressed his wishes for the new rector's success in developing the university. He emphasized that Giorgi Khubua's leadership, driven by passion and rich experience, will help KIU become a leading educational institution not only in Georgia but throughout the region.
In response, the newly appointed rector thanked the Minister, the Prime Minister of Georgia, and the government for their trust and support. During the meeting, the Minister and the rector outlined the university's development vision and ongoing reforms in higher education. Giorgi Amilakhvari highlighted that Kutaisi International University is the largest educational project in Georgia's history in terms of concept, content, and scale.
The Minister also expressed gratitude to Bidzina Ivanishvili for his unprecedented philanthropic efforts. He noted that the idea of establishing Kutaisi International University originated with Ivanishvili, whose International Home Fund "Cartu" is investing over one billion euros in the university's development.
The meeting was attended by Alexander Tsuladze, First Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia, Deputy Minister Nodar Papukashvili, and Zviad Shalamberidze, State Representative of Imereti.
It is noteworthy that Giorgi Khubua holds a Doctor of Legal Sciences and has extensive academic experience. He has previously served as the rector of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University and as the director of the State Law Institute of the Georgian Academy of Sciences. He has authored over 40 scientific publications, including seven monographs and one textbook.
In addition to his work in Georgia, Mr. Khubua has held positions in higher education institutions in Germany and Switzerland, including the Technical Universities of Berlin, Bamberg, Jena, Bern, Hanover, and Munich, as well as the Max Planck Institute and the German University of Public Administration. Notably, he served as president of the Steinbeis University Berlin and coordinated higher education policy and management at the Technical University of Munich.
Since welcoming its first cohort of students in the fall of 2020, KIU currently has over 1,200 students. The university collaborates with leading European institutions, including the Technical University of Munich (Tum International GmbH and Tum), with Professor Wolfgang Herman serving as its honorary president.