Georgia: Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Georgia Nunu Mitskevich announced that the Horizon Europe Grant Office has been opened at Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University. In her speech, Nunu Mitskevich congratulated the university staff and scientists on the opening of the grant office and wished them success in their future endeavours.
According to the Deputy Minister, the main goal of establishing grant offices in higher education institutions is to support Georgian research teams in the process of preparing competitive project applications, which will contribute to their successful participation in EU grant competitions.
The Georgian representatives in the competitions of the Horizon Europe program will enjoy exactly the same conditions and rights as the representatives of the field of science and innovation of the EU nations.
Moreover, the Minister of Education, Culture and Sports of Adjara Maia Khajishvili, the Director-General of Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation Jaba Samushia, the Rector of Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University, Merab Khalvashina, the Director of Horizon Europe And the academic and administrative staff of the University were all presented at the event.
In 2021, with the direct involvement of the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Garibashvili, Georgia became a member of the new EU research and innovation framework program, Horizon Europe. The International Association Agreement was signed in Brussels by the Minister of Education and Science of Georgia, Mikheil Chkhenkeli, and the European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, Maria Gabriel. It was on the basis of this agreement that the National Office of Horizon Europe was established in Georgia.
Furthermore, Horizon Europe Grant Offices have already been opened at Gori State Teaching University, Sokhumi State University, Georgian Technical University, Akaki Tsereteli State University, Samtskhe-Javakheti State University, Telavi State University, Shota Meskhia Zugdidi State Teaching University, Tbilisi State Medical University, Ili State Medical University.
Horizon Europe, with a budget of 95.5 billion euros, is an unprecedented grant program that gives Georgian scientists and innovators the opportunity to engage in large-scale scientific programs and implement various projects with their European counterparts.
