The rectors’ conferences of Austria (fhk, uniko), Germany (HRK), Poland (CRASP) and Slovakia (SRC) are deeply concerned about current developments in the Georgian higher education sector. In particular, the National Concept for the Reform of the Higher Education System in Georgia, which was published by the Georgian government on 16 October 2025, threatens to eliminate university autonomy and academic freedom in Georgia.

The concept breaks with the principles to which Georgia has committed itself as a member of the Bologna Process and thus of the European Higher Education and Research Area. The measures foreseen in the concept for restructuring the system and financing of higher edu-cation institutions, for reorganising the structure of studies, research and personnel, and for adjusting the activities of higher education institutions to state requirements are intended to completely dismantle the current structure and to place whatever remains under complete political control and steering.

Implementation of the planned measures jeopardises the future of a significant part of the Georgian higher education system. This would also destroy the successes of the comprehen-sive reform processes of recent years. These reforms, carried out with considerable European support, have made Georgia a valued higher education destination within the European Re-search and Higher Education Area. Georgian higher education institutions are therefore wel-come partners in international cooperation in research and teaching.

We, the signatories of this statement, declare our solidarity with the Georgian higher educa-tion institutions. We jointly call on the Georgian government to urgently abandon the con-cept. At the same time, we call on all stakeholders in the European Research and Higher Edu-cation Area to declare their solidarity with Georgian universities and to support them in eve-ry way possible.

Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland – CRASP
German Rectors’ Conference – HRK
Österreichische Fachhochschulkonferenz – FHK
Österreichische Universitätenkonferenz – uniko
Slovak Rectors’ Conference – SRK

Illustrative picture: prezident.sk