Tbilisi has proposed new formats of cooperation with Ashgabat in education, including considering the idea of opening a branch of a Georgian university in Turkmenistan, expanding opportunities for Turkmen students to study in Georgia, and holding an education fair in Turkmenistan.
These issues were discussed during talks between Turkmenistan’s Deputy Prime Minister for Education, Science, Healthcare and Sports Batyr Mammedov and Georgia’s Minister of Education, Science and Youth Givi Mikanadze, who is visiting the Turkmen capital.
The Turkmen side briefed its Georgian counterparts on ongoing reforms in higher and general secondary education, the introduction of digital technologies and artificial intelligence into the education process, the development of research activities, and efforts to strengthen links between education, science, industry and the labour market.
The Georgian delegation, in turn, put forward a number of proposals, including opening a branch of one of Georgia’s higher education institutions in Turkmenistan and expanding opportunities for Turkmen students to study at Georgian universities.
It was also proposed to hold an education fair in Turkmenistan with the participation of Georgian universities and to explore opportunities to support and finance joint research projects.
Particular attention was given to the formation of a Turkmen-Georgian working group on cooperation in education.
The group is expected to operate at the level of deputy education ministers of the two countries, consider specific joint initiatives and projects, and coordinate the implementation of agreements reached by the sides. The working group’s first meeting is planned to be held in Turkmenistan as part of the official visit of the Georgian Minister of Education and the delegation he heads.
In the area of youth policy, the sides discussed the possibility of organizing reciprocal summer camps in Turkmenistan and Georgia, expanding student exchanges, holding meetings of young researchers, and implementing joint educational, scientific and innovation projects.
The signed memorandums cover several practical areas of training, including law, engineering, construction, transport and maritime education. In particular, agreements were signed between the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan and the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of Georgia; Magtymguly Turkmen State University and Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University; Yagshygeldi Kakayev International University of Oil and Gas and Georgian Technical University; the Turkmen State Institute of Architecture and Civil Engineering and Georgian Technical University; and the Institute of Engineering, Technical and Transport Communications of Turkmenistan and Batumi State Maritime Academy.