A few days ago, I was walking in Kostava Street towards the Philharmony when I passed a construction site that was separated from the sidewalk by a wooden fence. Suddenly, I heard the ugly sound of fabric torn apart. Yes, it had happened! My nice winter coat was ripped up by a rusty nail that stuck out of the fence, causing a huge hole in the coat that went down to the lining.

The Georgian government is currently working on the draft of a new Code on Spatial Planning and Construction, with the aim of increasing the safety of new constructions while consolidating the great achievements obtained in terms of effectiveness in the delivery of construction permits.

ISET will be offering an exciting new course in the 5th mini-term – “Corporate Finance Applied to a Developing Economy.” The course will be taught by Paul-Henri Forestier, former Director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in Georgia.

Speaking with managers of companies operating in Georgia, one frequently hears complaints about a lack of certain specialists in the Georgian labor market. For instance, firms operating in the construction sector are often forced to hire foreign experts, as they do not find sufficiently qualified engineers and architects in Georgia. The shortage is particularly pressing in technical subjects and the sciences.

On April 8, representatives of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) presented their Transition Report at ISET. EBRD’s lead economist for Georgia, Bojan Markovic, spoke about the reform progress and economic developments in the year 2013 across the wider transition region, which includes Georgia.