A popular educational series is returning this month.

Great Decisions, an annual public educational program, will be presented by North Georgia College & State University for eight weeks beginning Jan. 26 at the Forsyth County Public Library System.

The series features university professors leading lectures and community discussions on various topics set by the Foreign Policy Association, a nonprofit dedicated to inspiring the American public to learn more about the world.

Chris Jespersen, dean of the School of Arts and Letters at North Georgia, said he's happy to see the lecture series return for a third year.

"As in previous years, all the topics are very timely," Jesperson said. "When the topics are announced each year, I always have more faculty members who want to present than we can take."

This year's topics range from Middle Eastern realignment to energy geopolitics and cyber security.

Jespersen, who has led several of the sessions in previous years, will take on the topic of the United States' exit from Afghanistan and Iraq.

He said he always looks forward to the presentations.

"For faculty members, any time we get a room full of people who are really interested in a subject, there's just such a great energy," he said.

"What I always like best is all the interaction with the audience, since half the time is dedicated to questions from them."

The lectures will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday nights from Jan. 26 through March 15 at the Cumming library branch.

All sessions are free and open to the public.

They will also be held in Hall County at the Gainesville Civic Center, 830 Green St., on Mondays beginning Jan. 23.

All lecture topics are also featured in an accompanying booklet, produced by the Foreign Policy Association.

The booklets can be purchased at any of the lectures, but are not required for participation.

The topics are also featured in the Great Decisions TV series, airing nationally on PBS. More information about them can be found at www.fpa.org.