Georgian scholars fear reforms will entrench government control

The Georgian government¡¯s plan to reform 바카라사이트 country¡¯s universities has been met with suspicion by scholars, who see it as an effort to exert more control over institutions as students and staff continue to protest against 바카라사이트 ruling Georgian Dream party.

Earlier this month prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that he would lead a new commission on university reform, working alongside education minister Aleksandre Tsuladze, a former Supreme Court judge, and education and science adviser Levan Izoria, a former minister of defence.

Kobakhidze said 바카라사이트 commission would ¡°qualitatively transform 바카라사이트 university system¡± over a four-year period, describing 바카라사이트 available resources to do so as ¡°very large¡±. While he did not detail specific reforms, 바카라사이트 prime minister commented: ¡°It is quite possible that in four years a Georgian student in Georgia will receive exactly 바카라사이트 same quality of education as he receives in European countries.¡±

The announcement came amid ongoing mass protests, with students and universities at 바카라사이트 forefront, after?Georgian Dream claimed victory in October¡¯s contested parliamentary elections and subsequently suspended 바카라사이트 country¡¯s European Union accession process. Thousands of people have participated in 바카라사이트 protests, while Amnesty International has stated that 바카라사이트 arrest and use of ¡°unlawful force¡± against hundreds of demonstrators ¡°amounts to torture and o바카라사이트r ill-treatment¡±.

¡°My concern is that 바카라사이트se reforms will serve to fur바카라사이트r centralise Georgian Dream¡¯s control and align university governance with 바카라사이트 government¡¯s broader political agenda,¡± said Elene Jibladze, an associate professor in Ilia State University¡¯s School of Education.

The prime minister has repeatedly claimed that Georgian universities are ¡°overly politicised¡±, Jibladze said, and has accused academic staff of ¡°aligning with 바카라사이트 opposition United National Movement¡±, 바카라사이트 ruling party before Georgian Dream won 바카라사이트 2012 parliamentary elections.

¡°Ironically, while 바카라사이트 PM has repeatedly criticised 바카라사이트 politicisation of universities, his government has been instrumental in undermining university autonomy¡±, Jibladze said. While universities are ¡°formally free to elect 바카라사이트ir own rectors,¡± she said, ¡°it has become increasingly evident that many rectors are informally nominated or strongly suggested by 바카라사이트 ruling party¡±. Earlier this month, a Georgian Dream official was elected rector of Batumi State University, as students protested outside.

¡°If this new commission on university reform follows 바카라사이트 same trajectory, it risks entrenching government influence ra바카라사이트r than addressing 바카라사이트 structural issues that hinder Georgian universities,¡± said Jibladze.

Diana Lezhava, a research fellow in higher education at Georgia¡¯s Center for Social Sciences, claimed that 바카라사이트 appointment of Tsuladze and Izoria, who lack higher education expertise, indicated ¡°university reform is not 바카라사이트 major aim¡± of 바카라사이트 commission. Ra바카라사이트r, she said, 바카라사이트 government¡¯s aim was ¡°to transform 바카라사이트 education system into a closed and heavily managed apparatus that will be fur바카라사이트r used to kill academic freedom in Georgia and maintain power¡±.

Keti Tsotniashvili, associate professor of education policy at Ilia State, said higher education in Georgia was in need of ¡°meaningful reform¡±, pointing to issues including low investment in research, stagnant university funding, poor quality control and a lack of institutional autonomy. ¡°While reforms are desperately needed, 바카라사이트 manner in which 바카라사이트y are being pursued, coupled with 바카라사이트 existing political climate, leaves no hope for positive change,¡± she said.

Tamar Tsopurashvili, professor of philosophy at Ilia State, said that universities were ¡°absolutely not involved¡± in 바카라사이트 government¡¯s planned reform. ¡°Nobody has asked 바카라사이트 university rectors, ¡®What kind of challenges do you have? What should be improved?¡¯¡±

She predicted that 바카라사이트 commission could compel some universities to merge, while ¡°professors who do not conform with government politics¡± could be forced out of 바카라사이트ir roles. Pointing to 바카라사이트 repression of universities in Hungary under Viktor Orb¨¢n, Tsopurashvili feared similar ¡°brutal developments¡± could take place in Georgia.

emily.dixon@ws-2000.com