section_path: Education
section_name: Education
paragraph_text: Education
  
  Tbilisi is the principal centre of higher education in Georgia and the Caucasus region. It hosts many major universities and research institutions, drawing both local and international students.
  
  The largest and oldest university in the Caucasus is Tbilisi State University (TSU), founded on 8 February 1918. TSU has about 25,000 students and more than 5,000 faculty and staff.
  
  Other prominent public institutions include:
  
  Several private universities are also notable:
  
  Other significant institutions include:
  
  Public education at the primary and secondary levels is mandatory and free. Tbilisi has many public and private schools, offering instruction in Georgian as well as minority languages, including Russian, Armenian, Azerbaijani, and English.
  
  The city also hosts various international schools catering to expatriate communities.