What an Indefinite Contract Means in the Georgian System
In Georgian higher education, an indefinite contract with academic personnel exists, but in a deliberately narrow form. Under Article 33 of the Law on Higher Education, academic personnel consist of leading professors, professors, associate professors, assistant professors and assistants, and the possibility of indefinite election is tied by the law only to the top of this hierarchy — the position of professor. The tenure system widespread in the United States is not a Georgian model; in Georgia every condition of indefinite status is determined by Article 35 of the Law on Higher Education.
Indefinite Election as Professor — the Conditions
Under Article 35, paragraph 2, subparagraph „b“ of the law, a person may be elected indefinitely to the position of professor if they satisfy the requirements of subparagraph „a“ of the same paragraph — that is, hold a doctoral degree or an equivalent academic degree and have no less than 6 years of scholarly-pedagogical work experience — and have outstanding professional achievements or scholarly achievements.
As can be seen, indefinite election requires the coexistence of two independent elements: the person must first meet the general qualification requirements for professor, and this must be complemented by achievements of an outstanding character. Such achievements are assessed individually, which is why the preparation and substantiation of competition materials is decisive.
The Special Model of Arts Higher Education Institutions
In arts higher education institutions the law establishes a separate model. In such an institution, the position of professor may be filled, for a term determined by the charter, by a person holding a doctoral or equivalent degree who has no less than 8 years of scholarly or pedagogical work experience. An elected person may then occupy this position indefinitely by decision of the academic council, if they satisfy the corresponding requirements and have been elected to the position of professor for a third consecutive term or have outstanding professional, pedagogical or scholarly achievements.
For arts directions the law also sets specific terms: the position of associate professor in an arts direction may be filled for a term of no less than 4 years by a person with the corresponding scholarly-pedagogical or artistic work experience of no less than 4 years. An assistant professor in an arts direction may be elected from among holders of a master's degree for a term of no less than 4 years, and an assistant from among master's students for a term of 2 or 3 years.