This paper analyses income distribution and poverty reduction in Georgia in the period 2010 to 2017/2018. As we have no data for 2019, our findings do not relate to the most recent distributional policies of the Georgian government. Our results suggest that while Georgia has substantially reduced poverty and income inequality, continuous monitoring of the situation would be helpful.

ISET’s faculty continues to prove itself on the world stage with no fewer than two papers soon to be published in international journals. Both papers were authored by Professor Muhammad Asali, a veteran member of ISET’s faculty and graduate of Colombia University; Muhammad later taught at Colombia, as well as New York University and Union College.

This paper is the first to create a comprehensive mapping of the Global and Regional Value Chain participation for Georgia and other CAREC region countries using the Eora Multi-Regional Input-Output Model (MRIO). The paper was written with support from the CAREC Think Tank Network Research Grant.

On September 13th, over half of the staff and researchers of ISET and the ISET Policy Institute were invited to Gdansk for an annual meeting of the FREE Network, where they presented research papers and exchanged ideas with leading academics and policymakers.

It is always gratifying when an alumnus returns to ISET; it is naturally satisfying and pleasing for staff and faculty to hear about the successful exploits of a former student, but perhaps more importantly it is inspiring for the next generations to see first-hand what might be achieved with the right amount of hard work and dedication.