Academic Staff

Nino Lapiashvili -    Director of the Institute for European Studies/IES at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University/TSU since 2010. She is the founder and academic coordinator of the interdisciplinary Doctoral, two double degree Master’s (with Vilnius University & with Vidzeme University) and Jean Monnet Undergraduate/Bachelor’s programmes in European Studies at TSU as well as the national programme director (in Georgia) of the Regional Masters programme in Human Rights and Democratization /Caucasus/Global Campus. She co-leads INOTLES- the innovative teaching and learning center at IES-TSU and is editor-in-chief of the bilingual scientific edition- Georgian Journal for European Studies. She is a lecturer at TSU Law faculty as well as the TSU Institute for European Studies since 2009. She is the Jean Monnet Module Hodler academic and her teaching portfolio at TSU includes EU Enlargement, EU Governance and Policy Making Process, Theories of European Integration, EU External Relations Law, Philosophy of Law, Social and Economic Rights (the universal, regional, constitutional protection and the justiciability of social and economic rights). Her research interests are not limited to investigation of the legal effects of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement including its application by Georgian Judiciary, Teaching methods and innovative pedagogical tools in European Studies. She coordinated in her capacity as team leader the following EU-funded projects: 1. ENPI- Doctoral Programme at TSU, 2. Tempus - INOTLES, 3. Erasmus+ Jean Monnet project – EuStBA, Erasmus+ Design Measures project – DEGES, Jean Monnet Module Enlargement Georgia.    She holds Master of Science/MSc (Research Master’s) from the University of Edinburgh,UK, LLM in EU Law from European School of Law and Governance (ELGS/EPLO/Athens), LLM from the Central European University, Budapest, as well as combined Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Law from Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University/TSU (2005). In 2002 she was involved in the Media Lawyers’ Training program at St. Annes College, University of Oxford.  In the past during 2006-2010 she was the Head of the Unit of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and a Chief Advisor to the First Deputy Minister of Interior of Georgia in the field of reforms in European affairs, and on human rights. During this period she was leading the reform in fight with trafficking in persons, as a result of which the US State Department upgraded Georgia to Global Tier 1 position (in 2007). Among the numerous responsibilities she was involved in the policy and legal analyses of the progress and was in charge of reporting to the EU, Council of Europe, NATO, UN and other international stakeholders. She started her career as the Legal Advisor at the Ministry of Justice of Georgia in 2004, where she was part of the working group responsible for upgrading the standards of good governance, including the reforms to increase transparency in access to public information. Within the frames of the working group she was intensively involved in legal drafting, checking compliance of the administrative acts with the legislation of Georgia, harmonization of selected legislation with international instruments, legal expertise of the registration documents of non-for-profit organizations, legal advice to the Department of the State Registration and Licensing.Her awards include EUVIP nomination by the EU Delegation to Georgia (2014), Chevening scholarship (2007), OSI scholarship (2005, 2002), EPLO/ELGS scholarship (2022). 

Natia Lapiashvili - Co-Head of Bachelorʹs, Masterʹs and Doctoral programmes in interdisciplinary European studies at Tbilisi State university; Visiting Professor at Tbilisi State University Law faculty, Associated Professor at Caucasian School of Law. She was awarded Doctoral degree (PhD in Law)  from Basel University, Switzerland in 2010 (supervisor Prof. Ingeborg Schwenzer, field of doctoral dissertation- comparative contract law). In 2011 Natia Lapiashvili obtained LLM degree after successful completion of Geneva Masters of International Dispute Settlement Program. Earlier she has graduated from Tbilisi State University (LLB degree with distinction, 2007) and Riga Graduate School of Law, Latvia (LLM in Public International and European Law, with merits, 2008). In parallel with her academic career, Natia works as an associate in BGI Legal Consulting; she is also an author of different scientific writings and systematically supervises the theses of master students and dissertations of doctorate researchers . Natia had been involved as a legal expert in different legal projects, for instance regarding the European competition and food safety issues in a project sponsored by Friedrich Ebert Foundation, aiming to strengthen the work of the Committee of European Integration in Georgian Parliament (2012) and in the “Civil Registration Reform” project organized by Georgian Ministry of Justice and OSCE/USAID/UNDP, representing member of the legal drafting committee (2006-2007). E-mail: natia_lapiashvili@yahoo.com.   

Sergi Kapanadze - is a lecturer at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences of the Tbilisi State University since 2004 and Associate Professor since 2010. He delivers courses in International Negotiations and European studies at various MA and BA programs administered by the Department of International Relations and Institute for European Studies. Since 2011 he is a Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia. He has extensive work experience for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and various government agencies (Administration of the President, Special Intelligence Service, National Security Council) since 2005. In 2010 he received PhD degree in International Relations from the Tbilisi State University. In 2003 he received MA Degree in International Relations and European Studies from the Central European University (Budapest, Hungary) and in 2002 - BA degree in International Relations from the Tbilisi State University. Dr. Kapanadze was granted Presidential Order of Excellence (2011). He has a diplomatic rank of Envoy Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (2009). He Speaks English and Russian languages. Dr. Kapanadze is married and has two children. 

Konstantin Korkelia - graduated from Tbilisi State University Faculty of Law in 1997. In 1999 he defended his dissertation of a candidate of legal sciences. In 1999-2000 Konstantin Korkelia studied at the Leiden University, International Law Masterʹs Programme which he graduated with discinction (cum laude). In 2004 he defended his doctoral dissertation at TSU. Since 1997 Konstantin Korkelia has been teaching at TSU at the Faculty of International Law and International Relations and later at the Faculty of Law. In 2005 he was elected as the Professor of International Law of Human Rights. Both in Georgia and abroad Konstantin Korkelia published about 40 academic articles. He is an author and editor of 18 books.  

 

Tamaz Zubiashvili - was born on December 2, 1959. In 1988 graduated from Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University with honors. In 1986-1987 studied at Damascus University, Syrian Arab Republic. In 1989-1991 – on doctoral courses at the Georgian Academy of Sciences. In 1994 defended dissertation work and was conferred a doctoral degree in Economics. In 1996 studied in the US at Georgetown University and in 2000 at George Mason University. Has published many scientific works in Georgia and abroad. Has taken part in many exchange fellowship programs and international conferences. Has been awarded with Certificates from the State Department of the US. Since 1996 has been a member of the World Population Bureau. In 1998-2000 served as a consultant at the State Chancellery of Georgia. In 1991-2011 worked as a senior research worker at the Institute of Demography and Sociological Studies. Since 2006 is an Associate Professor of the Faculty of Economics and Business, at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. In 2001 was awarded a Medal of Honor by the President of Georgia. 

Ia Natsvlishvili - candidate of Economic Sciences ( Ph.D) is Assosiate Professor of Faculty of Economics and Business at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. Since 2009 she is enrolled at Business School at George Washington University, Washington D.C. USA. In 2005 She graduated from College of Business Administration at University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA. In 1996 she graduated from Faculty of Economics of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University and was awarded with diploma with honor of an economist  specialized in the field of Finances and Banking. Since 2009 she is Professor at TSU Intitute for European Studies. Since 2007 she has been Chief Specialist of Quality Assurance Service at Faculty of Business and Economics of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. Since 2006 she is Associate Professor of Economics at Faculty of Business and Economics of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. 

Merab Abdaladze (late)- was born on June 27, 1962 in Tbilisi. In 1979, finished 147 - Secondary School. In 1987  graduated from Tbilisi State University of Faculty of Engineering -  Economics, specializing in economic cybernetics. That same year  began working with  the Scientific-Research Institute of Economy at the Planning Committee of the Soviet Socialist Republic of Georgia, the department of  Foreign  Economic Relations. In October 1989, successfully passed the entrance exams for PhD studies at the Sientific - Research Institute in Moscow, Foreign - Economic Relations Department and in November 1992  defended a dissertation there. From 1993 until September of 2008  worked at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Faculty of Economics and Business, department of International Economics and Economic History, as the Associated Professor. From 2006  actively collaborated with the International Black Sea University(IBSU), American University for Humanities(AUH) and the Institute for European Studies (IES) at TSU,  where he had been conducting  lectures on various aspects of modern economic theory. He was involved in many international scientific conferences and exchange programs. He was the author of numerous scientific articles and several years in charge of the supervising the Masterʹs and PhD theses.