[2] Ilia State University (ISU), located in Tbilisi, is a flagship public research and comprehensive higher education institution in the South Caucasus which focuses on scientific advancement and transferring top notch knowledge to facilitate societal development.

Established in 2006 as a merger of six different institutions, each having a long history and a diverse institutional profile, Ilia State University ranks as the top research university in the South Caucasus, according to its research output.

[4] ISU has put a special focus on contribution to science popularization, boosting entrepreneurial ecosystem of the country and actively carrying out social responsibility projects.

With the highest competition rate for PhD programs in the nation, extensive international ties, around 16,000 students, over 1,500 highly qualified academic and research staff, and with renovated research infrastructure in several Georgia's regions, ISU ranks highly in annual student choice.

The university operates 25 research institutes, centers and laboratories dispersed across the country.