Georgia: Armenian Education Minister Zhanna Andreasyan visits Tbilisi, meets Mikheil Chkhenkeli

Tbilisi: Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports of the Republic of Armenia,Zhanna Andreasyan is in Tbilisi with the delegation of Education and Science of Georgia Mikheil Chkhenkeli.

During the visit Mikheil Chkhenkel held a working meeting with his Armenian colleague and discussed issues of expansion of cooperation in education and science with him. Minister thanked Zhana Andreasiani for many years of fruitful cooperation in the field of education.

During the meeting, the ministers discussed mechanisms to support the education systems of the two countries, including promoting teachers towards upgrading skills and professional development, with varied exchange programs for students and students, and organizing different types of youth events.

Mikheil Chkhenkel also discussed issues of deepening cooperation in higher education and science with his Armenian colleague, which means strengthening the teaching of Georgian and Armenian language and literature in respective higher educational institutions, and promoting the implementation of joint scientific projects in terms of science development. 

According to the minister, it would be good if the traditional scientific connections between the Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory named after Evgeny Kharadze and the Armenian Burakan Astrophysic Observatory will be further deepened.

At the meeting Mikheil Chkhenkel provided information about the major mega-projects of the Georgian education system – Kutaisi International University and Adronic Therapy Center. 

The minister also stressed that 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 world’s leading universities is actively continuing and new academic programs for all three tiers of education are gradually being included in the higher education institutions.

As the minister said, Kutaisi International University, which will begin operations in 2020, has a rapidly growing rating, indicating that its development is being carried out with the right strategy – based on the results of the 2022 Unified National Exams, based on the average competition score, Kutaisi international University is the first in the ranking in the country.

During a meeting with his Armenian colleague Mikheil Chkhenkel also noted that with the funding of the Foundation “Kartu” an Adron Therapy Center is being 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. 

Ultramodern cyclotrons of the Adron Therapy Center for the scientific and research process have already been installed in the world-leading company of proton therapy equipment (IBA). It is noteworthy that one cyclotron will be devoted entirely for scientific research process in medicine, nuclear physics and the other be utilised for cancer treatment. 

The minister said that one cyclotron will be allocated for research has drawn particular interest from the international scientific community. The proof of this is that many well-known foreign scientists have already expressed their willingness to be a participant of the research process with Georgian scientists.

According to Mikheil Chkhenkel, it would be good if Georgian and Armenian scientists will implement joint scientific projects at the Aron Therapy Center.

In his turn, the Armenian Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports, Zhanna Andreasyan, gave a positive assessment of the mega-project of the Georgian education system and expressed willingness to cooperate in this regard.

In addition, Zhanna Andreasyan thanked the Georgian government and Mikheil Chkhenkel for supporting Armenians living in Georgia and promoting them to learn the state language. According to him, teaching the state language to Armenians living in Georgia significantly contributes to their better integration into society.

Following the end of the meeting, Zhanna Andreasyan signed a memorandum of cooperation, which provides for close partnership between Georgia and Armenia in general, as well as professional and higher education. 

In particular, the document will help forge links between the two countries’ higher education, scientific and research institutions, while offering students exchange programs for continuing education in master’s programs in higher education. 

Within the framework of the newly signed Memorandum, the parties will express their readiness to implement joint programs to establish centers of Georgian and Armenian universities.