Tbilisi, University of

one of the largest higher educational institutions in the USSR. It was founded in 1918, using public funds, on the initative of a group of Georgian scholars and scientists headed by I. A. Dzhavakhishvili. In the 1930’s the polytechnic, medical, pedagogical, and agricultural departments of the university were made into separate institutes, and a number of research institutions were founded that later became part of the Academy of Sciences of the Georgian SSR.

Among the well-known scientific and scholarly schools that arose at the University of Tbilisi were those of N. I. Muskhelishvili and I. N. Vekua in mathematics, I. S. Beritashvili in physiology, G. F. Tsereteli in classical philology, G. V. Tsereteli in Semitics, D. N. Uznadze in psychology, and I. A. Dzhavakhishvili, A. G. Shanidze, and K. S. Kekelidze in Kartvelian studies. Scholars and scientists who have worked at the university include the historians E. S. Takaishvili, S. N. Dzhanashia, N. A. Berdzenishvili, and G. A. Melikishvili, the art scholars G. N. Chubinashvili and Sh. Ia. Amiranashvili, the mathematicians A. M. Razmadze, G. N. Nikoladze, and V. D. Kupradze, the linguists A. S. Chikobava, V. T. Topuriia, G. S. Akhvlediani, S. G. Kaukhchishvili, Sh. V. Dzidziguri, and T. V. Gamkrelidze, and the philosophers Sh. I. Nutsubidze, M. I. Gogiberidze, K. S. Bakradze, and S. B. Tsereteli. The astronomer E. K. Kharadze, the botanist N. N. Ketskhoveli, the chemist P. G. Melikishvili, and the geographer A. N. Dzhavakhishvili have also worked there, as have the geologists A. I. Dzhanelidze, A. A. Tvalchre-lidze, and G. S. Dzotsenidze and the physicists E. L. Androni-kashvili, M. M. Mirianashvili, and V. I. Mamasakhlisov. In addition, G. N. Dzhibladze and D. O. Lordkipanidze, specialists in aesthetics and pedagogy, and the psychologist R. G. Natadze have worked at the university.

The University of Tbilisi has (1975) departments of mechanics and mathematics, cybernetics and applied mathematics, physics, chemistry, geography and geology, biology, history, philosophy and psychology, philology (with a journalism division), Western European languages and literatures, and Oriental studies. It also has departments of economics, economic accounting, engineering economics, national economic planning, and economics of trade and the science of commodities. In addition, there is a department of law, three departments for the advanced training of specialists, a preparatory division, a graduate school, and evening and correspondence divisions. The university has 123 subdepartments, four special-problems and six research laboratories, and a research institute of applied mathematics. The university library numbers about 2.8 million holdings.

In the 1975–76 academic year the university had about 16,000 students, representing more than 80 nationalities and ethnic groups of the USSR; there were 1,700 instructors and research workers, including 186 doctors of sciences and professors and 626 candidates of sciences and docents. The university has published Trudy (Transactions) since 1936. Since its founding, the university has trained more than 50,000 specialists.

The University of Tbilisi was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor in 1970.