TSU psychology professor Marina Chitashvili warned that merging the Technical University with Tbilisi State University (TSU) would destroy the autonomy of both institutions and create an unclear, artificial entity. In an interview with BMGTV’s program “Tsertili”, she argued that the real aim of the reform is not improving education quality, but restricting academic freedom and imposing full government control over the curriculum. Chitashvili added that the government’s decision is already made, and only mass-scale protest could potentially influence it.
Reacting to Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s ironic comparison of TSU to Harvard, the Technical University to Cambridge, and Ilia State University to Oxford, Chitashvili criticized the tone as cynical. She emphasized that the three universities, given Georgia’s historical investment in higher education, truly hold the same national importance, preserving scientific terminology, the idea of independence, and academic diversity.
Chitashvili also stressed that the government’s unilateral approach leaves little room for professional debate. She noted the prime minister and education minister will travel to an international conference in Dubai despite significant protests at both universities. This, she argues, shows the authorities’ disregard for academic community opinions and confirms that the decision is effectively closed.
On the question of whether protests could stop the merger, Chitashvili was skeptical, citing a precedent in 2023 where opposition to the so-called “Russian Law” had no lasting effect. She warned that the merger will erase both universities, leaving an incomprehensible entity controlled entirely by the government, with faculty forced to teach only approved curricula, potentially eliminating many humanities and social science programs, while doctoral studies are entirely ignored. She concluded that the reform represents unchecked control and regression rather than progress.
