Tbilisi: Minister of Education and Science of Georgia Mikheil Chkhenkeli is on a working visit to the Federal Republic of Germany. The Minister, together with the Rector of Kutaisi International University Alexander Tevzadze, held a working meeting with the leadership of Munich Technical University (TUM). The meeting was attended by former President of Munich Technical University and Honorary President of Kutaisi International University Wolfgang Hermann.
Mikheil Chkhenkel spoke in detail about the main mega-project of the Georgian education system – Kutaisi International University. The minister emphasized that the author of the idea and concept of the university is Mr. Bidzina Ivanishvili. It was because of his and his family’s very important charity that the world wide academic and scientific research space was created in the country.
Mikheil Chkhenkel assessed that the high standards and quality of internationalization of the university are determined by an approach that incorporates academic programs in a particular field in collaboration with world-leading universities. The minister noted that the programs at the university at this stage are analogues of Munich Technical University. According to him, cooperation with the world’s leading universities is actively ongoing and new academic programs for all three levels of education are gradually emerging in higher education.
Education Minister spoke about promoting the strengthening of scientific links with the German side and the prospects of cooperation between Kutaisi International University and Munich Technical University (TUM) Medical School. According to him, with the funding “Kartu” Foundation, an Adron Therapy Center will be built on the basis of Kutaisi International University, where international scientific circles will be involved in the production of research in oncology and proton therapy.
According to Mikheil Chkhenkel, it is a pleasure that the leading professors of the Medical School of Munich Technical University will actively participate in the scientific research process of the Adronic Therapy Center and will implement important scientific projects with Georgian colleagues.
The minister also noted that the ultra-modern cyclotrons of the Adron Therapy Center for scientific and research process had already been installed at the world-leading Company for proton therapy equipment (IBA). Important that one cyclotron be dedicated entirely for scientific research in medicine and nuclear physics while the other one for cancer treatment. The fact that a single cyclotron will be allocated for research, as the minister said, has drawn special interest from the international scientific community.Â
The proof of this is that a number of well-known foreign scientists have already expressed their desire to participate in the research process with Georgian scientists.
In its turn, the management of Munich Technical University (TUM) positively assessed the mega-project of the Georgian education system and expressed its readiness to cooperate closely with the Adron Therapy Center by implementing joint scientific projects. The talk also touched upon implementation of exchange and internship programs for students.
During the meeting, the parties discussed the issues of cooperation between Georgian and German scientists and researchers within the framework of the EU research and innovation framework within the framework of Horizon Europe, and stated that the implementation of joint scientific and research projects will contribute to strengthening scientific ties between the two countries.
At the end of the meeting, Mikheil Chkhenkel invited the heads of Munich Technical University to Georgia.