An additional GEL 42 million will be allocated from the state budget for the first stage of implementing a new higher education funding model, with total state funding for higher education expected to reach GEL 170 million in 2027, according to the Ministry of Education.
The new funding model for public universities was approved by the Georgian government and will be introduced gradually starting from the 2026–2027 academic year. The model was developed in cooperation with the World Bank and includes two main components: base funding and performance-based funding.
Under the base funding component, financing will be determined according to the cost of different academic programs, fields of study and education levels, including bachelor’s and master’s degrees. The number of students will also be taken into account to cover basic costs related to the educational process and student services.
The performance-based funding component will be introduced gradually and will depend on universities’ results in areas such as education quality, alignment with labor market needs, research and innovation, internationalization, regional development and access to higher education. The Ministry of Education said funding agreements with each university will be determined individually based on their mission, goals, profile and resources.
