The Institute of Administrative Sciences at Tbilisi State University has been established, bringing new opportunities for students and staff. The aim of the institute is to support the development of administrative sciences and practice, and provide recommendations based on scientific studies in the field of public administration.  Within the framework of both national and international cooperation the Institute of Administrative Sciences is a result of the many years of cooperation between Tbilisi State University and the German Speyer University of Administrative Sciences.

The founders of the Institute are Tbilisi State University, the Georgian Government (represented by The Ministry of Finance) and German Speyer University of Administrative Sciences. The institute has already implemented the following programs--education programs; retraining program for employed practitioners; summer schools; seminars; conferences;  retraining based on research; organizational development of regional, local and state personnel; research exchange programs; scientific meetings and other events supporting the development of administrative law and public management.

TSU’s sound experience in cooperation raises hopes for a successful Institute of Administrative Sciences. With the cooperation of the German partners the TSU Faculty of Law has already been running an interdisciplinary MA program in English in Public Management since December 2009. The program aims to prepare future public figures to be fully aware of their duties and responsibilities, and to understand modern requirements of public administration. It is a two-year modular program with lectures in tandem. This format implies that lectures are prepared and given by both European and Georgian professors. TSU is pleased to have distinguished professors like Karl-Peter Sommerman, Andreas Knorr, Herman Hill and Ulrich Stelkens, who are respected worldwide. The program boasts highly esteemed Georgian professors and practitioners as well such as Paata Turava, Davit Narmania, Irakli Kobakhidze, Maia Kopaleishvili and Nani Macharashvili, to mention a few.

This program targets students as well as individuals already working in state agencies who wish to increase their qualifications. At the end of the first academic year, the program provides its students with a two-month internship in Georgian state agencies, and at the end of the second academic year, students are given chance to carry out an internship in agencies in Europe. A first group of students is already working in internships in German state agencies such as the German Chamber of Federal Control, Bonn; the Ministry of Justice, Mainz; the Ministry of Economy, Berlin; the Georgian Embassy, Berlin, etc. After their two-month internship abroad, students are invited to study in Speyer at the summer school.

The program has full financial support from the Volkswagen Foundation which supports foreign professors, covers all expenses of students’ summer schools and internships abroad, and other organizational costs of the program.  Apart from the MA program, and in collaboration with the City of Speyer, it is now possible to finance legal practitioners and public figures to undertake research in Speyer. Two scholars were awarded scholarships in 2011 and three in 2012.