UNIVERSITY EDUCATION AND NATIONAL POLITICS IN SAMTSKHE-JAVAKHETI Cover Image

საუნივერსიტეტო განათლება და ეროვნული პოლიტიკა სამცხე-ჯავახეთში
UNIVERSITY EDUCATION AND NATIONAL POLITICS IN SAMTSKHE-JAVAKHETI

Author(s): Merab Beridze
Subject(s): History, Language studies, Education, Cultural history, Political history, Recent History (1900 till today), Theory of Literature, Georgian literature
Published by: საქართველოს მეცნიერებათა ეროვნული აკადემიის გამომცემლობა
Keywords: University; national policy; Samtskhe-Javakheti; Meskheti;

Summary/Abstract: More than thirty years have passed since South Georgia, Akhaltsikhe, Akhalkalaki has been living with university life. From the 70s of the 20th centuries, Tbilisi State University and its young scientists headed towards the south. Even the most long-distanced village was penetrated by young energy.The capital rediscovered Meskheti, which has always been a symbol of patriotism and national identity, the origins of Georgian culture.In 1990, Akhaltsikhe, as a branch of Iv. Tbilisi State University was established. Along with it, by one order, eight educational units were established in different parts of Georgia.Only Akhaltsikhe has withstood the test of history, which has survived to this day as the State University of Samtskhe-Javakheti. It is located in two geographical area - Akhaltsikhe and Akhalkalaki and it continues the ancient educational traditions that accompanied with Meskheti throughout history.The university was established as a regional educational institution and it has the ambition to create the future of Samtskhe-Javakheti together with the regional administration. New jobs appeared and this was connected with university establishment. This process continues.Non-Georgian graduate students study together with Georgians at the university. Armenian youths go through a one-year state program, after which it is no longer a problem for them to study in the state language and get a relevant specialty. That is why Samtskhe-Javakheti State University has a special importance in the process of learning the state language and integration of national minorities with the state. As a result of all this, the state language performs its function in non-Georgian-speaking administrative institutions, where university graduates have already employed in regional management bodies.The university contributed to the development of many fields that were critical in the 90s of the 20th centuries, therefore the development of the higher institution, the creation of new specialties and directions is related to the requirements of the region. The role of the university in the development of various fields of art, literature and publishing activities is also important in Meskheti.