News

Ilia State University Chancellor, Ketevan Darakhvelidze, has been elected to the Board of Directors of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, the largest and most established international education association in the United States, for a three-year term effective January 1, 2026.

NAFSA, the nation’s leading professional association dedicated to international education, brings together more than 10,000 members and serves over 3,500 higher education institutions across 150 countries on every continent. NAFSA sets strategic directions for the advancement of international education and champions a vision of a world in which education supports peace and shared global progress.

Ketevan Darakhvelidze is the first Georgian to be elected to the Board following a lengthy and highly competitive process that included nomination by professionals in the field, review and endorsement by current board members, and ultimately an open vote. In this role, she will actively contribute to NAFSA’s strategic planning and governance.

At a moment when Georgia’s higher education system faces significant challenges, including proposed restrictions on international students’ access to Georgian public universities and the risk of academic isolation, Ilia State University continues to stand as a symbol of openness, free inquiry, and international cooperation.

Ilia State University has earned numerous recognitions for its commitment to these values, a commitment that carries particular weight today as the very essence of the university in Georgia, including its mission, institutional autonomy, and academic freedom, faces a historic test.

Ketevan Darakhvelidze’s election to NAFSA’s Board of Directors is both a personal achievement and an international acknowledgment of Ilia State University’s educational vision. It demonstrates that, within a relatively short period, the Georgian academic community has become not only an active participant but also a contributor and co-leader in the global dialogue on higher education.

Her service on the NAFSA Board underscores that Ilia State University is today not only a national center of teaching and research but also an institution advancing international educational diplomacy, a place where knowledge exchange, innovation, and free thought converge.

For more than fifteen years, Ketevan Darakhvelidze has played a vital role in the development of Ilia State University. Through her leadership and the collective efforts of the academic community, the University has strengthened its position as one of the most open and internationally engaged higher education institutions in the region. Her initiatives and international projects have made Ilia State University an active and respected member of the global network of academic partnerships.

We congratulate Ketevan Darakhvelidze on this distinguished achievement and firmly believe that she will represent Ilia State University, Georgia, and the international academic community with excellence and integrity.

2025