Georgia's acting president Nino Burjanadze today visited Ilia Chavchavadze State University to meet university professors and lecturers. "It is my and my colleagues' responsibility to ensure that you have all the opportunities to concentrate your intelligence, potential and energy on the bringing up of a dignified future generation," stated Nino Burjanadze.

Present issues in Georgia and possible ways of their solution had been discussed at the meeting. The professors shared with Nino Burjanadze their vision of the country's development and various measures that need to be taken in different spheres. Education system reform and its outcomes had also been discussed at the meeting.

"I'm happy that infrastructure related problems in the universities, including your university, are being gradually solved. Students can subscribe to periodical literature, visit an equipped library and keep pace with the development of science," said Burjanade.

Ilia Chavchavadze State University representatives particularly underscored the vital importance of the existence of a consistent government policy for the development of science and preventing brain drain. According to the professors, a minimum wage has to be of an amount to enable a person finish the learning process and to finish it successfully. They said that the doctoral candidacy has to be within the government's priority on which the country's future will depend. Regarding this issue Nino Burjanadze said that it was essential to retain intelligent youth and create all the conditions within the country for their development.

"In the sphere of humanity sciences we will always be able to bring up extremely good generations, but in many fields of technical sciences it would be extremely difficult unless we maintain our achievements and meet certain demands," said Nino Burjanadze.

At the meeting the university representatives voiced an initiative about the creation of a task force under the Parliament or other state agency that will be composed of science sphere representatives and will work on the identification of social problems. As a successful example they draw a parliamentary council on business, created at the initiative of Nino Burjanadze, which had been doing successful analytical and forward activities in the fields of economy and business.

Ongoing political processed as well as the necessity of holding transparent and democratic elections on January 5 were also discussed at the meeting. Georgia's foreign and political priorities and the country's course towards these directions, as well as the importance of the resolution of conflicts through peaceful means in short period of time had been discussed at the meeting. Issues related to the activities of mass media in Georgia were also discussed.

Nino Burjanedze expressed hope that similar meetings would continue in the future, that views will be exchanged, which would help reap concrete positive results. "I'm confident that together we will achieve that your professionalism and your efforts are valued," said acting president Burjanadze.

Press Office
of the President of Georgia