Gudavadze-Patarkatsishvili Foundation

The Gudavadze-Patarkatsishvili Foundation (GPF) is a charitable foundation based in Georgia, established on the initiative of Ina Gudavadze and active since 2017. It was created in memory of Badri Patarkatsishvili, a prominent Georgian businessman and philanthropist born in Tbilisi in 1955, who was one of the country's most successful entrepreneurs and greatest philanthropists. The foundation's mission is to support the development of Georgia's education system, aiming to raise the overall quality of education, improve educational standards, and increase access to education. GPF operates across three main directions: school education, secondary vocational education, and higher education. Since its founding, it has financed and supported numerous initiatives and projects proposed by non-commercial organizations working in education. Priority areas include popularizing and raising the prestige of the teaching profession; supporting teachers' professional development; supporting future teachers and providing professional incentives; sharing professional experience; developing career guidance systems and raising awareness among students and teachers; introducing best global practices in educational institution management; developing international cooperation in education; supporting creative initiatives and innovations in the education system; and implementing socially significant long-term educational projects. Between 2017 and 2020, the foundation financed 20 projects with a total budget exceeding one million Georgian lari. Its grantees include the Georgian Institute of Debates and Education, the coalition 'Education for All – Georgia', the Millennium Challenge Fund, San Diego State University, and the English-Speaking Union. Within the framework of grants issued to the coalition, various educational projects of the organization Parents for Education, the Association of Professional Chemists, and the School Administrators Association were also financed. GPF is open to any initiative or novelty that may come from non-commercial organizations working in education in the form of a concept or idea. The foundation reviews any thematic initiative and application and then begins working with the authors on the substantive and procedural parts of the project. When financing each new initiative/project, GPF's main condition is that the project must have at least one other sponsor/donor/grant-giver or contributor. The foundation does not finance individuals' studies abroad, does not issue study grants, and does not finance infrastructure-type projects. To encourage future teachers, from the 2020-21 academic year, the foundation has been implementing a scholarship program at Samtskhe-Javakheti State University, Gori Teaching University, and Telavi State University. Co-financiers and partners of projects funded by the foundation include organizations and institutions such as Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, the European Integration Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, the Information Center on NATO and the EU, the Public Institution Educational Debate Centre in Lithuania, Ilia State University, Samtskhe-Javakheti State University, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, the Millennium Challenge Fund – Georgia, UNICEF Georgia, USAID, UNDP, and the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia.

The Gudavadze-Patarkatsishvili Foundation (GPF) is a charitable foundation in Georgia that began active operations in 2017. It was created on the initiative of Ina Gudavadze and is dedicated to the memory of Badri Patarkatsishvili, a Georgian businessman and philanthropist born in Tbilisi in 1955, who became one of the country's most successful entrepreneurs and greatest philanthropists. In a letter from the founder, Ina Gudavadze states: 'As a proud Georgian, I want to see a more just and successful future for my country. This was what Badri fought for throughout his life, and I want to continue all of this in his name. I believe that the path to development lies in the education of our youth. That is why the activity of the Gudavadze-Patarkatsishvili Foundation in Georgia is dedicated to improving the standard of education.' The foundation's mission is to promote the development of the education system in the country, as education enables every person to share in Georgia's progress. Its goals include raising the overall quality of education, improving educational standards, and increasing access to education. GPF carries out activities in three main directions: school education, secondary vocational education, and higher education. Since its founding, the foundation has financed and supported numerous initiatives and projects from non-commercial organizations working in education. Priority areas include: popularizing the teaching profession and raising its prestige; teachers' professional development; supporting future teachers and providing professional incentives; sharing professional experience; developing career guidance systems and raising awareness among students and teachers; introducing best global practices in educational institution management; developing international cooperation in education; supporting creative initiatives and innovations in the education system; and implementing socially significant long-term educational projects. Between 2017 and 2020, the foundation financed 20 projects, with a total budget exceeding one million Georgian lari. Its grantees include the Georgian Institute of Debates and Education, the coalition 'Education for All – Georgia', the Millennium Challenge Fund, San Diego State University, and the English-Speaking Union. Additionally, within the framework of grants issued to the coalition, various educational projects of the organization Parents for Education, the Association of Professional Chemists, and the School Administrators Association were financed. GPF is open to any initiative or novelty that may come from non-commercial organizations working in education in the form of a concept or idea. The foundation reviews any thematic initiative and application and then begins working with the authors on the substantive and procedural parts of the project. When financing each new initiative/project, GPF's main condition is that the project must have at least one other sponsor/donor/grant-giver or contributor. The foundation does not finance individuals' studies abroad, does not issue study grants, and does not finance infrastructure-type projects. To encourage future teachers, from the 2020-21 academic year, the foundation has been implementing a scholarship program at Samtskhe-Javakheti State University, Gori Teaching University, and Telavi State University. Co-financiers and partners of projects funded by the foundation include organizations and institutions such as Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, the European Integration Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, the Information Center on NATO and the EU, the Public Institution Educational Debate Centre in Lithuania, Ilia State University, Samtskhe-Javakheti State University, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, the Millennium Challenge Fund – Georgia, UNICEF Georgia, USAID, UNDP, and the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia. Funded projects include: Teacher's National Award (2017-2020), TVET Award (2017-2019), English Speaking Union (2019), Teacher Initiatives Support Project (2018/2019), Support for Teachers' Professional Associations (2018), San Diego State University Scholarship for Georgian Students (2018 and 2019 cohorts), School Leadership Project (2020), Debates for Better Education (2020), and 'Learning Resources for Access to Education — Rapid Response to Pandemic-Induced Problems' (2020).

• 2020

  School Leadership Project.

• 2020

  Debates for Better Education project.

• 2020

  Learning Resources for Access to Education — Rapid Response to Pandemic-Induced Problems project.

• 2020

  Scholarship program for future teachers begins at Samtskhe-Javakheti State University, Gori Teaching University, and Telavi State University (from 2020-21 academic year).

• 2019

  English Speaking Union project.

• 2019

  San Diego State University scholarship for Georgian students (2019 cohort).

• 2018

  Support for Teachers' Professional Associations project.

• 2018

  San Diego State University scholarship for Georgian students (2018 cohort).

• 2017

  Foundation begins active operations.

• 2017

  Teacher's National Award project launched (runs through 2020).

• 2017

  TVET Award project launched (runs through 2019).

A philanthropic foundation focused on systemic improvement of education in Georgia through grants and partnerships.

1. 1Gudavadze-Patarkatsishvili Foundation official websitegpf.ge
2. 2Gudavadze-Patarkatsishvili Foundation - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3გუდავაძე-პატარკაციშვილის ფონდი - Wikipedia (Georgian)ka.wikipedia.org