The Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia, Mikheil Chkhenkeli attended the online Ministerial of European Higher Education Area – Rome 2020, organized by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research and the Bologna Follow-Up Group (BFUG) with delegations participating from 48 member countries.

The conference participants discussed the improvement of the higher education system and the common goals set in this regard, in conjunction with emphasizing the undisputed need for international cooperation.

Mikheil Chkhenkeli addressed the participants, spoke about promoting the development of higher education in Georgia and stressed the importance of sharing European practice.

Mikheil Chkhenkeli: “We share the vision of the European Higher Education Area and the Bologna Process for the creation of an inclusive, innovative and interconnected higher education system. The Ministry promotes equal access to higher education in Georgia, the dissemination of innovative approaches and the introduction of student-centered teaching mechanisms. At the same time, Georgian universities have the full support of the government in the use of digital technologies and hybrid teaching methods.

As a result of our great efforts and consistent policies, today Georgia is a partner country of the Erasmus + program and a full member of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA). Moreover, we are interested in considering the possibility of becoming a member of the Union of European Universities, which in turn, will greatly aid Georgia in promoting European values ​​as well as increasing the competitiveness of higher education.

Furthermore, The Minister spoke about the decision of the Government of Georgia, which encapsulates declaring education and science as the main priority in the country. According to Mr. Chkhenkeli, favorable conditions are being created in the country for the internationalization of higher education and science. The establishment of the Kutaisi International University (KIU) serves this precise measure, which will become both an educational and a scientific hub not only in Georgia but also in the region.

Additionally, Mikheil Chkhenkeli focused on the scientific-research aspect of Kutaisi International University and noted that the Hadron Therapy Center will start functioning on the university premises, where two cyclotrons manufactured by IBA, one of the world's leading companies, will be located. One of the machines, will be used to treat cancer with ultra-modern methods, whereas the second one will be utilized for scientific and research methods. Along with Georgian scientists, foreigners will be involved in the research, which makes Kutaisi International University and the Center for Hadron Therapy an academic and scientific center of world importance.

Georgia joined the Bologna Process, which envisages the creation of a Common European Higher Education Area, at the Bergen Summit in 2005, after which several important and fundamental changes took place in the higher education system in the country.