ISET produces the people of the future

The solemn ceremony of bestowing Masters Degree diplomas on 26 students of the International School of Economics at Tbilisi State University (ISET) was held at the Hotel Radisson Blue Iveria on July 10. In addition to the school's management the event was attended by Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Vera Kobalia, President of the National Bank of Georgia Giorgi Kadagidze, Rector of Tbilisi Ivane Javakhishvili State University Giorgi Khubua and representatives of the Ministry of Finance.

ISET was created in response to a letter from Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania - just three weeks before his tragic death - to the World Bank President, in which he appealed for help in "creating our own capability to train young economists in modern economics as it is taught all over the world and to conduct economic research here in Georgia." Initial input from the World Bank and ongoing support from the Government of Georgia and Tbilisi State University, in cooperation with an international group of donors including BP, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Open Society Institute Higher Education Support Programme and the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), have made Zhvania's dream a reality. The International School of Economics at Tbilisi State University (ISET) opened its doors to students in 2006 and offered the first world class masters programme in economics in the South Caucasus.

The ceremony was opened by Eric Livny, ISET's Director. "ISET is a world class school and we provide world class education in Georgia. I wish important future success and advancement to our graduates and more development for ISET,” Livny said.

The Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development described ISET’s students as the "people of the future". "Today's new laureates have graduated from this school at a time when their knowledge is extremely important for Georgia’s economic development. I am sure that I will see these faces at the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development very soon, as they are the people of the future,” Kobalia said.

The President of Georgia’s National Bank also congratulated the graduates and mentioned that, "collaboration with ISET is very important for the National Bank of Georgia as many of the school’s postgraduates are taking posts in the bank. Georgia needs this school and its students,” Kadagidze said.

Top-ranked graduate Nino Sharumashvili told The Messenger, "I have spent two of the most wonderful and productive years at ISET. Some of the leading Professors in the world are at this school and they have enabled me to gain deep knowledge of economics which I will use for my country’s economic benefits,” Sharumashvili said.