Within the framework of the Georgian-German Science Bridge (GGSB), thematic lectures for students of natural and engineering sciences have started at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. After the lectures, the students of physics, mathematics, chemistry, biology and engineering technologies will have the opportunity to receive individual grants and go to German institutions for several weeks of internship, following the interviews with the collegium consisting of Georgian and foreign scientists.

“Within the framework of the project, this year even more students from different Georgian universities can enjoy the benefits of internships in leading European universities and laboratories. The topics of this year’s lectures are quite interesting. It is worth noting that it is important not to have the so-called brain drain from Georgia. We, in Georgia, should try to strengthen the post-doctoral space,” said TSU Vice Rector, Professor Nino Okribelashvili.

The Jülich Research Center (Forschungszentrum Jülich – FZJ) successfully cooperates with the Consortium of Georgian Universities (Agruni, Iliauni, STU, KSU, TSU). The cooperation began in the early 1990s with the interaction of the Nuclear Physics Institute (IKP) and a small group of scientists from TSU (HEPI TSU), based on the joint research program of the Jülich COZY accelerator. This international collaboration was later extended to other FZJ institutes: Energy and Climate Research (IEK), Neurosciences and Medicine (INM), Bio- and Geosciences (IBG) and Engineering, Electronics and Analytics (ZEA).

Within the framework of the Georgian-German Science Bridge (GGSB) concept, a five-day lecture course will be organized for students of the member universities of the consortium (TSU, STU, Iliauni, Agruni, KSU). They will have the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and to present short reports on some scientific activities, possibly based on an undergraduate or graduate topic, already completed or planned. There will also be a poster session.

In 2013 and 2015, an educational event for Georgian students entitled “Autumn Lectures” was held at the Georgian Technical University, which was continued in 2017 and 2019 at the Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ) in a new format (QUALI-Start-Up Lectures), in which leading scientists from FZJ institutes (IEK, IKP, INM, ZEA, PGI) provided theoretical and practical training for preselected Georgian students (AUG, ISU, GTU, TSU). The topics of their reports were in the fields of basic sciences and included a series of lectures in experimental and theoretical physics, chemistry, mathematics, life sciences and engineering. Emphasis was placed on the use of modern technologies. In addition to these events, traditional “Workshops and Summer Schools” (the so-called GGSWHP) have been held in Georgian universities for years, starting in 2004 and resuming in 2022 after interruptions due to the pandemic (2019-2021).