Kutaisi International University with the support of the USAID Economic Security Program is implementing a grant project – “Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Solutions for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)”.
On April 15 and 16, Kutaisi International University held a two-day working meeting/training for representatives of the micro, small and medium enterprises involved in the project. Forty-six enterprises were invited to participate in the training. The meeting, which was held in hybrid mode, was opened by Magda Magradze, Chancellor of KIU. She addressed the participants and thanked them for their active participation. She said the project is very important for the development of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
“Two years ago, together with our German partners - Technical University of Munich (TUM) and TUM International GmbH - we elaborated a strategy and action plan to develop the innovation ecosystem. As part of this platform, we held a series of meetings with large companies, donors and international organizations. The purpose of the meetings was to find out what the business needs are in terms of human capital, what challenges it faces and what kind of specialists it needs. We held a series of interesting seminars and workshops. As a result, we set up an industry advisory board. In this context, cooperation with micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) is very important to us. This project also serves this purpose. I would like to thank all the companies involved in the project and I hope that the solutions created by KIU students will be useful for them,” said Magda Magradze, Chancellor of Kutaisi International University.
Guests were also welcomed by project managers Natia Zedginidze and Ramaz Bochorishvili, KIU Faculty Deans, and Natia Vepkhvadze, Human Resources Development Component Manager for the USAID Economic Security Program. The meeting was attended by the KIU academic team involved in the project, academic support staff.
Currently, work on the second component of the project is underway. Component II is based on the research conducted by the students in Component I of the project, based on which 46 companies were selected. As a result of the communication with the companies and their active participation, the students and the ICT project team of trainers identified certain ICT needs that would help the companies to develop their businesses. Based on these needs, the team of highly qualified trainers developed totally free, ICT solutions for enterprises, the implementation of which will also be offered free of charge by the team to the enterprises in the last phase of the project. Companies presented a total of 5 different types of projects and the representatives of the enterprises themselves chose the product that matched their business requirements.
In the next phase of the project the students of Schools of Mathematics and Computer Science will continue working on the products chosen by the companies under the mentoring of a professor and teaching assistants in the course “Scripting languages”.
The project “Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Solutions for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises”, aims to contribute to the economic competitiveness of businesses operating in various fields by equipping them with knowledge and skills in information and communication technologies as well as to offer enterprises innovative e-commerce solutions and approaches tailored directly to their needs.
Kutaisi International University (KIU) welcomed its first intake of students in 2020. The aim of the University is to gradually become the hub of education, science and technology in the region. As a result, Georgia will take a leading position in the international educational and scientific arena.
Currently, KIU offers bachelor's programs in English. In the future the University plans to add professional, master's and doctoral programs.
KIU cooperates with the leading European Technical University of Munich (TUM International GmbH and TUM). The honorary president of Kutaisi International University is the former president of TUM, Professor Wolfgang A. Hermann.
About USAID in Georgia: Over the past 30 years, the American people have invested $1.8 billion through USAID. USAID projects are designed to help Georgia realize the principles of free and developed democracy. USAID provides economic and humanitarian assistance to more than 100 countries. For more information, visit: http://georgia.usaid.gov.
About USAID Economic Security Program: The 5-year, $23 million USAID-funded program is implemented by DAI Global. The program aims to promote the development of non-agricultural sectors that have the potential to create jobs, attract investment and increase income for micro, small and medium enterprises. https://www.facebook.com/EconSecProgram.
