CORE Academy and Georgian Technical University (GTU) have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation in Tbilisi to strengthen joint research, academic exchange and collaboration through the International Eurasian Laboratory (IEL). The partnership brings together GTU’s expertise in engineering and the sciences with CORE Academy’s international network of scholars and research institutions.

The memorandum was signed on 21 September by Professor Di Zhang, President of CORE Academy, and Professor Tamar Lominadze, Vice-Rector of GTU, during a visit by a CORE Academy delegation. Professor Zhang, a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chair Professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, highlighted opportunities to establish lasting research partnerships, particularly in advanced materials.

Discussions with representatives of GTU’s faculties, research institutes and scientific centres focused on shared research interests and prospects for collaboration. Presentations spanned the natural sciences and engineering, including materials science, mineral resources, biomedical research and artificial intelligence. Both sides explored joint funding applications, scientific meetings and opportunities for early-career researchers to participate in international projects.

Priority areas under the memorandum include advanced materials and intelligent manufacturing, renewable and low-carbon energy, electrical engineering, artificial intelligence and computational science, and earth and environmental sciences. Cooperation will also encompass interdisciplinary research in science, technology and innovation policy, the digital economy and AI governance.

GTU will join the CORE Global Partnership Network as an institutional partner and participate in collaborative activities through the IEL. Institutional coordinators will facilitate connections between departments and research teams and support the development of joint projects. As cooperation develops, the partners will explore opportunities to establish joint laboratories, research centres or IEL nodes, taking account of research priorities and available resources.

Jointly initiated by CORE Academy, more than a dozen distinguished Eurasian scholars and partner research institutions, the IEL is an open, distributed and multidisciplinary platform for international research cooperation. It connects researchers across Eurasia and beyond to advance knowledge, support technological innovation and address shared challenges.

With roots dating to 1922, GTU brings a century-long tradition of engineering education and a broad research base spanning technology, the natural sciences, and the humanities and social sciences. Its participation will strengthen the IEL’s engagement with Georgia’s research community and broaden opportunities for collaboration across disciplines.

Through this partnership, CORE Academy and GTU aim to turn shared research interests into sustained collaboration, expand opportunities for young scholars and connect fundamental research with practical applications. Their cooperation reflects a shared commitment to advancing knowledge across borders and applying it to industrial innovation and sustainable development.