Junior Researcher at the Energy and Environment Policy Research Center
Erekle Shubitidze is a junior researcher at the Energy and Environment Policy Research Center (EEPRC) of the ISET Policy Institute, having joined the center in October 2020. Erekle holds a BA in Mathematics from the University of Georgia. In 2020, he received an MA in Economics from ISET, with his Master's project focusing on social preferences in a variant of economic games. Prior to starting his job at the ISET Policy Institute, he was a teaching assistant for Master's degree students at ISET, teaching Macroeconomics modules I & II, Game Theory, and Introductory Finance.
Researcher at the Private Sector Development Research Center
Mariam Katsadze joined ISET-PI in February 2019. She is a member of the Private Sector Research Center (PSDRC) and is involved in private sector development projects.
Ms. Katsadze holds a Master’s Degree in Economics from ISET and is a graduate of Class 2018. Prior to graduating ISET she received her Bachelor’s degree with a Macroeconomics module from Tbilisi State University in 2016. From 2017-2018, she worked as a teaching assistant at ISET, lecturing in Macroeconomics course to first-year MA students. After graduating from ISET, Mariam worked at the Policy and Management Consulting Group - PMCG as a project officer, where she was involved in infrastructural development projects. Since September 2018, she is also a visiting lecturer at Ilia State University, teaching Principles of Economics to first-year BA Students.
Acting Head of the Agriculture and Rural Policy Research Center
Salome Gelashvili has a BA Degree in Business Administration from Tbilisi State University (2009) and an MA in Economics from ISET (2011).
Salome has extensive experience in the research, monitoring and evaluation of economic development projects with a particular focus on agriculture. In July 2014, she joined the Agricultural Policy Research Center (APRC) at ISET-PI as a Senior Research Associate. Prior to joining the APRC, she worked for the Mercy Corps as a Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist.
As of today, Salome is the Acting Head of the APRC. Throughout her career at ISET-PI, Salome has managed more than twenty research projects and is also an experienced trainer and moderator.
Salome is teaching the Principles of Microeconomics and Macroeconomics at the Georgian-American University (GAU). Her research interests include Agricultural Economics, Development Economics and Macroeconomic Policy.
Projects
1. Pilot Cost-Benefit Analysis for Alliances SJ Project
3. Bumper Analysis of Agriculture Sector of Georgia
4. Assessment of the Agricultural Card Program in Georgia
5. Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) on the Crop Insurance Reform of Georgia
6. Assess the Food Security Data Relevance and Collection Mechanisms in the South Caucasus
7. Livestock Farm-Enterprise Models in Kakheti Region
8. Identifying Sectoral Priorities in Georgian Agriculture
9. Cost-Benefit Analysis of Climate Change Adaptation Measures in Agriculture
10. Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) of the Draft Law of Georgia on Biodiversity
11. Evaluation of Pilot Projects in Tusheti
12. MOLI Efficiency Evaluation
13. Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) on Draft Law on Windbreaks
15. Georgia Dairy Market System Analysis and Mapping
16. Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) of the Draft Law on Soil Protection
18. Analysis of the Agricultural Knowledge and Information System (AKIS) in Georgia
19. RIA on High Mountainous Region Designation of Energy Development and Access
20. Developing a Water Policy Outlook for Georgia: country assessment
21. Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) on the Draft Law on Agritourism
Deputy Head of the Energy and Environment Policy Research Center
Maka Chitanava holds BA in State and Municipal Governance from Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU) and MA in Economics from ISET. She has been with ISET and ISET-Policy Institute since 2008. Currently Ms. Chitanava is senior researcher and is involved in a variety of policy research projects, focused on social policy analysis and regulation.
Apart from the research she is delivering trainings on a variety of public policy issues and is visiting lecturer at University of Georgia. Courses taught by her are: Principles of Micro and Macroeconomics, Fiscal Decentralization and Local Economic Development, History of Economic Thought. Ms. Chitanava is regular blogger at the ISET Economist Blog.
Projects
1. Understanding the Puzzle of Informal Employment in Georgia
2. The Costs and Benefits of Labor Mobility between the EU and the Eastern Partnership Countries
3. Comprehensive Costing and Finance Strategies for the Early Learning system in Georgia
4. Pilot Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) of the Spatial Planning and Construction Code
5. Population Situation Analysis in Georgia
6. Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) on the Crop Insurance Reform in Georgia
7. Good Jobs for Inclusive Growth
8. Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) on Irrigation Tariff Methodology
9. Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) of the Pension Reform
10. Regulatory Impact Assessment on Law of Water Resource Management
11. Global Programme to Prevent Son Preference and Gender-Biased Sex Selection
12. Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) of the Draft Law of Georgia on Entrepreneurs
Publications
1. Regulatory Impact Assessment. Publisher: Deloitte Consulting LLP August 2014.
4. “The Impact of the Global Financial Crisis on Public Service Delivery in Economies of the Former Soviet Union” Publisher: CASE-Center for Social and Economic Research on behalf of CASE Network, No.101/2011
5. “Determinants of Child Care Choices in Georgia”, ISET Master Thesis (2008)
6. Regulatory Impact Assessment on Crop Insurance Reform of Georgia. Publisher: ISET-PI/USAID Governing for Growth (G4G) in Georgia Project, 2015
7. Economic Reforms: Market Liberalization vs. Social Responsibility. Lessons Learnt from Georgia for Ukraine (policy paper). Publisher: Center for Cultural Relations – Caucasian House. Tbilisi, Georgia, 2015
8. Population Situation Analysis (PSA). Publisher: UNFPA, Tbilisi, Georgia, 2015
9. Pilot Regulatory Impact Assessment on Draft Code on Spatial Planning and Construction. Publisher: USAID Economic Prosperity Initiative, ISET Policy Institute. September 2014
Deputy Head of the Agriculture and Rural Policy Research Center
Ia Katsia is a graduate of the International School of Economics at Tbilisi State University (ISET) with a specialization in Agricultural Economics, and also holds a BA in Economics from Akaki Tsereteli State University. As Deputy Head of the Agricultural Policy Research Center at the ISET Policy Institute, Ia focuses her research on agricultural and rural development policy. Throughout her years at ISET-PI, she has participated in a number of projects, including Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIAs), Value Chain Analyses, production of policy papers and briefs about agricultural trade, rural development, and price fluctuations.
Ia is also responsible for the monthly Khachapuri Index publications. Her main research interests are Agriculture Economics, Climate Change, and Food Security and Sustainable Development. In addition, Ia has more than five years of experience in teaching a number of economics disciplines.
Projects
1. The Effect of Reduced Wine Exports on Grape Prices
3. Feasibility Study on Agricultural Insturance in Georgia
4. Bumper Analysis of Agricultural Sector of Georgia
5. Assessment of the Agricultural Card Program in Georgia
7. Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) on the Crop Insurance Reform of Georgia
8. Agriculture and Food Production: Potential in Georgia
9. Assess the Food Security Data Relevance and Collection Mechanisms in the South Caucasus
10. Livestock Farm-Enterprise Models in Kakheti Region
12. An Assessment of Enterprise Performance of Agricultural Cooperatives
13. Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) of the Draft Law of Georgia on Biodiversity
14. Study on Private Service Providers in Organic Hazelnut Value Chain in Georgia
15. Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) on Draft Law on Windbreaks
16. Georgia Dairy Market System Analysis and Mapping
17. Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) of the Draft Law on Soil Protection
20. Rapid Assessment for community-based Mountain Tourism Development in the South Caucasus
21. RIA on High Mountainous Region Designation of Energy Development and Access
22. Developing a Water Policy Outlook for Georgia: country assessment
23. Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) on the Draft Law on Agritourism
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