The aim of Kutaisi International University (KIU) is to gradually develop into a hub of innovations and technology in the region. The University’s mission is to build human capital that will support development of innovations and new technologies. The students of KIU will be equipped with the skills that will meet labor market demand. The KIU curriculum provides opportunities to its students to enroll in internship programs developed and implemented in support with the private sector and employers.
Boosting innovations and supporting entrepreneurship in the region will be achieved through a cluster hub that KIU is developing in the future. KIU’s innovation ecosystem supporting activities are aimed to:
• Provide structural support of innovations by nurturing start-ups
• Foster long term value creation to generate future businesses
• Inspire corporate culture
KIU through its entrepreneurial strategy and activities covering research, training and tech transfer aims to contribute to the establishment of a sustainable innovation ecosystem in Georgia and the wider region through the connection of people, disciplines, organizations and sectors.
In 2021, KIU has established KIUInnovate – innovations ecosystem platform that aims to support KIU’s engagement with industry.
KIU Innovate covers three directions:
• KIU’s Industry Advisory Council – This high-level advisory council advises KIU on how to successfully engage industry and become a hub of innovations and technology in the region. The council members are representatives of chambers of commerce, business associations and industry leaders.
• KIU Corporate Partners – industry and government entities that are interested to partner with KIU on concrete projects and have partnership ideas that are mutually beneficial and on shared goals. If you are interested in becoming KIU’s Corporate Partner, please contact us at innovate@kiu.edu.ge for details.
• Innovation Ecosystem Platform – aims to support KIU students and graduates’ start-ups, organize technology transfers, create business incubator and implement other projects and activities promoting innovations.
KIUInnovate Business Forums
KIU's vision is to become the university innovation hub of the Caucasus region and beyond. For an aspiring university like KIU it is very important to cooperate not only with academic partners, but also with partners from industry and to be embedded in an Innovation Ecosystem. The aim is to stimulate knowledge and technology transfer between businesses and KIU and to establish a clear and strong communication line between them – like its role model the Technical University of Munich (TUM). This will not only promote an innovative atmosphere in KIU but will also add value to the whole Kutaisi region. This is accompanied by activities to create an entrepreneurial spirit among students.
Within the KIUInnovate platform KIU organizes annual business forums. The forum serves as a unique platform for establishing academia and industry relations between national and foreign stakeholders and will create new growth trajectories in the dynamically developing market of Georgia.
2023 KIUInnovate Business Forum
2022 KIUInnovate Business Forum
