# Shota Rustaveli State University

> university in Batumi, Georgia

**Wikidata**: [Q773986](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q773986)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batumi_Shota_Rustaveli_State_University)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/shota-rustaveli-state-university

## Summary
Shota Rustaveli State University is a higher education institution located in Batumi, Georgia. Named after the medieval Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli, the university serves as a significant academic center in the region. Established in its current form in 1990, it is led by Rector Merab Khalvashi and maintains memberships in international academic organizations such as the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie.

## Key Facts
- **Location:** The university is headquartered in Batumi, Georgia, specifically at Ninoshvili str. 35.
- **Inception:** The institution was established in 1990.
- **Leadership:** Merab Khalvashi serves as the rector, a position he has held since 2016.
- **Namesake:** The university is named after Shota Rustaveli, a classic Georgian poet.
- **Website:** The official website is http://bsu.edu.ge/.
- **Coordinates:** The university is located at latitude 41.649722 and longitude 41.626944.
- **Membership:** It is a member of the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie.
- **Identity:** It is distinct from the Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Film University.

## FAQs
### Q: Where is Shota Rustaveli State University located?
A: The university is located in the city of Batumi, Georgia. Its specific headquarters address is Ninoshvili str. 35, with the postal code 6010.

### Q: Who is the current rector of the university?
A: Merab Khalvashi serves as the rector (director/manager) of Shota Rustaveli State University. He has held this position since 2016.

### Q: When was the university founded?
A: The university traces its inception to the year 1990.

### Q: Is the university connected to the Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Film University?
A: No, they are distinct entities. While both are named after Shota Rustaveli, the Batumi-based State University is a separate institution from the Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Film University.

## Why It Matters
Shota Rustaveli State University serves as a critical educational and cultural infrastructure in Batumi, Georgia. As a state university named after the national poet Shota Rustaveli, it represents a central pillar of higher education in the region, contributing to the academic and professional development of the local population. Its membership in the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie indicates a commitment to international collaboration and the promotion of the French language and culture within the Georgian academic landscape.

The institution maintains a significant digital and academic footprint, evidenced by its inclusion in numerous international identifier databases such as ISNI, VIAF, GRID, and Ringgold. This connectivity facilitates global research partnerships and student mobility. Furthermore, the university's active presence on social media platforms and its multilingual Wikipedia entries (including English, German, Spanish, and Persian) highlight its role as a visible and accessible institution on the international stage.

## Notable For
- Being a primary higher education institution in the autonomous republic of Adjara, specifically Batumi.
- Holding membership in the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie, connecting it to a global network of French-speaking universities.
- Being named after Shota Rustaveli, a titan of Georgian literature, linking the institution to national cultural heritage.
- Possessing a comprehensive set of academic identifiers (GRID, ROR, ISNI), facilitating its inclusion in global research datasets.
- Maintaining distinct administrative leadership under Rector Merab Khalvashi since 2016.

## Body

### Location and Facilities
Shota Rustaveli State University is situated in Batumi, Georgia. The geographic coordinates of the institution are 41.649722° N, 41.626944° E. The headquarters are specifically located on Ninoshvili Street, number 35, with the postal code 6010. Visual documentation of the university is available through the Wikimedia Commons category "Shota Rustaveli State University in Batumi," including images of the building facades and street views.

### Leadership and Administration
The strategic direction and management of the university are overseen by Merab Khalvashi. According to official records, Khalvashi acts in the capacity of rector (director/manager), having assumed the role in 2016. The institution operates with an EU VAT number (GE245428158) and an EU participant identification code (966798419), verifying its status as a legal entity capable of participating in European union initiatives.

### Academic and International Identity
The university is classified as an instance of a "university" and functions as an academic institution for further education. It actively participates in international academic networks, most notably as a member of the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF). This membership was verified in late 2022.

To ensure global visibility and data interoperability, the university is registered with several authoritative identifier systems:
- **GRID ID:** grid.443716.3
- **ROR ID:** 0212gyx73
- **ISNI:** 000000040397090X
- **VIAF ID:** 126879528
- **Ringgold ID:** 112480
- **Library of Congress Authority ID:** n2005089933
- **KISTI ID:** K000198749

### History and Nomenclature
The institution's official inception date is recorded as 1990. It is officially named after the poet Shota Rustaveli. While it is primarily known as Shota Rustaveli State University, it maintains aliases in various languages, including:
- Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University
- Université d'État de Batoumi (French)
- Université Shota-Rustaveli (French)

The entity is explicitly differentiated from the Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Film University to prevent conflation with the Tbilisi-based arts institution.

## References

1. Open ISNI for Organizations
2. [Source](https://web.archive.org/web/20221123144401/https://www.auf.org/les_membres/nos-membres/)
3. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
4. [Source](https://bsu.edu.ge/main/page/2-11/index.html)
5. [Source](http://bsu.edu.ge/)
6. GRID Release 2016-05-31
7. Quora
8. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
9. [OpenAlex](https://docs.openalex.org/download-snapshot/snapshot-data-format)