Minister of Education and Science of Georgia, Tamar Sanikidze and Provost at San Diego State University Nancy A. Marlin signed a Memorandum of Cooperation in frames of the project San Diego State University and Georgia 2020. A consortium uniting the U.S. (San Diego State University (SGDU)) and Georgian state universities (Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University; Ilia State University; Georgian Technical University) will implement bachelor degree programs in Georgia.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said that “American and international bachelor degree programs will be implemented at the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Georgian Technical University and Ilia State University in the next 20 years through the second compact of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). Our young people will receive American and international standard diplomas in science, technology, engineering and math disciplines that is vitally important for our country.”
“Today we have signed a very important memorandum. Now we will directly launch the program implementation. Professors and teachers will undergo training at the universities; necessary infrastructure – laboratories and so on - will be created. This is a serious breakthrough in the university life that will have a direct effect on the quality of education,” Minister of Education and Science of Georgia, Tamar Sanikidze said.
The San Diego State University will implement bachelor degree programs in electrical engineering, chemistry (biochemistry concentration) and computer science jointly with TSU. TSU Rector, Academician Vladimer Papava said while commenting on the project that “a qualitatively new project will be launched in Georgia that will help create a modern school of engineering. As a result of the project implementation we will practically have engineers of new generation with internationally recognized diplomas. These diplomas will help them get employment both in Georgia and abroad. This project opens up new opportunities for joint scientific research. This is a serious challenge that will move our university to an international level.”
Provost at San Diego State University Nancy A. Marlin described the project as “very important” and noted that it would enable Georgian students to get education in Georgia and receive American diplomas.
The project San Diego State University and Georgia 2020 will be implemented in frames of the second USD 140 million compact signed between the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation and Georgia in 2013. The compact seeks to improve the quality of education in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, “and increase the earning potential of Georgians through strategic investments from the start of a student’s general education to graduation from technical training and advanced degree programs.” As a result of the project implementation, graduates in Georgia will receive American diplomas in science, technology and engineering fields. The project has a budget of USD 30 million.
