The Minister of Education and Science of Georgia, Giorgi Amilakhvari opened the ABET conference. The minister addressed the audience and emphasized the importance of the event. 

Giorgi Amilakhvari: "One of our main priorities is to promote the internationalization of higher education. For this purpose, the most important event - ABET-conference was held today at Ilia State University, the participants of which shared international knowledge and experience in terms of higher education development. 

I am glad that one of the programs of Ilia State University is currently undergoing ABET accreditation. The mentioned program will be implemented together with the University of San Diego and it will make a significant contribution to the development of human capital in the country. 

I would like to emphasize once again the importance of implementing joint programs with international cooperation and accreditation in terms of training professional personnel, which plays a major role in the process of forming future-oriented, qualified human capital. 

Rector of Ilia State University, Professor Nino Doborjginidze, Executive Director of the Millennium Fund - Georgia - Magda Maghradze, Dean of San Diego State University - Professor - Halil Guven also participated in the opening of the ABET conference. 

The computer engineering undergraduate program of the School of Technology of Ilia State University is currently undergoing ABET accreditation; ABET accreditation processes for the School of Technology's civil engineering, computer science, and electrical engineering undergraduate programs are also planned. 

At the conference, the results achieved in the direction of the development of programs in the context of the ABET accreditation process were discussed. The conversation also touched on the joint civil engineering dual degree program with San Diego State University, which will receive its last batch of students this year. 

Within the framework of the event, an honorary doctorate awarding ceremony was also held – owing to the decision of the Academic Council of Ilia State University, the title of honorary doctorate was awarded to ABET international experts: Francis Edward Noel, Albert Joseph Turner Jr. and William Henry Hayter. 

Before the start of the conference, the Minister of Education and Science of Georgia, Giorgi Amilakhvari, inspected the technology building of Ilia State University, which was built in 2019 with the cooperation of Iliauni and the Millennium Foundation, with the second compact of the Millennium Challenge Corporation and the financial support of Ilia State University. 

Four-storey and 5000 sq.m. building is equipped with the latest technologies and feature study halls of international standards, co-working rooms, electrical engineering, and civil engineering laboratories, reading rooms and etc.