Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University is the oldest and largest higher education institution in Georgia. It was founded on February 8, 1918 (January 26 according to the Old Style), on the feast day of David the Builder, in Tbilisi, in the building of the former gymnasium.
On September 3 of the same year, it was officially named Tbilisi State University. At that time, it was the first and only university in the entire Caucasus.