Rector of the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU), Academician Vladimer Papava convened a press conference on November 13 to discuss recent allegations against TSU, its administration and Rector.
“After I, as well as some other representatives of the university and students, made statements on a number of issues related to the construction of a cemetery and fuel station as well as special allocations, just to defend the university’s interests, I expected that there would be an attack against the university. Our goal is to make the university open and transparent. No matter what position I will hold, I will never reconcile with those issues, which will be directed against the university. Of course, not everything is ideal; there have been some problems, but these problems should be settled in accordance with the law rather than through repressions and arbitrary measures,” TSU Rector, Vladimer Papava said adding that the university always stands ready to cooperate with both governmental and non-governmental sectors to improve Georgia’s education system. He, however, noted that “the government and the legislative body should show their goodwill to make higher education a priority in our country.”
Rector Papava presented several documents during the press conference, including a conclusion of the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI). Since 2010 the organization has been conducting a survey on access to public information at the state universities of Georgia. According to the 2013-2014 survey, the figures of the Tbilisi State University have significantly improved compared to 2012-2013 and the university has moved from the last place into the third place.
When reporting on the survey, special emphasis was laid on the issue of bonuses and salary supplements and information about this issue was misinterpreted. Although TSU’s detailed budget and other public information is posted on its official website and multiple explanations have been made on this issue, the society failed to receive accurate information on bonuses and salary supplements that ultimately became the reason for loud allegations. The Rector explained that before adoption of a decree by the TSU Academic Council on October 4, 2013, remuneration of the university’s academic staff consisted of salaries and salary supplements according to hours worked. After approval of the decree, supplements were included in basic pay. No salary supplements were allocated to the university’s academic staff in 2014. As far as bonuses are concerned, its amount is reducing from year to year.
In addition, false information has been disseminated recently about staff and structural changes carried out at the university, as well as about official travel expenses. Vladimer Papava said that the Department of International Economics and Economic History was established in 1991 and abolished in 2005 as a result of reorganization. The Department of Demography, which was established in 1999, was also abolished as a result of reorganization in 2005. Demography program was restored in the direction of human geography in 2014. Accordingly, academic staff was selected through competition. “The Rector has not appointed even a single person on academic positions; all of them were selected by the competition commission,” Vladimer Papava said.
He also spoke about the issue of travel expenses. Rector Papava said that according to the Law of Georgia on Higher Education, “the head of a higher education institution, established by the state shall be highest academic official, also the Chairperson of the Academic Council and represent the higher education institution in academic and research fields both within the country and abroad, to what end he/she will be entitled to enter into agreements and transactions on behalf of the higher education institution.” Hence, with the purpose of further development of the university and deepening future cooperation, Rector participates in scientific and educational projects, conferences and pays international visits to partner universities.
The Rector paid 22 visits during past year (8 local and 14 foreign); several of them were carried out in frames of the project financed by his previous jobs and Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation.
Below there is information about the activities carried out by the Tbilisi State University:
• 27 agreements on cooperation were signed and resumed with foreign higher educational institutions in 2013-2014;
• 126 students and academic staff members were sent to higher educational institutions of 19 European countries in 2013-2014;
• 80 students, professors and scholars from various universities of 15 European countries have visited TSU since 2013 in frames of exchange programs.
Significant steps were taken to supply TSU students with textbooks:
• TSU Library was further enriched by 2 949 books (7 310 items), including 2 347 textbooks;
• Unique robotic scanner was purchased (GEL 237 000);
• The right to translate up to 20 textbooks has been obtained and an intensive process of their translation is currently underway. Translation of four textbooks will be over by the end of this year.
Moreover, Rector Papava donated 631 books (806 items) from his private library to TSU Library.
The TSU budget envisages significant funding to assist its students. In 2014 student travel expenses amounted to GEL 361 850; GEL 167 400 was allocated for internships and expeditions in 2013 and GEL 270 835 – in 2014. Starting from March 1, 2014 the most successful BA students are receiving Rector’s scholarship at GEL 250 per month. As of November 1, GEL 2000 has been issued. A total of GEL 5 237.5 was allocated to students from the Rector’s salary. Three socially vulnerable students were financed from the Rector’s salary – GEL 3 237.5.
