Helen Kalandadze, who graduated in Business Administration and Tourism Management in 2011, has become one of Georgia’s... View More

Helen Kalandadze, who graduated in Business Administration and Tourism Management in 2011, has become one of Georgia’s most visible media personalities. She began in entertainment via the Georgian version of Star Academy in 2009, then appeared as a backing singer at Eurovision 2010. Her breakthrough came in 2013 when she won Georgia’s version of Your Face Sounds Familiar. International acclaim followed—she co‑hosted Junior Eurovision 2017 in Tbilisi and served as a commentator for Eurovision events in 2019 and 2020. Helen also co-founded Teen Club Studio to nurture teen vocal talents, combining social impact with her entertainment career. Today, she remains a key figure on Georgian television, recognized for her warmth, creativity, and public influence View Less

Levan Ramishvili earned his Ph.D. at Ilia State University and built a distinguished career as philosopher, sociologist,... View More

Levan Ramishvili earned his Ph.D. at Ilia State University and built a distinguished career as philosopher, sociologist, journalist, and activist. As a founding figure and longtime director of Georgia’s Liberty Institute, he played a pivotal role in advancing civil liberties and democratic reforms during and after the Rose Revolution. He authored major legislation including Georgia’s Freedom of Information and Freedom of Speech laws, and helped shape academic-freedom provisions in higher education law. Since around 2010 he’s taught courses at Ilia State University, covering constitutional law, political theory, and human rights. Ramishvili’s impact spans academia, activism, and legal reform—making him one of ISU’s most influential intellectual public figures View Less

Although Giorgi Kvirikashvili’s foundational studies were outside ISU, he is affiliated as an alumnus and has held a p... View More

Although Giorgi Kvirikashvili’s foundational studies were outside ISU, he is affiliated as an alumnus and has held a profound role in Georgia’s leadership. He served as Prime Minister from December 2015 to June 2018, following high‑level posts as Minister of Economy, Deputy Prime Minister, and Foreign Minister. His tenure focused on Euro‑Atlantic integration, attracting foreign investment, and strengthening Georgia’s global economic position. His leadership helped steer economic modernization and propelled Georgia’s visibility internationally. While his studies were at institutions including University of Illinois and Tbilisi State University, his ties with Ilia State University reflect its growing reputation within Georgia’s political and professional elite View Less

Giwi Margvelashvili (1927–2020) was a distinguished German‑Georgian philosopher, novelist, and existential thinker t... View More

Giwi Margvelashvili (1927–2020) was a distinguished German‑Georgian philosopher, novelist, and existential thinker tied to Ilia State University. Born in Berlin to Georgian émigrés, he was forcibly deported to Soviet Georgia, imprisoned, and later learned Georgian. He authored philosophical works and fiction in German, earning awards like the Goethe Medal and Brandenburg Literature Prize. He taught and published extensively on phenomenology and existential ontology, bridging German and Georgian intellectual traditions. In later life, he received an honorary doctorate from Ilia State University and is credited with enriching Georgian philosophical discourse View Less

Georgiy Gongadze was born in Tbilisi in 1969 and studied at Ilia State University before moving to Ukraine, where he co-... View More

Georgiy Gongadze was born in Tbilisi in 1969 and studied at Ilia State University before moving to Ukraine, where he co-founded the investigative news site Ukrayinska Pravda. A vocal critic of political corruption, he emerged as a key figure in independent journalism. His disappearance in 2000 and later murder led to massive protests in Ukraine, kicking off the “Ukraine without Kuchma” movement. His legacy lives on through the Georgiy Gongadze Award for press freedom. His fearless reporting and tragic fate cement him as a martyr for independent media across Eastern Europe View Less

Born in Poti in 1986, Guram Sherozia pursued a PhD at Ilia State University after earlier studies in Tbilisi. He began w... View More

Born in Poti in 1986, Guram Sherozia pursued a PhD at Ilia State University after earlier studies in Tbilisi. He began working at TBC Bank while lecturing at ISU from 2011. Sherozia became a well-known TV presenter and blogger, hosting popular shows on Palitra TV and Imedi, later hosting his own program on Georgian Public Broadcaster by 2017. He combines academic research, public communication, marketing, and travel writing. His diverse career path reflects ISU’s interdisciplinary ethos—bridging academia, media, and public engagement. View Less

Juansher Chkareuli, a theoretical physicist born in 1940 in Tbilisi, serves as a professor at Ilia State University’s ... View More

Juansher Chkareuli, a theoretical physicist born in 1940 in Tbilisi, serves as a professor at Ilia State University’s Institute of Theoretical Physics. Though he earned his degrees at Tbilisi State University and the Lebedev Institute, Chkareuli has been a pillar of ISU’s physics research since 2006. His work focuses on particle physics, symmetry theories, and emergent gauge/gravity models. As head of the department, he's educated generations of Georgian physicists, including globally known students like Giorgi Dvali. His presence reflects ISU’s research depth in fundamental sciences. View Less

Jana Javakhishvili is a professor of psychology at ISU and director of its Institute of Addiction Studies. She co-founde... View More

Jana Javakhishvili is a professor of psychology at ISU and director of its Institute of Addiction Studies. She co-founded ISU’s MA programs in Addiction and Mental Health Studies, with a focus on trauma—from conflict zones and displacement. Since 2019 she’s been president of the European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, and in 2024 became the first Georgian elected to the board of ISTSS. Her research and leadership address psychiatric trauma among war-affected groups in Georgia and Ukraine, blending scholarly rigor with vital social impact. View Less

Gia Getsadze, born in 1968 in Samtredia, Georgia, studied law and later became a leading legal scholar. He co-founded Ge... View More

Gia Getsadze, born in 1968 in Samtredia, Georgia, studied law and later became a leading legal scholar. He co-founded Georgia’s Young Lawyers’ Association and was instrumental in drafting foundational legislation like the constitutional court law. After serving in various Georgian government roles, including Deputy Minister of Justice, he became a dean at ISU’s Law Department in 2014. Later he took the role of Deputy Justice Minister in Ukraine, working on anti-corruption. His career bridges legal reform, education, and policy—embodying ISU’s commitment to public service and rule of law. View Less

Levan Izoria (born 1974 in Tbilisi) holds senior positions in Georgian government, including Defense Minister and ambass... View More

Levan Izoria (born 1974 in Tbilisi) holds senior positions in Georgian government, including Defense Minister and ambassador to Germany. While primary education at ISU is unclear, his broad affiliations with Georgian academic–political networks suggest close ties to ISU faculty and graduates. His strategic leadership in national security, intelligence service, and foreign service demonstrates the caliber of professionals connected to ISU’s influence in Georgia’s public sector and reform landscape View Less