Subject: Letter of Support
Dear Colleagues,
On behalf of the European Network for Academic Integrity (ENAI), we wish to express our sincere solidarity with Ilia State University during this deeply concerning period for Georgian higher education.
ENAI is a European professional network uniting institutions, researchers, and practitioners committed to the promotion of academic integrity, ethical academic cultures, and institutional autonomy. Our community is built upon the core values of transparency, fairness, and the independence of scholarship.
We are following the recent developments surrounding higher education reform in Georgia with great concern. Any systemic changes that risk restricting institutional autonomy, reducing academic diversity, or weakening competitive academic environments may have serious consequences for educational quality, research excellence, and the broader intellectual landscape. Universities thrive precisely because of their independence, plurality, and ability to develop organically in response to academic and societal needs.
Ilia State University is widely recognised within our network as a highly respected academic institution and a valued international partner. We have long regarded ISU as a leader in advancing academic ethics, integrity, and open academic dialogue. Our collaborations and interactions with your academic community have consistently reflected professionalism, intellectual rigour, and a strong commitment to European academic values.
For this reason, it is especially distressing to witness Ilia State University facing circumstances that may jeopardise its institutional stability and academic mission. Measures that constrain university autonomy are inherently in tension with the principles of academic integrity, which depend upon independent governance, freedom of inquiry, and protection from undue external influence.
We firmly hope that the current challenges can be addressed through constructive dialogue, respect for academic self-governance, and adherence to the principles that underpin democratic and knowledge-based societies. Safeguarding institutional autonomy and academic freedom is essential for maintaining trust, quality, and international cooperation in higher education.
Please be assured that the European Network for Academic Integrity stands ready to offer its moral support, professional expertise, and international perspective wherever this may be helpful. We greatly value Ilia State University’s role within the academic community and sincerely hope for a positive resolution that protects its academic independence and future development.
With respect and solidarity, on behalf of the ENAI Board and the whole ENAI community,
Tomáš Foltýnek
President of the Board
