Georgia: Education Minister attends conference dedicated to 550th anniversary of Nicholas Copernicus

Tbilisi: Georgian Minister of Education and Science Mikheil Chkhenkel, at the invitation of Polish Minister of Education and Sciences Pshemislav Charnek, took part in the international conference dedicated to the 550th anniversary of the famous scientist Nicholas Copernicus in Torun, addressed the audience and with fellow ministers of science development and science from different countries around the world Issues of supporting zero studies were discussed.

During his speech, the Minister drew attention to the scientific competence of the world-renowned scientist Nicholas Copernicus and introduced the steps taken by the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia to promote science and technology development.

Mikheil Chkhenkel: “Nicolas Copernicus’s outstanding scientific achievement is a clear example that a keen interest in knowing the universe, increased curiosity and evaluation of existing knowledge are the precursors for the advancement of scientific processes.”

Events in recent years – the global pandemic of Covid-19 have once again demonstrated the vital importance of science and technology to society. To improve sustainable development and economic prosperity in the world, to overcome current social challenges, new knowledge is required based on modernization and internationalization of science and technology.

When talking about scientific progress, I must not mention that science is based on freedom, and the main prerequisite for its development is production without the restriction of scientific research processes.

 I believe that with joint efforts, mutual respect and a balanced scientific environment, we can use modern scientific advances to ensure universal well-being.

Academic freedom in Georgia is a right guaranteed by the Constitution, which means protection from any kind of interference in science and higher education institutions autonomy.

It is noteworthy that the development of science is a strategic priority of the Georgian government – the funding of the field is growing every year; in addition, the Unified National Strategy of Education and Science approved by the Government of Georgia 2022-2030 is focused on the modernization of science, technology and innovation (STI) and promoting the internationalization of sustainable development goals Keeping in mind.

We all agree that today deepening scientific ties between countries, strengthening international cooperation, and the exchange of information and ideas play a crucial role in expanding the scale of scientific research. 

That is why the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia puts a special emphasis on the internationalization of science.

We aspire to make Georgia a prominent place for the excellence of science in the world. From this point of view, the establishment of Kutaisi International University (KIU) is a truly advanced step. It is especially noteworthy that an Adron Therapy Center is being built on the basis of Kutaisi International University, where leading scientists 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).

 One cyclotron will be designed entirely for research in medicine and nuclear physics, while the other will be used for cancer treatment. The fact that one cyclotron will be intended for research entirely has drawn special interest from the international scientific community. 

The proof of this is that many well-known foreign scientists have already expressed their desire to participate in the scientific research process with Georgian scientists.

The functioning of the Adronic Therapy Center, with the cooperation of Georgian and international researchers in the fields of medicine and nuclear physics, will make an important contribution to the cure of cancer diseases and will save many lives. 

At the end of the speech, Mikheil Chkhenkel thanked the conference organizers and noted that he was honoured to participate in the event dedicated to the 550th anniversary of Nicholas Copernicus.

The Toruń Declaration was issued at the end of the conference, which, along with ministers of different countries, signed by the Georgian Minister of Education and Science Mikheil Chkhenkel.

 In the declaration, participants of the event called on the international community to promote the freedom of scientific research and the prevention of discrimination.

The event dedicated to the 550th anniversary of the prominent Polish scientist Nicholas Copernicus was organized by the Copernick World Congress and the Nicolas Copernicus Academy. Conference participants discussed modern scientific advances and emphasized the importance of freedom of scientific research in terms of the development of science and technology spheres.