Support Letter Bharat Ratra Distinguished Professor of Physics Kansas State University
Announcements
Professor Nino Doborjginidze, The Rector, Ilia State University
Concerns about program reductions and admissions cuts at Ilia State Uni- versity
Dear Professor Doborjginidze,
I am writing to you as a faculty member who has had Georgian graduate students as well as a postdoctoral research scientist and has hosted long-term visitors from Georgia, and in particular from Ilia State University at Kansas State University. I have also visited Georgia and have given technical and public talks there as part of my joint projects with collaborators funded partially through grants from the Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation of Georgia. I also note that my home institution, Kansas State University, and Ilia State University has an agreement to exchange young scientists and students. It has taken a lot of effort and resources to build up these very productive programs over a number of years.
I am very concerned by recent reports of planned reductions in admissions as well as program cuts at Ilia State University. I hope that these changes do not prove to be dam- aging for the successful programs my Ilia State University and other Georgian collaborators and I and Kansas State University colleagues have built over the last almost two decades. I fully understand that Ilia State University has constraints, but urge that these be dealt in a manner that does not cut back on the number of needed trained and highly-competent faculty, staff, and students to allow it and our academic and research programs to continue to flourish. I hope that the proposed changes will be withdrawn so that Ilia State Univer- sity’s research expertise and academic excellence will continue to thrive and that Ilia State University will continue to remain an active and reliable academic and research partner.
2026