PM congratulates, encourages state scholarship winners

"Your homeland is sending you abroad with an extremely important mission and will wait for your return with proper qualifications.”

These are the words Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said to the 78 recipients of state scholarships. The highly sought-after scholarships will allow the students to further their studies at international Universities.

The Prime Minister met the winners of the scholarships of the International Education Centre in the hotel Holiday Inn today. He congratulated the recipients and said while Georgia had more than enough intellectual resources, many young people did not have the opportunity to receive an international education and this scholarship would enable that.

"That is why the state takes responsibility to help especially talented youth and give them the opportunity to deepen their knowledge, on the condition that they will return to their homeland and use their knowledge for their country,” Garibashvili said.

After the meeting PM Garibashvili took a selfie with the students. Photo by PM's press-office

"We give you the opportunity to serve your motherland and I, as the Prime Minister of Georgia, fully support you,” he noted.

As Garibashvili spoke to the group, he mentioned anecdotes of his student years.

"I want to tell you a short story about myself. When I was a student I took part in a project and wanted to go to the United States. I received partial funding but I could not afford [the full cost] so I could not go to America. But I did not stop, then I tried and enrolled in the Sorbonne University, France and continued studying there for free, retuned home and continued working in my homeland,” Garibashvili said.

"The main condition from the state and the main requirement is that the state will make an agreement with you and you will commit to an obligation to use your acquired knowledge for your country. For our part, we commit to our obligation of ensuring you have a proper job, relevant to your knowledge and skills, when you return,” he noted.

Garibashvili said the scholarship recipients are obliged to return to Georgia and serve in the public sector for three to five years once their studies were complete. If they had the desire to continue working in the public sector, they would be given this opportunity.

The winner students on the meeting with the Prime Minister. Photo by PM's office

The PM also noted that now was an opportunity to consolidate the Georgian society.

"I often remember Israel’s example. We have many similarities - we are a small nation but we are very talented and I believe in our resources and potential. One day our state will be strong and proud. You are the first group who was selected, we believe in your future,” he said.

"We will continue this project and I am confident, that each of you will make us proud.”

He added Georgian youth should compete with the youth of world's leading countries.

At the Centre today deputy chief of the Government Administration Nino Kobakhidze also addressed the students and said the winners were selected following fair and objective criteria established by the International Education Centre.

Kobakhidze thanked Commission members for supporting the scholarship initiative and Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, who thought up the idea.

The International Education Centre will finance the studies of 78 students at international Universities.