Partners
Alternative Georgia
In the field of substance use the Addiction Research Centre of Alternative Georgia is the leading research organization in Georgia. Its research and academic capacity has been strengthened through extensive collaboration with leading US universities and Charles University in Prague. This allowed the ALTGEO to be established as a credible and respected partner for conducting rigorous international collaborative studies. Alternative Georgia's staff co-authored the 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013 National Drug Situation Reports. The core research staff of the ALTGEO was educated at well-respected US and EU institutions, such as Johns Hopkins University, the University of Amsterdam, and the University of Rotterdam.
Contact Person: Mzia Tabatadze, MD. MPH, PhDc, Project Manager
Telephone: +995 577 202 161; Fax: +995 32 239 66 99; E-mail address:mzia@altgeorgia.ge

Georgian Association of Addictologists
Georgian Association of Addictologists was created as a response to a need for qualified education in the field of addictology. Association unites multidisciplinary group of experts working in the field through different angles; medical, psychological, legal, economic, policy evaluation etc. The aim of the Association are to establish, develop and popularize addictology as a professional field in Georgia, as well as support establishment of institutional mechanisms for addictology studies and professional qualification and set professional standards in this field. Among other, Association's activities include scientific research, advocacy, elaboration of professional standards and guidelines as well as educational activities. GAA was established as an outcome of previous activities of the project consortium, and involves professionals and experts that were trained in addictology through the projects the consortium co-jointly performed so far.
Contact Person: Davit Otiashvili, MD. PHD, Chairman of the Board
Telephone: +995 577 716 711;
E-mail address: dato@altgeorgia.ge
Ilia State University
Ilia State University is one of the flagship higher education institutions (HEI) that conducts research and the first HEI in Georgia to base its core undergraduate curriculum on the principles of liberal education. ISU was established in 2006 on the basis of several different institutions. 21 research institutes and laboratories are actively engaged in research and graduate teaching. The university strives to provide high-quality education and facilitate rigorous research through innovative initiatives and policies. ISU is already involved in several Tempus projects as a partner and it is the first HEI in Georgia to be a successful applicant to coordinate the Tempus program in Science Education (Student Active Learning in Science, SALiS). In terms of implementing addictology in the HE system in Georgia, ISU offers expert capacity in several disciplines, ranging from clinical psychology, education, security studies, and law, to social work and biopharmacy.
Contact Person: Nino Javakhisvhili; Deputy Dean, School of Arts and Sciences
Telephone: +995322231026 +995322294197 Fax: +995322231026
E-mail address: nin.javakhishvili.3@iliauni.edu.ge
Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University
Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University (BSU), located in Batumi, in the Autonomous Republic of Ajara, has had an academic tradition since 1935 – first as the Batumi Pedagogical Institute and later, since 1990, as a university. The Batumi Technical Institute, Agricultural Institute, Art Institute, Membrane Technological Research University, and Biotechnical University joined Shota Rustaveli State University on 23rd February, 2006. Shota Rustaveli State University comprises five faculties and four scientific research institutes. At present there are 5000 students in the educational programmes of the Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral cycles. The teaching expert capacities that will contribute to the implementation of addictology are pharmacology, social work, narcology, and law. BSU engages professionals who work in institutions serving problematic drug users, as the university is located in the city with the second most problematic pattern of drug use in Georgia.
Contact Person: Sophio Beridze, Head of Basic Medicine Department.
E-mail address: sopho.beridze@hotmail.com Telephone: +995593300170
The National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health
The National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health Tbilisi Georgia (NCDC) is a legal entity under public law, and reports to the Ministry of Health. The NCDC is the designated National Focal Point under the International Health Regulation (IHR), responsible within its respective jurisdiction for the implementation of health measures under the IHR. Its main responsibilities include surveillance of communicable and non-communicable diseases, control and prevention of diseases, outbreak investigations, medical statistics, health promotion, training, and continuing education. The NCDC brings together individuals with expertise across the whole spectrum of health, from the laboratory to social and behavioral sciences, with the objective of making a major contribution by means of research and education programs. The NCDC’s partners are the WHO, CDC, GFATM, DOD/DTRA, DSTL (UK), EU/UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, USAID, Save the Children, AIHA, the Fogarty Foundation, OPM, and JSI.
Contact Person: Lela Sturua, MD, PhD, MPH, Head of Division
E-mail address: lela.sturua@ncdc.ge; Telephone: +995 599 111797 +995 595 956157 Fax: +995 322 398946
Global Initiative on Psychiatry - Tbilisi
GIP-Tbilisi is part of the GIP network (GIP-Hilversum, GIP-Sofia, and GIP-Vilnius), and this partnership is ensured by a federation memorandum (signed by the chairpersons of the boards) and articles of federation. A concern for the human rights of people facing mental health or behavioral problems remains the core of GIP’s main goal and activity. GIP Tbilisi assists governments, international agencies, NGOs, and other development institutions in the Caucasus and Central Asia to improve mental healthcare, with the following emphases: improving care for people with mental health problems and illnesses, addressing the need for attention to people dealing with mental disabilities and social disabilities, including behavioral disorders, and fighting stigma and building opportunities for reintegration and inclusion. GIP-Tbilisi has experience in lifelong education for physicians and other professionals in the mental health services.
Contact Person: Jana Darejan Javakhishvili, Senior Manager in Mental Health
E-mail address: janajavakhishvili@yahoo.com; Telephone: +995599531584; +995322235314; Fax: +995322235314;
Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University
Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU) is the oldest and the only classical university in Georgia. It is the largest university in Georgia, with six enlarged academic units (departments) and eight campuses. Its research and high-quality instruction, together with extensive international networks, mean that TSU is in great demand nationwide. TSU offers a wide variety of degree programmes at undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels and short courses offered in English that attract students from all over the world. The internationalisation of TSU aims at creating a multicultural environment that will enhance teaching and research opportunities. TSU promotes equality of access to education and believes in engaging and valuing all students and staff. Since 2006 TSU Department of Sociology and Social Work offers study programs in social work on different – BSW, MSW and PhD – levels.
Contact Person: Irakli Burduli Professor, Dean
E-mail address: irakli.burduli@tsu.ge Telephone: +995 32 2223710 Fax: +995 32 2223710
Tbilisi State Medical University
Tbilisi State Medical University is an autonomous higher education institution with 80 years of history since its foundation. The primary goals of the University involve gaining, evaluating, delivering, and distributing knowledge through education and research, aiming at the further development and perfection of the fundamental and practical basics of public healthcare and medical services. Including its predecessor, the Medical Faculty of Tbilisi State University, Tbilisi State Medical University and higher medical education has a history that stretches back more than nine decades in Georgia. Education, research, and medical activity stand as one integrated and undivided body at Tbilisi State Medical University. This means that the academic process is planned and directed in accordance with the ever-changing requirements of the population and the latest scientific knowledge. TSU will incorporate addictology into its curricula as a complement to the current medicinal knowledge.
Contact Person: Professor Zurab Orjonikidze, MD, PhD, Chancellor
E-mail address: orjoni@tsmu.edu; Telephone: +995 322 542439; +995 322 542445; Fax: +995 322 54244;
The Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia
The Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia aims at establishing modern and innovative educational and scientific environment in close cooperation with civil society. The Ministry advocates freedom of choice, fair competition, equal opportunities, civil integrity, and respect for cultural identity. The Ministry promotes acquisition and development of knowledge and skills necessary for social success and self-realization.
Contact person: Nugzar Chitaia, Head of the Division for Higher Education
Telephone: +995 32 2318940(1130); E-mail address: nchitaia@mes.gov.ge
The Ministry of Justice of Georgia
The Ministry of Justice of Georgia, as a principal body responsible for policy development, execution of legal proceedings and protection of the public plays a key role in democratic development and improvement of the legal system in the state. Under the influence of expanding democratic reforms, the responsibilities of the Ministry expanded to include such functions as:a) Protecting State interests at national and international courts and tribunals; b)Identifying standards of active regulatory acts; c) Harmonizing legislation with international guidelines; d)Formation of the State Register;e) Adjustment of emigration and migration procedures; f) Notary Functions;g) Public Registry Services; h) Civil Registry Services; i)Enforcement of court decisions; j) Arrangement of the state representation at the European Court of Human Rights. With respect to the aims in the field of addictology, the Ministry of Justice of Georgia hosts the Interagency Coordinating Council for drug policy.
Contact Person: Babutsa Pataraia Deputy Head, Int Public Law Department
Telephone: +995 577 111 817; E-mail address: bpataraia@justice.gov.ge
The Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA)
The Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA) was established in 1994. The Institute’s four separate schools offer MA and BA programs as well as training courses in the spheres of Public Affairs, Local Governance, Journalism, International Affairs and Law alongside a PhD program in Social Sciences.
Contact Person: Vano Tsertsvadze,
Telephone: +995 599 449 859; +995 32 249 75 00/402;
E-mail address: v.tsertsvadze@gipa.ge
Charles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague was founded in 1348 and it is ranked as the 261st best university worldwide, and its First Faculty of Medicine is constantly awarded as one of the top 100 organizations in the category "Education - Science - Health - Humanity" in the Czech Republic. It concentrates on university degree education in human medicine and public health, its branches including medical disciplines and non-medical health disciplines (general medical nursing, ergotherapy, physiotherapy, nutritional therapy, and addictology). The Department of Addictology, one of its divisions, provides university-level education, research, and development, lifelong learning programs, and clinical services. It started its work on the development of education in addictology in Georgia in 2010 within the framework of the "8th Program for the Support of Collaboration with Universities in Georgia" developmental project, funded by the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports of the Czech Republic.
Contact Person: Tomáš Zábranský, M. D., Ph. D. Scientific Supervisor
E-mail address: twz@adiktologie.cz Telephone: +420224965100 +420603451103 Fax: +420224965035
Jagellonian University in Krakow
The Chair of Criminology at the Jagiellonian University is a teaching and research unit at the Faculty of Law and Administration of the Jagiellonian University. It provides courses in criminology and related subjects for law students. The department also supervises Master’s and Doctoral theses in the area of criminology and criminal law. The department is involved in research activities in various criminological fields, such as drug policies and legislation, criminal policy, violent crime, fear of crime and community crime prevention, psychology and law, white-collar and economic crime etc. As such, it represents one of the few academic organisations in criminology dealing with the drug problem systematically in the EU, and probably the only one in “new EU Member States.” Since criminal and security perspectives represent a cornerstone of the current Georgian drug policy, JAGUNI will provide its expertise in
establishing a basis for evidence-based interventions and quality education.
Contact person: Prof. dr hab. Krzysztof Krajewski, Head of the Chair of Criminology
E-mail address: krzysztof.krajewski@uj.edu.pl
Telephone: +48126631358 Telephone 2: +48601656584 Fax: +48126631358
The Center of Interdisciplinary Addiction Research (CIAR) of the University of Hamburg
The CIAR was founded in 2000 as an interdisciplinary research center of the University of Hamburg and has since established itself as one of the leading research centers in addiction science in Germany. It combines the expertise and research resources of 7 departments: four medical departments at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; Forensic Medicine; Medical Psychology; Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene) and three social science departments at the University of Hamburg (Social and Political Science; Sociology; Criminological Social Science).
Contact Person: Marcus-Sebastian Martens
E-mail address: marcus.martens@uni-hamburg.de
Telephone: 040/42838 3552; 040/42838 6383; Fax: 040 /42838 2105;
