For over a decade, ISET has produced MA graduates whose experience, knowledge, and expertise have allowed them to pursue successful careers across the world. Some stayed in academia, and went on to earn further degrees in the United States and Europe; others moved into public service or the private sector, both at home and abroad, actively working towards regional development or establishing successful careers overseas.

ISET kicked off its 2017-2018 school year this Monday, September 4 with an orientation session for incoming students. ISET faculty, staff, and researchers warmly greeted the students and gave them a sense of what they can expect out of their next two years of study. Eric Livny, President of ISET and ISET-PI welcomed new students highlighting critical skills and knowledge they should be striving to acquire.

So far, 2017 has proved to be an exceptional year for ISET and its community. The school released its 10th cohort of well-educated and professional economists, with 32 students from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia joining the small but very strong community of ISETers.

On June 22, 2017, the Agricultural Policy Research Center (APRC) of the ISET Policy Institute organized a meeting with former Agricultural Concentration students. As is well-known, the APRC was established at the ISET Policy Institute in July 2014 with a three-year grant from USAID to enhance synergy between policy research, professional training, and teaching activities, capitalizing on the institutional strengths of ISET and ISET-PI.

ISET continues its student policy paper seminar series for the institute's (now graduated) second-year students. This time, Tatia Sosiashvili, Megi Tsikoridze, Nino Aladashvili, and Sopo Basilidze presented their joint paper on tax administration in Georgia. Their project, entitled “Current Challenges in Tax Administration (VAT)”, was supervised by Eric Livny, President of ISET and the ISET Policy Institute, and Sophiko Skhirtladze, an ISET Resident Faculty member and head of the Private Sector Development Policy Research Center.