Inga Kakulia, a graduate of the BA Program in International Relations at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU), has successfully completed the Master's Program in Conflict and Democracy Studies at Masaryk University and received a red diploma.
 

She said that graduating from Masaryk University (Czech Republic) with a red diploma was first and foremost a recognition of her hard work and determination. “This success was especially important for our graduation. When we started the master’s program, Covid regulations were constantly changing, and many students attended lectures online. Later, other international crises were added, including the development with the clearest expression of the feeling of instability - Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Despite this situation, Masaryk University did not betray its traditions and held its graduation ceremony as before. There is a great respect for these traditions on the part of academics. As for graduating with a red diploma, it is very prestigious. So, it is indeed a matter of pride that I and some of my friends have completed the program with excellence in the face of so many challenges.
 

Inga came to the Czech Republic, one of the world’s leading universities, through the Erasmus+ exchange program offered by TSU. As she notes, exchange programs and the opportunity to continue studying abroad are one of the most attractive parts of Tbilisi State University.
 

During her master’s studies, Inga worked on her thesis, which deals with the existing perceptions about surveillance in Georgia and their negative impact on the development of healthy democratic processes in the country.
 

“My master’s thesis is about Georgia, specifically about the long history of illegal surveillance that has been part of the everyday life of Georgian citizens for decades. The thesis is a discourse analysis; however, within its framework I spoke with several Georgian politicians and activists, and tailored the existing theoretical knowledge and works on the complex and multifaceted relationship between democracy and surveillance to the case of Georgia.”
 

Her plans are still related to continuing her academic activities. She is currently working on turning her master’s thesis into an academic article and hopes to publish it in one of the academic journals within TSU.
 

What was your experience in the Czech Republic?
 

In the Czech Republic, students are expected to show much more initiative and independence, and that was my experience. For one year, I worked as a student assistant in the Public Relations Department of my faculty, where I helped to create a small monthly publication of the faculty. I also helped my team to organize social events - I recorded several interviews with professors of our faculty, which were published on the official website of the university. Here, they pay a lot of attention to students, and by participating in such activities, you gain more experience.
 

The role of TSU in the successful continuation of your studies/career?

The Department of International Relations of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences of TSU is full of excellent lecturers, and in my opinion, the education I received at TSU gave me a strong foundation to master the literature offered by the Master’s program while studying in the Czech Republic.