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Language policy in Higher Education of Georgia

  • Shalva Tabatadze ORCID logo EMAIL logo und Kakha Gabunia ORCID logo
Veröffentlicht/Copyright: 13. Mai 2025

Abstract

This study examines the current landscape of language policy in higher educational institutions (HEIs) in Georgia, focusing on teaching, research, and administration. A purposive selection of strategic documents from seventeen public and private universities forms the basis of analysis using Thematic Content Analysis (TCA). The research identifies prevalent language policy themes across these documents and supplements the findings with statistical data on educational activities. Thematic Content Analysis (TCA) was employed to analyze language policy within HEIs’ strategic documents systematically. This qualitative method facilitated the identification and categorization of recurring themes related to teaching, research, and administrative practices. The analysis reveals a fragmented approach to language policy across Georgian HEIs, with significant emphasis on English as a medium of instruction and internationalization efforts in teaching and research. The study underscores the need for comprehensive language policy frameworks that integrate local linguistic contexts, support bilingual education, and enhance the international visibility of Georgian Higher Education. This research contributes to the theoretical and practical understanding of language policy in Higher Education contexts, offering insights applicable not only to Georgia but also to other non-English speaking countries grappling with similar challenges of linguistic diversity and internationalization.


Corresponding author: Shalva Tabatadze, East European University, Tbilisi, Georgia; and Centre for Civil Integration and Inter-Ethnic Relations, Tbilisi, Georgia, E-mail:

Funding source: United Nations Association of Georgia

Appendix 1: List of sampled universities

Akaki Tsereteli Kutaisi State University-(ATSU) Strategic Development Plan 2018–2024 (24 pages): https://old.atsu.ge/images/project-of-the-ATSU-Strategic-Plan.pdf

Black Sea International University Strategy – Black Sea International University Strategic Plan 2018–2025 (27 pages): https://ibsu.edu.ge/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IBSU_PL02_G_Strategic_Plan_2018-2025.pdf

Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University (BSU) – BSU Strategic Development Plan 2018–2024 (57 pages): https://bsu.ge/text_files/ge_file_8361_1.pdf

Free University strategy - Tbilisi Free University’s Strategic Overview and Plan (504 pages): https://freeuni.edu.ge/media/4w3dj0jn/%E1%83%A1%E1%83%A2%E1%83%A0%E1%83%90%E1%83%A2%E1%83%94%E1%83%92%E1%83%98%E1%83%A3%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98-%E1%83%9B%E1%83%98%E1%83%9B%E1%83%9D%E1%83%AE%E1%83%98%E1%83%9A%E1%83%95%E1%83%90-%E1%83%93%E1%8-%E1%83%92%E1%83%94%E1%83%92%E1%83%9B%E1%83%90.pdf

Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA)- Strategic Development and Action Plan of the Institute of Public Affairs of Georgia 2018–2024 (28 pages): https://gipa.ge/res/docs/3.NarrativeStrategicPlan-2018-2024.pdf

Georgian Technical University (GTU) – Strategic Plan of Development of Technical University of Georgia 2018–2024 (49 pages): https://gtu.ge/pdf/Strategic_Plan_for_Development_of_gtu_2018-2024_01.pdf

Ilia State University Strategy - Ilyauni Development Strategy 2024–2030 (28 pages): https://iliauni.edu.ge/ge/iliauni/history/developmentstrategy2024

Samtskhe-Javakheti State University (SJSU) – Mission and Strategic Plan 2019–2025 (24 pages): https://www.sjuni.edu.ge/wp-content/uploads/2018/mnishvnelovanidoc/%E1%83%9B%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1%E1%83%98%E1%83%90_%E1%83%A1%E1%83%AF%E1%83%A1%E1%83%A3.pdf

Sokhumi State University – Strategic Development Plan 2018–2025 (54 pages): https://www.sou.edu.ge/images/file/1539072931--strategiuli%20ganviTarebis%20gegma_2018-2025.pdf

Batumi State Maritime Academy – Batumi State Maritime Academy’s strategic development plan 2020–2024 (36 pages): https://bsma.edu.ge/media/files/de97fdb0-9b34-4a92-b040-b3be9733aea9.pdf

Gori Teaching University – Strategic Plan 2018–2024 (11 pages strategic plan + 27 pages action plan): https://www.gu.edu.ge/uploads/other/8/8300.pdf, https://www.gu.edu.ge/uploads/other/14/14421.pdf

Agrarian University - Strategic Plan of the Agrarian University of Georgia 2025-2031 (402 pages): https://agruni.edu.ge/media/g3rfjb5l/%E1%83%A1%E1%83%A2%E1%83%A0%E1%83%90%E1%83%A2%E1%83%94%E1%83%92%E1%83%98%E1%83%A3%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98-%E1%83%9B%E1%83%98%E1%83%9B%E1%83%9D%E1%83%AE%E1%83%98%E1%83%9A%E1%83%95%E1%83%90-%E1%83%93%E1%83%90-%E1%83%92%E1%83%94%E1%83%92%E1%83%9B%E1%83%90.pdf

Caucasus University – Strategic Development Plan of the Caucasus University 2020/2021–2026/2027 (66 pages): https://cu.edu.ge/files/gallery/2021/%E1%83%A1%E1%83%A2%E1%83%A0%E1%83%90%E1%83%A2%E1%83%94%E1%83%92%E1%83%98%E1%83%A3%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98%20%E1%83%92%E1%83%90%E1%83%9C%E1%83%95%E1%83%98%E1%83%97%E1%83%90%E1%83%A0%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1%20%E1%83%92%E1%83%94%E1%83%92%E1%83%9B%E1%83%90/%E1%83%99%E1%83%90%E1%83%95%E1%83%99%E1%83%90%E1%83%A1%E1%83%98%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1%20%E1%83%A3%E1%83%9C%E1%83%98%E1%83%95%E1%83%94%E1%83%A0%E1%83%A1%E1%83%98%E1%83%A2%E1%83%94%E1%83%A2%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1%20%E1%83%A1%E1%83%A2%E1%83%A0%E1%83%90%E1%83%A2%E1%83%94%E1%83%92%E1%83%98%E1%83%A3%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98%20%E1%83%92%E1%83%90%E1%83%9C%E1%83%95%E1%83%98%E1%83%97%E1%83%90%E1%83%A0%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1%20%E1%83%92%E1%83%94%E1%83%92%E1%83%9B%E1%83%90.pdf

University of Georgia – Strategic Plan of the University of Georgia 2020-2027 (9 pages): https://www.ug.edu.ge/ge/strategy

Yakob Gogebashvili Telavi State University-2018–2025 Strategy (19 pages): https://tesau.edu.ge/files/1/gegma/%E1%83%97%E1%83%94%E1%83%A1%E1%83%90%E1%83%A3%20%E1%83%A1%E1%83%A2%E1%83%A0%E1%83%90%E1%83%A2%E1%83%94%E1%83%92%E1%83%98%E1%83%A3%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98%20%E1%83%92%E1%83%90%E1%83%9C%E1%83%95%E1%83%98%E1%83%97%E1%83%90%E1%83%A0%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1%20%E1%83%92%E1%83%94%E1%83%92%E1%83%9B%E1%83%90%202018-2025%20%E1%83%AC.pdf

Tbilisi State Medical University; Strategic plan 2018–2024 (65 pages): https://tsmu.edu/ts/images/dxp/strategiuli-ganviTarebis-gegma-5afbecc135dae.pdf

Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University Strategic Development Plan (TSU) – Strategic Plan 2018–2024 – (40 pages): https://www.tsu.ge/assets/media/files/1/%E1%83%A3%E1%83%9C%E1%83%98%E1%83%95%E1%83%94%E1%83%A0%E1%83%A1%E1%83%98%E1%83%A2%E1%83%94%E1%83%A2%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1%20%E1%83%A1%E1%83%A2%E1%83%A0%E1%83%90%E1%83%A2%E1%83%94%E1%83%92%E1%83%98%E1%83%A3%E1%83%9A%E1%83%98%20%E1%83%92%E1%83%90%E1%83%9C%E1%83%95%E1%83%98%E1%83%97%E1%83%90%E1%83%A0%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1%20%E1%83%92%E1%83%94%E1%83%92%E1%83%9B%E1%83%90.pdf

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Received: 2024-07-04
Accepted: 2025-03-29
Published Online: 2025-05-13
Published in Print: 2025-05-26

© 2025 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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