Georgian American University

About Georgian American University

Georgian American University (GAU) was instituted in 2001 as an MBA project by Elene Jamarjashvili MBA during her education at Atlanta State University (USA). Originally, the University was a law school, and graduates were required to earn a Doctor of Laws (JD) degree.

Elene Jamarjashvili met Kenneth A. Cutshaw, a renowned lawyer in the United States and Europe in Atlanta. Mr Cutshaw was genuinely interested in establishing the University and agreed to help it partner with one of America’s leading law schools, the Washington College of Law at American University (Washington, DC).

At the commencement of 2002, Elene Jamarjashvili returned to Tbilisi to refine her business plan and search for the appropriate investors. On this occasion, she met R. Michael Cowgill, consultant to the Georgian government and funded by the United States, to implement the Baku-Ceyhan (BTC) and South Caucasus (SCP) pipeline projects. Mr Cowgill agreed to warn Ms Jamarjashvili and then become president of the University.

Foundation of Georgian American University 
The demand for a genuinely Western university in Tbilisi was so strong that even though there were already two international business schools running, interest in a program offering joint programs in business and law was important enough to move the project forward. Georgian American University opened a business and law school in 2005.

In February 2005, a limited liability company made up of American and Georgian investors was established. This specialized group and its board of directors have set financial and operational management standards per strict international, ethical, and educational standards. This group of investors had a wide range of knowledge and experience, including:

• Experience in US law, Georgian law, and international law;
• Experience in the US, Georgian and international commerce, banking, finance, and management sectors;
• Public relations in Georgia and internationally;
• Understanding of the American, Georgian, and global education systems; and
• Experience with the United States government.

University development and new courses added.
Since its inception, GAU has experienced many changes, challenges, and successes. Where the market demands it, new programs have been introduced, further expanding and improving existing programs. Each founder, board member, faculty member, and staff member is aware of the desire to perfect the educational process and the management of the University.

GAU has one of, if not the highest, placement rates of its students and graduates in Georgia, partly due to the exceptional professional skills and practices developed and the concentration of professional English.

During the academic year 2011/2012, GAU added the international relations and diplomacy program to its law school, resulting in the law and social sciences faculty renaming. In the 2012/2013 academic year, due to its business and law schools’ successful performance and view of state priorities and market demand, GAU opened the School of Natural Sciences and engineering. During the 2013-2014 school year, GAU added the School of Liberal Education and Humanitarian Sciences.

GAU students regularly have the opportunity, through internships, to work with local organizations. GAU students can also participate in foreign university exchange programs.

Location
For the 2012/2013 academic year, GAU moved to a new location (8, rue Merab Aleksidze), more in line with high academic standards. The 6000 m² building features large classrooms, a modern library/computer centre, cafe, gym, auditoriums, and theatre. This, together with the extensive grounds, creates a pleasant and productive university environment.

Accreditation
In the year of 2014, Georgia’s Ministry of Education and Science granted GAU a five-year accreditation. All GAU academic programs are accredited and fully compliant with the Ministry of Education and Science standards. In addition, GAU implements the principles of the Bologna Process.

Code of ethics
The GAU Code of Ethics is the formulation of Georgian American University staff and pupils’ ethical values, beliefs, and behaviour.

The objective of the code is to help staff and students solve and resolve ethical issues that may arise during work and study. The code also regulates relations between colleagues, students, universities, and national and international groups.

With the help of the Code, GAU, with its theoretical courses, guides the teaching of questions of transparency and frankness, honesty and respect for values, moral and social responsibility.

GAU’s code of ethics is established and summarized based on available sources. Special instructions regarding teachers’ honesty and the responsibilities of academic staff were retrieved from the American Affiliate University web page. Every student, lecturer, and staff member signed the Georgian American University Code of Ethics.