Global Nomad University. Education for those who are constantly on the move

Discover how Nina Belyaeva a political scientist and public policy specialist, created an independent university for displaced professionals and learners in Georgia. An inspiring story of freedom and education.

Nina Belyaeva, a well-known political scientist and public policy specialist, has managed Global Nomad University, an educational project based in the Georgian seaside city of Batumi since 2023. 'Nomads' are not linked to a single geographical region and travel the world for a variety of causes, the majority of which are forced.

We chatted with Nina Yuryevna about how Global Nomad University operates and how to balance global education with the requirements and demands of the local Georgian context.

You have extensive expertise in academics and civic endeavours. How did you come up with the concept of starting an educational initiative right now? In the current situation, it appears counterintuitive, and many people regard it as a very difficult assignment

You're right; there's a full tale behind it, including a lovely and real legend that I like to tell. First and foremost, a teacher is compelled to educate. Without students, they become bored, homesick, and, quite frankly, wither away. Teachers live for their students. I've always adored my students, having taught for 22 years at HSE and ten years prior. So the first argument is that teaching is an internal need.

The second key question is where you can find people willing to learn with you in a new location, maybe in a new language, and in an unpredictable scenario. Where do you shout, "Hey, guys! Come learn with me!" ? When I landed in Georgia, the first thing I did was look up all of the local universities and think tanks that Georgia is known for. However, those with Russian passports are rarely hired anywhere. Furthermore, for obvious reasons, nothing is taught in Russian here. The English-language educational offerings are extremely limited, consisting primarily of medicine and engineering.

The lone light of hope was Batumi State University. I am familiar with the city because to my spouse, who is from Batumi, and I discovered common ground with the sociology and political science departments. I taught an English-language public policy course to students. I was also offered to help create a new department and an English-language program with a double degree, which was exactly what I had been doing at HSE. Unfortunately, all of these plans were cancelled, and everything was blocked and closed. I offered everything I could, including a double degree, a new department, and an international program. They didn't say anything in return.

After struggling for about a year, I realised that looking for work at universities was pointless. I had a strong desire to educate, but existing universities would not take me. As a result, I had to create something entirely new. The tragic events surrounding the murder of Alexei Navalny became our starting point. People came to the streets en masse to feel a sense of unity. A similar event occurred in Batumi. At the time, I had no idea who these guys were or how the Russian community in Batumi operated. We saw an announcement and went to the square. There were perhaps 500 individuals present, which was fairly surprising given the size of the city. There was an open microphone on the square. One girl shouted passionately: "My name is Ksenia, I'm from HSE, and I'm a sociologist. I've been here a year and we don't know each other; let's talk more." She was standing with her back to me, and I thought, "Oh my God, a sociologist from Vyshka! " Later, I discovered a photo from our Batumi rally on an old colleague's blog. The photo was shared by the same girl, Ksenia. My colleague confirmed, "Yes, that's Ksenia Malozemova, and she's with you in Batumi."

Ksenia and I met and began talking about what to do, where to teach, and who to educate. Because we were both present and there were engaged people around, we agreed to deliver lectures on sociology and political science. That's how we named our initiative – “lecture hall.” We used the traditional slogan of the Higher School of Economics: “We learn not for school, but for life,” or Non scholae sed vitae discimus. Our discussions were designed to assist us grasp the new circumstances in Russia and beyond, using information from our specialities. With this idea, we created our first announcement. We met activists at a Navalny memorial rally. The majority of them are associated in some manner to the community "Russians in Batumi." According to my estimations, there are roughly 2-3 thousand members in this community, however this number fluctuates. There are about 500 people in the chat, and about 30 of them are very active. Between 50 and 100 people attend the rallies. This was our social foundation – individuals who care about what is happening, who want to understand, who have similar ideals, and who have left the battlefield. They made up the audience, which we realised wanted to learn something new. It became evident what to teach: Ksenia took sociology, and I took political science and, of course, law. As a lawyer with two PhDs in law, I always start with law, which I consider a foundational discipline.

First steps of the project

Lectures were the first phase in the project's development. Our first joint lecture was dedicated to Navalny's memory, and a debate erupted again over the "Noon Against Putin" campaign in the Russian elections: to attend or not to go? Why? Is it dangerous? We advertised the talk in the "Russians in Batumi" group and chose a relevant theme: what elections are like in autocracies. We stated that admission was by donation, beginning at 10 lari. Thirty people showed up, indicating success. The modest Tempo Space, which is maintained by artist-activists, did not charge us for rent. The room was cramped, and individuals were sitting on top of one other, resulting in heated discussions.

As a result, many people went to the protest at the Turkish embassy, everyone got to know each other, and we were finally convinced that there was a demand for our lectures. After that, we delivered individual lectures for roughly three months. In Batumi, there is a history of offering one-off lectures, which cost between 20 and 40 lari. We began with the lowest price, and for three months, people paid Ksenia and me for individual lectures. At one of the lectures, I announced: "Let me give a course of five lectures. You won't pay 20 lari for each lecture, but 100 lari for the entire course." If we could find at least five people who were willing to do this, we would start the course. We found such persons right quickly. This is how our classes began. All of the first courses were 100 lari for five classes, and payment was done in advance, allowing us to pay for some advertising.

How did you transition from individual lectures to courses and a larger project?

We began working in 2023. It was already a university, though we called it a "lecture hall." Activists helped us find free venues, such as the Dissident café. The owner willingly gave the space. That is how we met another colleague, Igor Bezgalov, an economist, graduate of the Higher School of Economics in St. Petersburg, businessman, and marketer. He also started helping us with advertising.

We focus on the present requirements of the community of people who have largely left Russia, but also other nations. This is one of our core principles: we work for those who are physically present in Batumi. The principle of personal teaching is extremely important to us. We've chosen to portray ourselves as the ones who can answer the most pressing questions: what's happening in our country? How can we live with this? What's happening in other countries, like Georgia? Then we must decide what we will do about it and how to develop our life strategies in light of the new circumstances. The instruments of social and political science are ideal for this.

The combination of your courses may seem not typical. There is psychology; there are classes on "immunity" and "traditional Chinese medicine." How do you decide which groups to open? In the summer semester, "Nomad" will offer courses on: "Traditional Chinese Medicine," "Law, Economics, Constitution," "Civil Society," "Digital Nomad Education and Careers," "Actor - Publics and Protest Movements," "International Instruments for the Protection of Human Rights," and "Shaolin Qigong Practices."

The key question is whether we identify or shape these needs. The solution is twofold. We can surely recognise existing demands. But there is another, equally crucial component: we shape requirements. We begin with the notion that some wants do not yet exist in people, just as a person cannot want oysters if they have never had them. Similarly, Chinese medicine may be more useful and cheaper than “Western” treatment in Georgia, as it has not harmed anyone, unlike traditional medicine with its possible diagnostic errors. In general, there is an objective need for health care in Georgia, and it is desirable that it be inexpensive. We look at what people need and at the same time search for specialists in Batumi who could meet existing demands or create new ones. The primary problem is locating teachers locally. In addition, some people are only in Batumi for two to three months. That is why our courses are so short. We investigate existing needs and explore strategies to address them. Even if the audience does not have a clear understanding or demand for something new, we strive to explain and demonstrate its potential benefits. We host welcome days.

In our first announcements, we stated: "If you have any knowledge that is useful and, more importantly, helps to understand what is happening, join us." It was clear that no one would "buy" abstract knowledge. We had to give them something they could "take away with them." The criterion of "teaching something useful" is required for us. At the same time, everything is supported by academic research and required reading. Even after each one-off lecture, we supplied reading suggestions, reviews, and published resources for both immediate and more in-depth study. We published these texts, answered questions, and set up chat rooms. Please provide us with the formal criteria for your assessments.

We've noticed that you try to fit them into a single European education format and give academic credits.

Yes, we try to institutionalise courses, specifically by converting them into Bologna-recognized educational credits (ECTS). It is crucial to highlight that we provide master's level courses that can help students achieve admission to top master's programs all around the world, including Russian-language programs. We provide a certificate certifying course attendance, literary research, the completion of a written qualification paper, and its public defence. I am very familiar with the Bologna system: 60 hours of study equals 3 ECTS credits. We divide this workload into classroom hours and a significant amount of independent work. A written assignment, a presentation, and a public defence indicate the student's conscientiousness with their work. This was our main and most difficult challenge.

External experts on these credits include colleagues from HSE and FLAS. Dilara Ibragimova, deputy dean of FLAS, visited us, taught a course, and participated in committees, raising the bar for requirements. As a result, we did not award credits to everyone; some students had their certificates postponed with a recommendation to revise their projects. We take academic credits very seriously. Everything we write can be tracked: how we compute, to whom we granted loans, and for what. We are building a page on our website where we will publish the students' presentations. The certificate features a QR code that connects directly to the website with all the precautions.

Why was Georgia chosen as the country for the educational project?

It has to do with family circumstances and the desire to remain inside a Russian-speaking group. Georgia still maintains a visa-free regime with Russia, but I don't think it will last long. Visa regulations are tightening, and there are already quite a few cases where people who left on a “visa run” are not allowed back in. I still want to stay here. I like Georgia. My husband, colleague, and comrade Shota is a Batumi native. So our decision is not coincidental. Even with the tightening regime, I don't see much point in moving elsewhere. If Georgia was once known as a "sweet land," all that left is khachapuri and Saperavi, and the visa regime is tightening. Several people are leaving. But personally, I'd prefer to stay.

Could you tell us how the number of students is changing? Are there more of them? And who are these students: locals, Russians, or representatives from other countries?

Our key advantage is that informal education, unlike formal education, has its own strengths: a quick cycle and flexibility. If a course does not work out, we can quickly discontinue it. If something relevant comes up, we promptly implement and test it. This is a wonderful advantage of informal education, if it is seriously structured but retains these fast cycles. Few similar initiatives can boast a fifth intake of students. We are all working flat out. There is no money yet, it's just enthusiasm. Teachers conduct classes because they have something to share and they recognise that their work is not in vain. The tiny amount of money that Russian expats have, they are willing to spend not only on khachapuri and Saperavi, but also on education. We sincerely appreciate that.

From the second intake, it became evident to us that we needed to recruit local residents. This is because nomads are, by definition, mobile: they come and go. From the very first intake, I suppose just two people have stayed here; everyone else has left. That's normal; it's in their nature. Some returned to Russia, others fled for Serbia, Italy, Germany. I maintain in touch with many of them, although they are no longer present physically. Because of the frequent turnover, we work with people at the exact moment they are available. We attempt to provide students with a "nomadic" education in the sense that they can leave with our diploma, which they can acquire in just a month and a half, and use it to apply for master's degrees. If the course and defence were done in English, the diploma will be issued in English.

At the same time, I understand how tough it is to rely on this constant stream of "come and go" in the long run. We shall always be in limbo. Eventually, the tide of new migrants will cease, or they will all depart or settle down. But people who settle down may have previously completed three of my courses; what then? It became evident that we had to rely on the local population. As a result, beginning with the third intake, we implemented a targeted policy to attract Georgians, or more specifically, local Batumi inhabitants. Many Ossetians, Armenians, and Turks live among Batumi's indigenous population. It is critical to dress appropriately for your surroundings.

Thus, we prepared a series of Georgia-related courses taught by Georgians themselves. We even identified such professors and created a course on Georgian history, not the entire history, but the parts that are common and traumatic for both Russia and Georgia. We titled it "The Twists and Turns of Georgia's Struggle for a Nation State." We will also offer courses on Georgian literature and history. I am almost convinced that Georgians will attend them. We already have experience: Georgians are taking a course on Chinese medicine. Six Georgian ladies who were unsatisfied with local medicine attended the first course. They not only listened to the course with interest, but also defended their work, inspiring others. Seven young men attended the second course.

We now have a mixed group of Georgians and foreigners from Belarus and Russia. As a result, there is no apparent distinction between the courses on Georgia and Chinese medicine, with solely Georgians attending the former and Russians the latter. Everything is mixed. Georgians, Russians, Belarusians, and Ukrainians all attend my constitutional course. And that makes me extremely happy. Especially the fact that people who have lived in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Georgia participate in debates on a course about civic involvement in government and resistance to authoritarian tendencies in any state.

It sounds like a lot of work. Turning to the subject of money, do you intend to seek external funds or a specific funding model?

We wish to make money from our professional teaching work. It's a gradual process, but we know that nothing happens quickly; this is our teaching experience. One thing is if you have someone like Ivanishvili or another state leader backing you up who is prepared to fund educational initiatives. But then you become dependent on this "Ivanishvili" and must work in a way that pleases him. Given the poor status of Georgian education as a whole, we understand that we do not need this at all, neither ideologically nor in terms of formalisation.

We anticipate receiving consistent payments from Georgian families who want their children to study abroad, as Georgian households adore their children and place a high value on education. Georgia has historically been among the highly educated republics. There is a long history of high-quality primary and secondary education. Higher education has several strong clusters, such as English-language medical education. However, they are isolated fragments, and they are not what new migrants or Georgians require in order to provide their children with a high-quality Western education. As a result, our aim is not to rely on state money or any significant grants.

We have another set of questions that we usually ask representatives of educational projects in exile. Do you believe such projects have a responsibility to work for a community of individuals who may one day return to Russia?

Successful "nomads" can live anywhere. Boris, my current student, is a typical "nomad." He has travelled to eight countries and works in IT, despite having studied media. He attended one of my lectures on relocators and nomads, pondered it for a year, and then came back and signed up for three courses at once, including Global Nomad Careers. He authored an excellent piece about how nomads could study to better their careers as IT specialists. He can work anywhere, including Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Moscow, Chile, Thailand, and Nepal. Our nomads can work wherever as long as they know who they are and have mastered their vocation. That is why we state, "for successful careers in the world."