Ilia State University (ILIA UNI), located in Tbilisi, Georgia, is one of the flagship public research universities in Georgia that strives for academic excellence and integrity in teaching and research.ILIA UNI’s recognition at home and abroad, amongst many of its partners worldwide is due to ILIA UNI’s unique institutional capacity that is reflected primarily, in the quality of academic staff recruited successfully throughout Georgia and beyond and secondly, in the strong focus on and commitment to research and in its distinctive ability to initiate an open, unbiased public policy discussion. Over a short period of time, ILIA UNI has emerged as one of the leading reformers in Georgian higher education system and has managed to evolve into one of the most selective universities and prestigious study destinations in the country. 

ILIA UNI was established in 2006 as a merger of six different institutions, each having a long history and a diverse institutional profile. ILIA UNI has four Schools – Arts and Sciences, Business, Law, and Engineering - each offers distinctive training in their respective direction at three levels. ILIA UNI has about 10,000 students at all levels. Ilia State University unites 25 Research Institutes, Centers and Laboratories dispersed across the country. The diverse profile of these research institutions and laboratories create a unique opportunity for research and practice on the topics relevant to Georgia’s role and contribution to the international community. ILIA UNI community is dedicated to provide high-quality education and facilitate rigorous research through innovative initiatives and policies. ILIA UNI believes that this approach will contribute to the creation of a global knowledge-based society capable of developing sustainable solutions for the challenges of the 21st century.

Prof. Dr. Marika Kapanadze – her research interests are teacher professional development, science curriculum development and investigation of students’ interest in science. She is one of the authors of National Curricula in Physics and Science in Georgia. She is engaged in development, implementation and evaluation of curricula and new curricular materials. She was the coordinator of the TEMPUS project SALiS, which was successfully implemented at Ilia State University. She is a head of the teacher professional development programs in science education at the university and is actively involved in pre- and in-service teacher-training courses. She develops the courses about inquiry based learning and active learning methods in science. She is a co-author of methodological books in education and in science education.

Ekaterine Slovinsky is currently undertaking PHD in the field of science education.  She is working on development, implementation and evaluating of the National Curriculum in Science.  She works on development of science and biology teaching materials.  She also has experience in consulting for science and biology textbook writers.   Before this she worked as a science teacher in elementary and secondary schools. Her main field of interest is integrated teaching/learning of science and environmental education.

Dr. Ekaterine Mikautadze – is an assistant in PROFILES project, graduated in biochemistry and neurobiology, doctoral programs from Ilia state university. She is a senior researcher in Department of Biochemistry at Beritashvili Center of Experimental Biomedicine. She was an assistant of the coordinator of TEMPUS project SALiS. She is a co-author of several publications.

Nino Bluashvili - is an assistant in PROFILES project, graduated in Primary Education (Didactic of English language) and English Language and Literature from Ilia State University. In 2013 she graduated from the same university with a Master´s Degree as English teacher. She is a trainee of general professional skills at the National Center of Teacher’s Professional Development.

Local website of the PROFILES group of the Ilia State University