Strategy of 2018-2024

Formulated by Ilia State University

Strategy Planning Working Group

2017

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Introduction
Activities by Ilia State University (hereinafter -- “the University”) is based upon
Georgian Constitution, the Law of Georgia on Higher Education, Order N 134/ნ of the
Minister of Education and Science of Georgia of 11 September 2013 on Approval of
the Charter of the Legal Entity under Public Law called Ilia State University, by-laws of
the University and other administrative-legal acts.
The Statutes, which are formulated by the Faculty Board following the request by the
Dean, also regulate the activities by the faculties and schools and after agreeing with
the Academic Board presents it to the Board of Representatives of the University for
approval.
The Statutes include objectives and tasks, main areas of the activities, organisation,
management authorities and personnel, their selection procedure and rights and
obligations, as well as other issues related to the functioning of the faculty.
Their Statutes and the Law on Higher Eduction regulate activities by scientific-
research units.
The Statute is formulated by the scientific-research unit and is presented to the Board
of Representatives after agreeing with the Academic Board.
The scientific-research unit has a scientific-research project, which is agreed with the
Academic Board, whereas the research project subsidized from the state budget of
the research unit is agreed with the Ministry of Education and Science.
In their activities, different organisational units of the University rely on Statutes, which
are approved by the Board of Representatives of the University following the request
of the Academic Board.
The Statutes determine powers of the organisational units, functions, obligations and
management organisation.
The academic personnel, invited specialists, research personnel, emeritae and guest
professors at Ilia State University determine the Code of Ethics of the academic
personnel and other persons involved in the study process.
The University envisages obligations assumed by Georgia after joining The Bologna
Process and shares principles and requirements stipulated by their conventions and
declarations.
The long-term Strategy of the University conveys its values, mission, and vision in the
field of higher education, as well as the priorities, main functions and prime objectives
of the University in 2018-2024.
The document includes evaluation of the current activities, existing challenges and
main changes congruent with the current global tendencies.

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The strategic plan constitutes a working document of internal application that
simultaneously assists the representatives of the university in introducing the
interested parties with their own vision and activities and promoting evaluation and
perfection of their activities by the public.
The strategy is a public document that is adopted together with other agencies, the
public and field experts through public discussions and cooperation.
Accordingly, the document is an important tool from the point of view of public
involvement, accountability and transparency of the agency.

Methodology
The Strategy of Ilia State University was drawn up by the Strategy Planning Work
Group through cooperation with the accountable individuals, on the bases of needs
research formulated through in-depth interviews (interested parties, internal and
external), focus-group discussions, analysing quantitative research results among
students, analysing additional sources and materials, and strategy planning work
meeting.
In the process of needs research and formulation of the strategy, at the stage of
collecting information, the Methods of Analysis and Synthesis, and Qualitative
Research Methods were employed, namely, focus groups discussions were held and
quantitative research was conducted among students, as well as work meetings and
in-depth interviews held with the representatives of the office management and the
parties concerned, academic circles and the institutional partners of the university.
The aim of in-depth interviews was the assessment of the existing situation by internal
and external parties concerned, adoption of future recommendations and envision of
their views in formulation of the strategy of the university. At the stage of needs
research, members of the work group studied the self-assessment report of the
University and included the corresponding challenges in the Strategic Plan.
At the Strategy planning stage, the work meeting was conducted with the participation
of the managing authorities of the university, representatives of the Academic Board,
Chairperson of the Board of Representatives and the representatives of the faculty; at
the meeting, the need research analysis was discussed and the University mission,
vision, values, aims and tasks were formulated.
In addition, was studied: the Law of Georgia on Higher Education, essential regulatory
documents of the University, the data on the higher education system in Georgia and
the international experience regarding activities of the best European universities and
their organisation.
At the stage of the formulation of the Strategy, in determining the objectives of the
Strategy, the Strategy Planning Group relied upon the Law of Georgia on Higher

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Education and the aims of higher education determined in accordance with it, which
are also included in the Charter of the University.

Values
Ilia State University, in view of the role of higher education in creation of the bases of
the development and well-being of the public, founds its strategy on the principles and
values as follows:
1. Autonomy -- the university is an autonomous educational institution, which
makes independent decisions within the law for the purposes of perfect
management of its essential activities;
2. Equal opportunities -- the university provides its students, academic and
administrative personnel with equal opportunities to study, teach, work and
develop that comprises the freedom of choice and assistance by the University
to carry out activities congruous with the choice.
3. Diversity -- the university is an educational institution, which encourages
diversity of cultural, educational and research activities as the basis of creating
public values;
4. Academic freedom -- the University ensures freedom of choice and carrying out
academic activities for the academic or scientific personnel and students.
5. Social responsibility -- the University carries out different projects via a long-
term and aim-oriented approach, which serve the sustainable development of
the public by applying unique scientific and human resources.
6. Conscientiousness -- the most essential criterion of the university activities is
conscientiousness in study/teaching and research processes.
7. Transparency and openness -- the university is accountable before the public,
proactively spreads information on its activities and is open for cooperation;
8. Focus on development -- the university proactively assesses its own activities,
searches for weak points and tries to eradicate them.

Vision
The vision included in the 2018-2024 Strategy determines the positioning of the
University and the main outcome of materialization of the Strategy, the so-called ideal
objective, to which the Strategy realization serves.
In 2024, Ilia State University will be a leading and rapidly developing research
institute, which forms the basis of scientific-technological development, high standard
education-research processes and public well-being by applying innovative
approaches.

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Mission
The Mission of Ilia State University has been formulated based on its values and
vision.
The Mission clearly stipulates the role of the University in public development and the
functions, which the University shall fulfil for the next 7 years.
The Mission of Ilia State University is to create, transfer and apply knowledge for the
purposes of scientific advancement and public development at the local and
international level.
The Mission of Ilia State University is founded on three principles of unity:
a) The Unity of Teaching and Research; knowledge is created and transferred by the
same person, while students are provided with the opportunity to get involved in
knowledge creation process;
b) The Unity of General Education and Specialization; Ilia State University is one of
the first institutions which introduced the essential elements of liberal art in Georgian
higher education and it has preserved and enhanced these elements by adding strict
requirements of specialization to it;
c) The Unity of Universal and Local, which implies general and universally shared
knowledge generation, particular attention to regional, national and local contexts, as
well as high awareness of the public mission of the University.

Strategic Framework
On the basis of the needs research of Iliauni and SWOT analysis, for the purposes of
realization of its mission and vision, the strategic objectives and tasks have been put
forward; in order to fulfil these tasks and achieve the objectives in 2018-2024, different
administrative and organisational units, faculties and research units will perform
coordinated works. The strategic objectives and tasks are as follows:

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 Strategic Objective
Strategic Objective Strategic Objective Strategic Objective Strategic Objective Strategic Objective N6:
N1: N2: N3: N4: N5:
Boosting authority
Institutional Organisational Raising Teaching Raising Standards in Developing Student and popularization at
Strengthening Strengthening and Study Standards Research activities Services the local and
international level

Strategic Task Strategic Task

Strategic Task Strategic Task Strategic Task Strategic Task
#1.1. #2.1.
#3.1. #4.1. #5.1. #6.1.
Determination of priorities Implementation of
Implementation of study Strengthening of Supporting students via Popularization of the
of teaching and research modern management
programmes in line with University research areas administrative services University
activities systems
the requirements of
modern labour market
Strategic Task Strategic Task
Strategic Task Strategic Task Strategic Task
#2.2. #5.2.
#1.2. #4.2. #6.2.
Refining ancillary #3.2. Creating employment and
Internationalization of Enhancing effectiveness Boosting University
economic activities professional development
teaching and research Promoting enhancement of research units authority (rating)
management system opportunities
of study and teaching
quality
Strategic Task
#1.3. #2.3. #4.3.
Strengthening academic Popularization of #5.3.
Developing Human
personnel for the purposes Resources Management Research Activities Ensuring Student Life
of promoting teaching and System Diversity
research

Strategic Task
Strategic Task #2.4.
#1.4. Ensuring Financial
Stability
Development of
Graduates Network

#1.5.
Development of the Third
Mission