Kutaisi Mayor’s Office presents plan of the University
By Tea Mariamidze
Thursday, March 9
Kutaisi Mayor’s Office has presented the development plan of Kutaisi University City, saying construction work will start in several weeks.
The project was initially announced in September 2016 by the Prime Minister of Georgia, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, and it envisages the creation of a regional education and research hub by building the largest, modern university complex not only in Georgia, but the whole Caucasus region.
Kutaisi University City will be completely financed by the Cartu Foundation, a charity fund established and financed by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a Georgian tycoon and former Prime Minister and founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party.
The Cartu Foundation has allocated ˆ1 billion for the project.
Kutaisi Mayor Shota Murgulia introduced the details of the development plan to the City Council and Cartu representatives.
“Education is very important, and this project will promote awareness of the city on the global map,” the Mayor said.
The opposition is critical over the project calling it a pre-election trick and says the project will not be implemented.
“The government usually makes false promises and nothing more,” Amiran Dzotsenidze, a member of Kutaisi City Council said.
The Kutaisi University Complex will be a typical university-type campus with several university buildings, accommodation and other learning facilities all in one place - and the first of its kind in Georgia.
University City will be spread over 140 Ha of land in the outskirts of Kutaisi, in the middle of a forest surrounded by a lake. The facility will be able to cater for 60,000 students.
It will take several years to completely build the university complex but the first round of students are expected to receive their education at University City in late 2019.
