Georgian Parliament opposes appointment of university acting rectors by Prime Minister

The Parliament of Georgia introduced to the draft amendments to the Law "On Higher Education" a provision stating that in the event of early termination of powers of a rector of a higher education institution, a person to act as acting rector shall be appointed by electoral commission of a higher education institution and not the Prime Minister.

The original draft amendments assigned the responsibility to appoint acting rectors to the Prime Minister of Georgia; however, but students and teaching personnel of higher education institutions opposed such a provision.

The purpose of the amendments to be adopted is to establish in higher education institutions a system that will enable real implementation of the principles of autonomy of higher education institutions. This was emphasized by representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia, who developed the draft amendments.

The composition of the electoral commission to elect a temporary successor to the rector will include all persons of a higher education institution, occupying academic or research positions and having PhD or equivalent academic degree.

Appointment of acting rectors by the Prime Minister reduced the autonomy of higher education institutions and contributed to the control over higher education institutions. This was told to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent by Iosif Tsintsadze, Rector of the Diplomatic Academy. According to his opinion, a rector appointed by the Prime Minister "to some extent loses his or her independence."

In his turn, Giya Nodiya, the head of the "Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development", believes that appointment of rectors by the Prime Minister "makes concrete steps to control higher education institutions".