Gori University is a center for education and science in Shida Kartli

Shida Kartli

Shida Kartli is a region in Georgia. It consists of the following districts: Gori, Kaspi, Kareli, Java, Khashuri.The northern part of the region, namely Java, and northern territories of Kareli and Gori, is controlled by the authorities of the self-proclaimed republic of South Ossetia since...

 in the Gori district of Georgia

Georgia (country)

Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...

, it was established as a result of merging of two high education institutions: LEoPL-Gori State University and LEoPL-Tskhinvali

Tskhinvali

Tskhinvali , is the capital of South Ossetia, a disputed region which has been recognised as an independent Republic by Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Nauru, and is regarded by Georgia and the rest of the world as part of the Shida Kartli region within Georgian sovereign territory.It is located...

 State University (Government Resolution #176, August 22, 2007).

History

A caucasus

Caucasus

The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...

 teaching seminary opened in Gori on 12-th September 1876, which gave many well-known teachers to Georgia, including Vazha-Pshavela

Vazha-Pshavela

Vazha-Pshavela is the pen-name of the Georgian poet and writer Luka P. Razikashvili , a classic of the new Georgian literature.- The biography :...

, Mikheil Tsinamdzgvrishvili, Ia Kargareteli, etc.

In August of 1935, the university was opened as a two-year teaching institute, which in 1939 was reestablished as the Gori State Pedagogical Institute with four-year studies. The Institute was named after the Georgian poet Nikoloz Baratashvili

Nikoloz Baratashvili

Nik'oloz Baratashvili was a Georgian poet, one of the first Georgians to marry a modern nationalism with European Romanticism and to introduce "Europeanism" into Georgian literature...

. In 1985, as a result of reorganization of the Gori N. Baratashvili State Pedagogical Institute, the Gori State Economic Institute, renamed in 1997 as Gori State Economic-Humanitarian Institute, was established. On 16 July, 1999 the mentioned institution received university

University

A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...

 status.

The Tskhinvali State Pedagogic Institute was established in 1932 with one faculty: agro-biologic. In the following years, new faculties were added. Gradually it grew into an educational, scientific and cultural center. Since its foundation, the institute has had support from Georgian scientists.

After the Georgian-Ossetian conflict, 1991, Tskhinvali State Pedagogic Institute continued functioning in Gori city

Gori, Georgia

Gori is a city in eastern Georgia, which serves as the regional capital of Shida Kartli and the centre of the homonymous administrative district. The name is from Georgian gora , that is, "heap", or "hill"...

. Despite poor logistics the institute personnel kept the appropriate level of teaching process. On 16 June, 2000 Tskhinvali State Pedagogical Institute received university status.

The above-mentioned institutions have over the years employed such distinguished scientists and public figures as George Akhvlediani, E. Metreveli, Arnold Chikobava

Arnold Chikobava

Arnold Stepanovich Chikobava was a Georgian linguist and philologist best known as for his contributions to the Caucasian studies as well as one of the most active critics of Nicholas Marr's controversial monogenetic "Japhetic" theory of language.Chikobava was born in the small village...

, T. Uturgaidze, G. Zhordania, Zurab Sarjveladze, S. Gachechiladze, S. Khutsishvili, V. Topuria, Sergi Makalatia, G. Merkviladze, David Tevzadze

David Tevzadze

David Tevzadze is a retired Georgian lieutenant general who was the country’s Minister of Defense from April 1998 to February 2004.- Education and academic career :...

, etc.

Current university

The main objective of the newly founded institution LEoPL-Gori University is to provide a quality education appropriate to modern requirements. The academic personnel consists of 106 professors, the university has 7 buildings, library and sports ground, computer labs and centers, etc.

From October 17, 2007 to 22 August, 2008 according to the decision #583 of the President of Georgia

President of Georgia

The President of Georgia is the head of state, supreme commander-in-chief and holder of the highest office within the Government of Georgia. Executive power is split between the President and the Prime Minister, who is the head of government...

 the Acting Rector of LEoPL-Gori University is Professor Zaza Tsotniashvili

Zaza Tsotniashvili

Dr. Zaza Tsotniashvili is the rector of Gori University in Gori, Georgia.-Background:Dr. Zaza Tsotniashvili was educated in Georgia at Tbilisi State University and Tskhinvali State Pedagogical Institute...

. On August 22, Academic Council of the university elected Professor Zaza Tsotniashvili on the position of rector (president).

The university building was damaged in a Russian

Russia

Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

 air strike during the 2008 South Ossetia war

2008 South Ossetia war

The 2008 South Ossetia War or Russo-Georgian War was an armed conflict in August 2008 between Georgia on one side, and Russia and separatist governments of South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the other....

.