Chancellor
Ketevan Darakhvelidze
Ilia State University Chancellor (Head of Administration)
Ketevan Darakhvelidze is the Chancellor of Ilia State University, holding the position since February 1, 2024. She joined the university's administrative team in January 2011 and has held various leadership roles, including serving as the Head for Development Office (2014-2023) and Vice Chancellor for Institutional Development & Revenues from February 2023 until February 2024. Throughout her tenure at Ilia State, she has been actively involved in international collaborations and has served as the manager for the university's international projects numerous times.
Ketevan Darakhvelidze holds degrees from leading universities in the United States and Europe. She studied educational policy, research, international education, and technical aid packages for international development and education at various periods. Her education background also includes university administration, financial management, and educational quality.
She holds a Master's in Comparative and International Education/Development with a concentration in higher education policy and politics from Columbia University (New York, U.S.A., 2009). She also holds a Joint European Master’s in Higher Education Administration awarded by University of Oslo (Norway), Tampere University (Finland), Aveiro University (Portugal) in 2011. Additionally, she pursued her Bachelor’s and Master’s in English Language and Literature at Gori State University (Georgia) in 2001-2006.
She is a recipient of multiple scholarships and awards - the U.S. Government Education Exchange programs, Fulbright (Edmund S. Muskie) Fellowship to study in the United States (2007-2009) and Global UGRAD 1-year scholarship in American Studies at St. Catherine University (2003-2004), and the European Commission-funded Erasmus Mundus Scholarship (2009-2011).
Ketevan Darakhvelidze demonstrated leadership in soliciting external funding and implementation of various grant and educational programs at Ilia State University during her 13-year tenure. Her responsibilities included institutional development, reforms in international education programs, strengthening international collaboration, enhancing technological innovation, and revitalizing the academic innovation ecosystem.
Ketevan Darakhvelidze excelled in addressing strategic challenges related to higher education, directing initiatives toward various successful programs. Her engagement spanned a wide spectrum, involving donor-funded and prestigious high-level educational programs. Notable examples include "Tempus," "Erasmus+ CBH," "Horizon2020," "Jean Monnet Activities," USAID's educational programs, European Union's Skills4Jobs initiative in Georgia, Volkswagen Foundation's Caucasus Doctoral Program, and various democracy and education initiatives funded by the U.S. Embassy. These efforts collectively contributed to the advancement of academic, research, and institutional development, emphasizing the importance of international collaboration and modernization in higher education. Notably from her portfolio, she successfully secured over 16 million euros for more than 300 international collaboration proposals focused on academic, research, and institutional development in Georgia. These projects, spanning various domains such as education, democracy, and transnational cooperation, significantly contributed to advancing the university's strategic objectives and achieving excellence in higher education.
Ketevan Darakhvelidze initiated several initiatives and projects that have been successfully implemented to enhance education and research. These include active participation in the strategic development of higher education, social and economic aspects, academic innovations, and projects supporting the university's educational and ecological system. Noteworthy activities involve continuous improvement in learning opportunities, engagement in social and economic aspects, fostering academic innovations, and contributing to projects related to the university's ecological and educational system. The university actively participates in school education and its processes, promoting social responsibility, and conducting activities to popularize knowledge.
Ketevan Darakhvelidze served as the Project Manager or team member for nearly 50 large-scale consortia type international projects and initiatives in the sphere of global education and innovations. Each initiative within the consortium involved participation from 12 to 18 international and local partners, with a budget ranging from 100,000 to 1.2 million euros.
In her professional career trajectory, Ketevan Darakhvelidze actively contributed to the development of innovative project, advanced training opportunities, and internationalization initiatives. She engaged in strategic consultancy services for partners in various domains, including academic excellence, student services, inclusive education, peace and multicultural education, research management, university and academic governance, and university innovations. Additionally, she organized, led, and participated in international meetings, work sessions, and conferences in European, American, and Israeli contexts. Furthermore, she collaborated with universities and schools worldwide, fostering meaningful connections and partnerships.
“Through my personal and professional interests, coupled with my formal training in education policy and administration, I am particularly passionate about education because it plays a life-changing role, creating the opportunity for individuals and society for development and change. I believe in cultivating humanity and changing lives through education — and that is what ILIAUNI and our mission is all about. With elements of liberal arts education in the common curriculum, diversity in degree programs, internationally recognized research and social responsibility initiatives, Ilia State University is having an enormous impact on Georgia and its European future.
With this vision in mind, engaging in a new role, co-leading advancement efforts at this dynamic, fast growing European standards-focused, preeminent research-intensive university is a real honor, tremendous opportunity along with gratifying responsibility and duty. I am grateful for the recognition and trust given by our institutional community. With sincere enthusiasm, I accept the challenges and I am committed to contributing to the academic and institutional goals of the university that has meant so much to me over the past many years.”