!!Academia Europaea launches Tbilisi Knowledge Hub

On 24th April 2019, Academia Europaea officially launched a new Knowledge Hub at Tbilisi State University in Georgia. The Tbilisi Knowledge Hub is the fifth regional hub of the Academy with other hubs placed in Barcelona, Bergen, Cardiff and Wroclaw.
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The aim of the Tbilisi Knowledge Hube is to improve the access and use of European scientific achievements for the national and regional policy-making, to promote education, science and scientific research through collaboration with leading international agencies.
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The collaboration agreement between Academia Europaea and Tbilisi State University was signed by the President of Academia Europaea, __[Sierd Cloetingh|Member/Cloetingh_Sierd] MAE__, and by the Rector of Tbilisi State University, __[George Sharvashidze|Member/Sharvashidze_George]__ MAE.
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[{Image src='79_small.jpg' caption='Rector of Tbilisi State University, George Sharvashidze and President of Academia Europaea, Sierd Cloetingh' height='300' alt='Rector of Tbilisi State University, George Sharvashidze and President of Academia Europaea, Sierd Cloetingh' align='center'}]
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The Tbilisi Knowledge Hub was launched in the presence of the Prime Minister of Georgia, the honorouble __Mamuka Bakhtadze__ who stated:
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“''Education is the shortest way to freedom and overcoming every challenge facing Georgia. Within this idea of national importance, Georgia assumes responsibility to invest 6% of GDP- quarter of the budget, in fact- in education over the course of the next decade. It is our message to our friends, our attitude and resolve.''”
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[{Image src='33_small.jpg' caption='Prime Minister of Georgia, the honorouble Mamuka Bakhtadze' height='300' alt='Prime Minister of Georgia, the honorouble Mamuka Bakhtadze' align='center'}]
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The Prime Minister also stressed Georgia’s aspirations to become the leader of the region and noted that the launch of the Tbilisi Knowledge Hub is a major step towards the return of Georgia to the European family.
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![AE Tbilisi Knowledge Hub: Priorities and Plans|TBILISI_HUB.pdf], by __David Prangishvili__, academic director
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[{Image src='84_small.jpg' caption='Rector of Tbilisi State University, George Sharvashidze and President of Academia Europaea, Sierd Cloetingh' height='300' alt='Rector of Tbilisi State University, George Sharvashidze and President of Academia Europaea, Sierd Cloetingh'}]
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[{Image src='20_small.jpg' caption='Prime Minister, Mr. Mamuka Bakhtadze addressing the AE Board members, delegation, representatives of Georgian authorities, Academia, the diplomatic corps and the whole audience during welcome speech on the AE Tbilisi Knowledge Hub opening ceremony at TSU' height='300' alt='Prime Minister, Mr. Mamuka Bakhtadze addressing the AE Board members, delegation, representatives of Georgian authorities, Academia, the diplomatic corps and the whole audience during welcome speech on the AE Tbilisi Knowledge Hub opening ceremony at TSU'}]
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[{Image src='66_small.jpg' caption='President of Academia Europaea Sierd Cloetingh' height='300' alt='President of Academia Europaea Sierd Cloetingh'}]
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[{Image src='5_small.jpg' caption='Prof. George Sharvashidze, the Rector of TSU, MAE and the member of the AE TKH Scientific Board, addressing the AE Board members, delegation, representatives of Georgian authorities, Academia, the diplomatic corps and the whole audience during welcome speech on the AE Tbilisi Knowledge Hub opening ceremony at TSU' height='300' alt='Prof. George Sharvashidze, the Rector of TSU, MAE and the member of the AE TKH Scientific Board, addressing the AE Board members, delegation, representatives of Georgian authorities, Academia, the diplomatic corps and the whole audience during welcome speech on the AE Tbilisi Knowledge Hub opening ceremony at TSU'}]
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[{Image src='37_small.jpg' caption='Ms. Nata Asatiani, the representative of PR Department of TSU and Master of the Hub opening ceremony' height='300' alt='Ms. Nata Asatiani, the representative of PR Department of TSU and Master of the Hub opening ceremony'}]
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[{Image src='40_small.jpg' caption='Ms. Irina Abuladze, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports during her welcome speech' height='300' alt='Ms. Irina Abuladze, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sports during her welcome speech'}]
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[{Image src='69_small.jpg' caption='Prof. David Prangishvili, The Academic Director of AE Tbilisi Knowledge Hub, MAE, addressing the AE Board members, delegation, representatives of Georgian authorities, Academia, the diplomatic corps and the whole audience during welcome speech on the AE Tbilisi Knowledge Hub opening ceremony at TSU' height='300' alt='Prof. David Prangishvili, The Academic Director of AE Tbilisi Knowledge Hub, MAE, addressing the AE Board members, delegation, representatives of Georgian authorities, Academia, the diplomatic corps and the whole audience during welcome speech on the AE Tbilisi Knowledge Hub opening ceremony at TSU'}]
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[{Image src='73_small.jpg' caption='Prof. Roin Metreveli, Vice-President of Georgian National Academy of Science during welcome speech' height='300' alt='Prof. Roin Metreveli, Vice-President of Georgian National Academy of Science during welcome speech'}]
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The first event organized by the Tbilisi Hub, an AE Thematic Workshop, took place on 25th April. Following a comprehensive account of the achievements of Tbilisi State University by the Rector, there were sessions on Research Policy & Networking as well as presentations on the activities of the Barcelona and Cardiff Hubs and the plans for the new Tbilisi Hub.
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The Academic Directors of the Cardiff Hub ([Ole Petersen|Member/Petersen_Ole] MAE FRS), the Barcelona Hub ([Ricardo Guerrero|Member/Guerrero_Ricard] MAE) and the Tbilisi Hub ([David Prangishvili|Member/Prangishvili_David] MAE) presented achievements and plans for their hubs at this workshop. Ole Petersen also gave an account of the role of SAPEA in the European Commission’s Science Advice Mechanism. Sierd Cloetingh gave a talk on the work of the COST Association, as the current President of this organisation, and [Eva Kondorosi|Member/Kondorosi_Éva] MAE spoke about the work of the ERC. The Chair of the Young Academy of Europe, Mangala Srinivas, presented the Young Academy to the audience at Tbilisi State University.
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