The FINANCIAL — In the academic years 2007-2008 the number of Georgian students in the USA was 378, while in 2006-2007 academic years US universities accepted 353 Georgian students. The most popular US universities for Georgians are NYU, Georgetown University and Idaho State University.
Nino Chinchaladze, Executive Director of the Centre for International Education (CIE), says that the economical downturn has not affected the demand for studying abroad. “As I see Georgians are ready to invest money in education as they consider it a very important sphere,” she says.
“Demand for US universities has always been large from students worldwide. One of the main determiners of it is that Americans has been always generously granting scholarship. After the 9/11 act of terror demand slumped, but later started to rise again,” George Gigiberia, Programme’s Manager of CIE, told The FINANCIAL.
“In US universities the largest number of students is from India. For 2007-2008 academic years the number of Indian students in the country reached 94,563. The next largest ethnicity of foreign students is Chinese. The USA accepted 81,127 students from China in 2007-2008,” Gigiberia said.
The Centre for International Education (CIE) is a non-profit organization funded by Open Society-Georgia Foundation, Open Society Institute and US Department of State, in 1997.
“When Georgians are able to cover the costs of studying abroad they start choosing universities according to their ratings,” says Chinchaladze, Centre for International Education.
“Fortunately Georgians have concluded that getting an education from a prestigious university is good for their future. Out of European universities, the largest numbers of Georgian students go to Germany. The first factor conditioning this is that studying in Germany is free and another is that the level of education is very high. Out of the total number of Georgian students studying in Europe, about 40% goes to Germany. England is also very popular. It is difficult to name the concrete figures of Georgian students abroad as some of them may not be registered on the lists of research programmes. Recently demand has risen for Sweden as Swedish education is of high quality as well as education being free,” Chinchaladze says.
Chinchaladze predicts that soon demand will start rising European Universities, as studying there is also free.
“The Finns are thinking of imposing some sort of fee, but I think it will be minimal. It is in their interest to attract more foreign students,” She notes.
Chinchaladze says that it is a world tendency to mix students of as many nationalities as possible to encourage intercultural relations and so on.
CIE annually sends about 100-120 students on both short and long-term courses.
“Demand for studying abroad is increasing year after year,” Gigiberia notes. He says that the popularity of most universities is determined by their prices for studying. “About 4 years ago the demand for US universities was increasing sharply. There was a boom of interest in US universities, but recently European universities have become more popular. Prices are higher at US universities compared with European universities.”
“Studying and living abroad may be very expensive but it is an important factor that abroad the educational system is very flexible for students. Most of them can get scholarship, and those who do not have one can work as an assistant for professors and thereby get extra money,” he adds.
The most demanded fields for Georgians are social and humanitarian faculties. “Presently there is a boom in demand for the faculty of business administration. An enhanced boom can be explained by the market’s demands,” says Gigiberia, CIE.
The most popular French universities for Georgians are Versailles Saint Quentin-En-Yvelines, Paris 1, Paris 4, Paris 8, Montpellier 3, Strasbourg 3 and Lyon 2. The total number of Georgian students sent to French universities in 2008 was 121. From this number 11 students were sent with scholarships from the French Embassy. In 2009 11 Georgian students were also sent with scholarships from the French Embassy.
“The high level of studying programmes for special disciplines determines the popularity of the above mentioned universities. The programmes most in demand are Master in Law, Philology and MBA,” says Nino Lortkipanidze, Attaché of the Council of Science of the French Council to Georgia.
The largest number of Georgian students (14) was sent to France in 2006.
Lortkipanidze says that the number of students applying to the French consulate did not increase in 2009. “A scholarship from the French government, with information about studying in France at the representative of Campus France in the Médiathèque, is available at our official address, 10 Gudiashvili Str.”
“Since 2009 students have been getting visas for long stays which are equivalent to a “carte séjour” for 1 year and so those students don’t need to otherwise get permission to stay for one year,” Lortkipanidze says.
The most respected British universities in Georgia are London School of Economics (LSE), University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, Manchester Business School, The University of Warwick, University of Edinburgh, University of Essex, City University and University College London (UCL), according to the Embassy of the UK in Tbilisi.
“The rating of universities that is annually published in authorized editions, like FT, is the main determiner of the popularity of universities among Georgians,” says Maka Khurtsidze, Manager of Exams Services and Exchange Programmes at the UK Embassy.
The largest number of Georgian students sent to Great Britain were sent during 2005-2008.
British Petroleum was the main sponsor of students studying in the UK.
Khurtsidze says that recently the demand for studying at different universities in the UK has risen. “Not only college students but also schoolchildren are becoming more active about studying abroad. There are different sources that finance students studying abroad. The global economical downturn has not affected the demand for studying abroad among Georgian students,” she says.
From March 2009 the UK launched a new Points-Based System (PBS). PBS is a system for managing the migration of those wishing to enter the UK for work or study. Britain has simplified the system to make it simpler and more transparent for international students. Any students applying after March 2009 will be doing so under the points-based system (PBS).
International students who want to study in the UK need to pass a points-based assessment and score 40 points. These are comprised of 30 points for a visa letter from a licensed sponsor (such as a university or college) and 10 points for showing that they have access to the required maintenance funds to support themselves and cover costs such as fees and living expenses.
“The new general student visa issued under the points based system will allow students to work up to 20 hours a week during term time and full time in the holidays,” declares Sophiko Katsarava, project and communication manager of the British Embassy to Georgia.
Katsarava says that those who wish to study in the UK for six months or less can apply for a student visitor visa.
“With this visa students can live, study and travel in the UK but they are unable to work or undertake a course related work placement. Also with a student visitor visa they are unable to extend their stay whilst in the UK so if they want that option they must apply for a general student visa,” she says.
“In 2007, 13 percent of students studying abroad chose to go to the UK, making it the second most popular place in the world to study after the United States,” Katsarava notes.
Humboldt University Berlin (HU), Free University Berlin (FU), Ludwig Maximilians University Munich (LMU), Technichal University Munich (TUM) and University of Bremen are the most popular universities in Germany for Georgians.
“The ratings list, existing cooperation between universities and experience of former students determines the popularity of German universities among Georgians,” says Nino Antadze, representative of DAAD to Georgia.
The German Academic Exchange Service is one of the world’s largest and most respected intermediary organizations in its field. Scores of students, teachers, researchers and scientists supported by the Deutsch Akademischer Austausch Dienst (DAAD) have been able to gain valuable experience abroad.
Antadze notes that the number of scholarship holders increases every year. In 2006, 51 Georgian students were sent to Germany, in 2007 – 85, in 2008 – 81 and in 2009 – 109.
“Currently three DAAD lecturers are working in universities in Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Batumi. Those who are interested in further details may visit the DAAD Tbilisi Information Centrer at Zandukeli St, 16,” Antadze says.
Written By Madona Gasanova
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