A memorandum of cooperation was signed between GTU and the Biomedical Engineering Development Charitable Foundation

A memorandum of cooperation was signed between the Georgian Technical University and the Charitable Foundation for the Development of Biomedical Engineering in Georgia, which was signed by the Deputy Rector of the Georgian Technical University in the field of science, Professor Tamar Lominadze, and one of the founders of the “Charitable Foundation for the Development of Biomedical Engineering in Georgia”, the head of the “Geomedy” company – Mamuka Loladze.

The signing of the document was attended by the vice-rector, associate professor Tamar Tsereteli; the head of the English-language educational program of biomedical engineering, the director of the International Accreditation Center of GTU, professor Irine Gotsiridze; the dean of the Faculty of Informatics and Management Systems, professor Taliko Zhvania; the head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, professor Zviad Ghurtskaya; researchers and students of the department; Zaza Buachidze, head of the educational process management service, and representatives of the university administration, as well as graduates of the biomedical engineering educational program, and the managers of the companies: “Ivermedi”, “Emtech”, “Intermedservice Georgia” – Levan Lazarashvili, Andro Atoshvili, Zurab Atoshvili; Davit Abdushelishvili, manager of quality control of laboratory activities of the scientific-practical center of infectious pathology, AIDS and clinical immunology and other invited persons.

According to the deputy rector, the graduates of the biomedical engineering educational program of the Faculty of Informatics and Management Systems of the Georgian Technical University, who today are the founders and heads of large medical technological centers, have had many years of cooperation with their native alma mater. According to Tamar Lominadze, the idea of establishing the “Charitable Fund for the Development of Biomedical Engineering in Georgia” belongs to businessmen who graduated from biomedical engineering.

The memorandum of cooperation signed between the Georgian Technical University and the Charitable Foundation for the Development of Biomedical Engineering in Georgia will allow the parties to contribute to the education of young specialists – the university will provide students with an education corresponding to the European standard, and the foundation will ensure the involvement of successful students in various activities. Today, in the era of accelerated technological progress and innovation there is a growing demand for qualified young personnel in the biomedical engineering sector. For this very purpose, our graduates, prominent representatives of the business sector, independently of the university, created a fund whose main mission will be to train biomedical engineers, retool university laboratories following modern requirements, encourage successful students and young researchers with scholarships, and support their participation in international conferences. It is a very noble initiative for which we thank our alumni. I’d like to mention that the direction of biomedical engineering was founded in 1983. At the initiative of Professor Otar Khomeriki, the Department of Biomedical Technologies was established at the Georgian Polytechnic Institute. Professor Raul Kuprava continued the work started by Mr. Otari. Today, the professors, researchers, and professionals of the Georgian Technical University are continuing the path of these two great scientists and patriots, I wish them and our students, future biomedical engineers, good luck,” said Tamar Lominadze.

According to the memorandum, the activities of the fund include the improvement of the material and technical base of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Georgian Technical University, which involves retooling the auditoriums and laboratory base and arranging them following modern standards, equipping them with the latest educational and scientific equipment and technology, introducing mechanisms for material incentives for excellent students, the educational and scientific organizing conferences, workshops, exhibitions, and other activities, in addition to financing short-term training and professional development for professors and students abroad.

The English-language Biomedical Engineering program has received international ABET accreditation, and currently, the university and faculty are working to obtain ABET accreditation for the Georgian-language Biomedical Engineering program. According to Professor Irine Gotsiridze, obtaining ABET accreditation is a significant event for the university, its scientific-academic circles, and students, in terms of the internationalization of teaching and research, as well as the development of educational programs in the STEM direction. Studying at an ABET-accredited educational program and, accordingly, receiving an internationally recognized diploma is a success for young people, both in the scientific arena and for decent employment, therefore, the initiative of the business sector, their direct participation in the development of the field is important and timely.