


First BA Graduates of “Free Sciences”
This year, Ilia State University produced the first group of BA graduates of “Free Sciences”. Program of “Free Sciences” is based on the principles of liberal education of American colleges. At the same time it is tailored to Georgian reality and its intellectual traditions.
Program sets the following goals:
- To provide students with knowledge on fundamental alternatives, which form foundation for human life and other strategic decisions;
- To educate students about fundamental political alternatives which are necessary for a citizen of democratic society;
- To aid students in learning on how to ask questions and think independently;
- To give the students a chance to reflect about their personal capacities.
BA program of “Free Sciences” was elaborated by Ghia Nodia and Dr. Charles Fairbancks and launched at the Ilia State University in 2007.
After the of the Soviet Union, Dr. Charles Fairbancks and Ghia Nodia started to work on the idea of introduction of an American style liberal education in Georgia. Along with several students and professors they founded American-Georgian Initiative for Liberal Education. Starting from May 2010 Dr. Fairbancks is professor of Soviet Studies at the Ilia State University. In parallel he continuous his work as a senior scholar at the Hudson Institute (Washington, USA).