Opening of the Institute of Alpine Ecology
On September 13, 2010 the Institute of Alpine Ecology of the Ilia State University was officially launched in Stephantsminda. The ceremony of the opening was attended by the Minister of Education and Science of Georgia Dimitri Shashkin, Minister of Environment Protection and Natural Recourses Goga 
Khachidze, President’s Representative in the Mtskheta-Mtianeti Region Tsezar Chocheli and other officials.
Stephantsminda Institute of Alpine Ecology is a research center, which offers scholars from modern working fields to the research environment. In addition it will function as an educational center of the region providing youth with space for conducting conferences,
workshops, summer schools and other events.
During 2009-2010, Ilia State University invested 625,000 GEL in the development of the scientific center.