The Caucasus region ranks as one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. Distinguished by its natural diversity, the region has preserved animal and plant species that had become extinct in other parts of Europe and Western Asia long ago. Meanwhile, the developments associated with the buoyant economies and increasing pressure on the environment pose a significant threat to the unique wildlife and vegetation of the Caucasus.

The Caucasian region is unique due to an unusually large number of endemic species, animals, plants, and landscapes that no longer exist in other regions of Europe and Western Asia, as well as an exceptional diversity of domestic animal and plant species. The Caucasus is one of the earliest centres of civilization.

In light of the aforementioned, Georgia and the Caucasus region need highly qualified ecology and environmental protection specialists to conduct advanced studies in this area. The Institute of Ecology of Ilia State University seeks to contribute to this cause by conducting advanced studies in animal and plant ecology and applied studies in the field of species protection. The research done by the Institute also includes forest resources, the genetic analysis of endemic animal species, and the history of the Caucasian population, which was studied through the combination of environmental and genetic methodologies.

The Institute professors, researchers, and students study terrestrial and marine fauna and highland flora and address fundamental issues of ecology and evolutionary biology. The Institute has research facilities with rich resources. The field is based on the Black Sea. It is located in the highlands of Georgia, where modern molecular-genetic and computer modelling laboratories are available for students’ research and training.

The Institute is working on three long-term research programmes:

• Alpine Ecosystem Research Programme
• Ecology and Conservation Programme of Large Mammals
• Quantitave Ecology Programme

The Institute of Ecology provides programmes at bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels in corresponding fields. The Professors of the Institute offer courses to bachelor students specializing in Ecology and to master students in Ecology, Forest Science and Natural Resources and Applied Genetics. The Institute also provides courses in sustainable forestry and management of natural resources to MA students in business administration. Students are taught field study methods for fauna and flora, planning field experiments, recording terrestrial and aquatic animals, analytical methods applied in forestry, GIS modelling, molecular genetic data collection and analysis, and statistical analysis on a computer. Teaching is closely intertwined with research, in which the students at the Institute are actively involved.