HISTORY OH THE FACULTY OF BUSINESS, LAW AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

The Faculty of Business, Law and Social Sciences is the largest educational structural unit of Akaki Tsereteli State University. It has the most numerous contingent of students and has a high rate of graduates’ employment. It counts history from 1991, when by the decision of the government, faculties of law and economics opened at Akaki Tsereteli State University, the unified management of which was led by Dean Robert Goletiani (the first intake of students took place in 1992 at the specialties of “Law” and “Finances and Credit”), and in 1994, Robert Goletiani and Evgeni Bliadze became the Faculty Deans. During this period, the Faculty managed to successfully conduct the undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral and professional programs of law, social sciences, economics, business administration and tourism in the Georgian educational sphere.
Givi Sanikidze, Revaz Kakulia, Iakob Meskhia, Revaz Shelegia, Irodion Kvachakhia, Niblia Ugrekhelidze, Apalon Paliashvili, Zaur Jinjolava and others are among the great contributors to the development of the economic and legal directions of Akaki Tsereteli State University.
In 1995, the Chair of “Finances and Credit” was founded at the faculty headed by Revaz Kakulia. In the same year, under the guidance of Iacob Meskhi, the Chair of "Accounting, Analysis and Control" was opened, which academically provided the development of the academic program of "Accounting and Taxation". In 2002, Shota Lominashvili initiated student intake to the specialty of "International Economic Relations" on the basis of the Chair of "Economic Theory".
Periodically, chairs of “Law Theory”, "Acting Legislation", "Constitutional Law", "Criminal Justice" and "Civil Law" were formed at the Faculty of “Law”, which provide highly qualified and academic education and at various times were led by: Mindia Ugrekhelidze, Givi Lobzhanidze, Zurab Akhvlediani, Tengiz Jakeli, Omar Mindadze and Mamuka Shengelia. In 1993, with the efforts of Nodar Tabidze, the education program of journalism was created, the study process of which was academically provided by the Chair of Journalism. In the following years, it was led by Grigol Kobaliani.
Student intake to the specialty of International Relations started in 1995 with the support of the relevant Educational and Scientific Center headed by Levan Svanadze. In 2004, Giorgi Gavtadze became the Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Nodar Mushkudiani "  -  the Dean of the Faculty of Law. In 2005, the process of unification linked the faculties again to each other, which was headed by Erekle Japaridze and Goderdzi Vatchridze at different times. In 2006, as a result of reorganization of higher education institutions in Kutaisi, Akaki Tsereteli State University and N. Muskhelishvili State Technical University united. In the latter, one of the most important structural units was the Institute of Economics and Business Studies created in 1995, the acting director of which was Dodo Ukleba, and in 1996-2005 - Ineza Tsereteli and in 2005-2006 - Izolda Gabadadze.
High qualified specialists were trained in law, social science, economics and management. At various times the profiled chairs were led by: Nugzar Todua, Elvardi Gelkhviidze, Izolda Gabadadze, Emzar Zhulakidze, Zurab Mikaberidze, Tamaz Gamsakhurdia, Mirian Gigolashvili, Amiran Nikoleishvili, Avtandil Butskhrikidze, Giga Gventsadze and Dinara Porchkhidze.
In 2010, as a result of the unification of Sokhumi State University of Subtropical Agriculture with ATSU, the Faculty of Business, Law and Social Sciences was joined by the Faculty of Economics and Business, the historical ancestor of which - Faculty of Economics, was created in 1990 (Dean Zaur Kvaratskhelia), and later - Rostom Gvelesiani, Shota Khetsuriani, Ramaz Kiladze and Izolda Khasaia. The Faculty initially united the Chairs of "Political Economics” and “Management and Economics of Fields", but was periodically opened and operated by profiled chairs specializing in agriculture, tourism and business sector, which were managed in various years by: Valerian Benidze, Irodion Kvachakhia, Ramze Vekua, Zakaria Maisuradze, Iuri Norakidze, Zoia Takvarelia, Rostom Gvelesiani, Nodar Khasaia, Izolda Khasaia and Sergo Tsagareishvili.
The Faculty of Business, Law and Social Sciences is oriented on providing the public with qualified and competent, critically and creatively thinking active personnel. In the space of Akaki Tsereteli State University, it is a well-known multi-profile structural unit and its graduates have a relevant competence for realization in social, legal and economic sphere.