The representatives of the Caucasus International University – Head of the English Master’s Program for Global Policy and Security Studies, Professor Vakhtang Maisaia, and Associate Professor Eka Beraia were on a scientific visit in Brussels, Belgium, on June 2-13, 2025.
The main goal of the visit was the participation of Georgian researchers in the “Second World Conference on Security Studies”, which was organized by ACAVENT. This conference brings together field researchers, scientists, and representatives of analytical circles from more than 20 countries.
Associate Professor Alika Guchua, Head of the CIU Bachelor’s Program of International Relations, participated remotely in the conference. The reports of Georgian researchers addressed actual issues of security and military research. Vakhtang Maisaya and Alika Guchua presented a report on the topic “Biological and chemical terrorism as a strategic asymmetric threat to modern international security”, and Eka Beraya, co-authored by Anton Kutateladze, PhD in Political Science, presented a report on “The importance of the concept of total defense in achieving security and stability of Georgia“.
After the completion of the reports, a discussion was held within the conference, which allowed the participants to discuss the presented topics and share their experiences. In the same context, Vakhtang Maisaya introduced his chaired master’s program “Global Policy and Security Studies”, which is unique in its content and objective.
The program is developed with the support of the European Union and the “International Center for Science and Technology”, with the participation of the Caucasus International University academic circles.
His main specialty is the policy of the exclusion of weapons of mass destruction. It is on the basis of this program that, for the first time in the academic space of Georgia, a new scientific field was officially established – “Security Studies”, which is presented at this stage at the Master’s level.
Inesa Vidas, Executive Director of the International Association for Security Studies, has highly assessed the current model of the program and expressed willingness for the active involvement of the Association and its members in its development. In addition, joint special trainings and seminars are planned under the mentioned program.
The program has attracted a lot of interest from the international audience – representatives of Turkey, Italy, Japan, and Great Britain expressed their readiness for future cooperation. CIU Associate Professor Eka Beraia has been invited to the UK in November 2025, to lecture a course on Hybrid Warfare, which once again emphasizes the importance and international resonance of the program.
As part of the visit, on June 4, in Bruges, Georgian researchers visited the College of Europe, which is one of the most prestigious educational institutions throughout Europe.
Notably, a meeting of Georgian researchers was held with the management of the college and academic staff, where joint cooperation plans were set.
During this meeting, the Master’s Program of “Global Policy and Security Studies” was also presented, and the next day Georgian professors had bilateral meetings with representatives of the European Union, NATO United Troops, and European Parliament in Brussels.
