Kutaisi International University has officially opened
By Khatia Bzhalava
Thursday, October 22
Kutaisi International University (KIU) has been opened and received its first students on October 21st. During the ceremony, 1st-year undergraduates made a vow. The opening ceremony was attended by the representatives of the Government of Georgia, the Parliament, Diplomatic Corps, and international organizations. At the first stage, the university offers three English-language programs for a bachelor’s degree- Computer Science, Mathematics, and Management.
Euro1 million worth projects of KIU were officially presented on September 8, 2016, and has been established under the funding of former Georgian PM, Bidzina Ivanishvili. KIU includes three academic buildings, student dormitories, a residential building for the stuff, a library, cafes, indoor and outdoor recreational spaces, electric transport, and bicycle lanes.
Kutaisi International University has joined the framework agreement of the Julich Research Centre, which enables the students of the university to perform certain projects at the Julich Research Centre.
According to the Ministry of Education, the criteria for admitting students to the KIU are one of the highest among higher education institutes in Georgia and corresponds to the requirements of the Munich Technical University.
According to the ranking, the most popular program of KIU, where the majority of students have been enrolled this year in Computer Science, which is then followed by a Management program and Mathematics.
The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and sports, Mikheil Chkhenkeli delivered a speech at the opening ceremony. He mentioned that within the project fully financed by The Cartu Foundation, in a couple of years hadron therapy center will be set up on the campus of KIU. The project of modern cancer therapy center is underway in cooperation with the leading international proton therapy company IBA, where two cyclotrons are being produced and manufactured for the hadron therapy center. According to the minister, one cyclotron will be used for treating cancer with ultra-modern methods, while the other cyclotron will be used for scientific-research processes.
According to the minister, students at KIU will study the very programs that are studied by their peers at the leading universities in the world. As he said, the new academic programs, which will be introduced in the university in the coming years, will be based on the academic programs of the world’s leading universities. In KIU lectures will be delivered by Georgian as well as foreign professors.
The Honorary President of KIU, Professor Wolfgang Herrmann said at the opening ceremony that Kutaisi International University is unique as it is the first university in the Caucasus region that complies with the best international standards. According to him, KIU will bring together local and international talents and will train the young generation. The Honorary President also noted that international professors from Germany, including ones from the Technical University of Munich, will be engaged in the works of the university.
The President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, the Prime Minister of Georgia, Giorgi Gakharia, the Chairmen of the Parliament, Archil Talakvadze, and the rector of the university, Alexandre Tevzadze also made speeches at the opening ceremony.
According to the rector of KIU, Alexandre Tevzadze, 80% of the university students received a state Scholarship and the remaining tuition fees for all students will be funded by the university. As he said, students will study in the so-called hybrid model, which means that studying will be conducted online for 3 days a week and for 2 days a week every student will follow through practical training at auditorium spaces.
