The METEOR project is driven by the need to transform doctoral education to better align with societal challenges and the demands of a rapidly evolving labour market. While the PhD is the highest academic qualification, its traditional focus on individual academic achievement often misses to equip researchers with the transversal skills needed to thrive in interdisciplinary, collaborative, and non-academic environments. METEOR aims to tackle skill mismatches, limited career guidance, and mental health pressures of doctoral students and early career researchers (ECRs). To achieve this, METEOR delivers a comprehensive programme combining evidence-based training with participatory methodologies. The project develops innovative online and offline training resources focusing on transversal skills like teamwork, intercultural competence, communication, and entrepreneurship. Core activities are in-person METEOR Academies (similar to summer schools), online peer mentoring, and creating transdisciplinary research proposals aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, enhancing researcher employability, mental well-being, and societal impact. Project coordinator: Center for Social and Economic Research CASE, Warsaw, Poland More information about the project: https://www.meteorhorizon.eu/

The project HER-UKR: Challenges and opportunities for EU heritage diplomacy in Ukraine will address the role of cultural heritage in the work of the EU’s European External Action Service. A consortium of 15 universities will bring together interdisciplinary expertise on EU foreign policy, Eastern European memory politics and heritage practices. HER-UKR aims to explore the potential of the EU as a values based actor in heritage policies by focusing on three subtopics: EU cultural heritage diplomacy for promoting democracy and European values; conflict prevention with focus on contested heritage; 3protection and reconstruction of heritage.   Project Coordinator: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. More information about the project: https://www.kuleuven.be/her-ukr

Ilia State University, within the framework of the NATO Science for Peace and Security Program,   in collaboration with the MIT Lincoln Laboratory (USA) and National Civil Protection Agency (Albania) is involved in a new project: CACHE: Command and Control for Health and Environmental Security. The overall objective of this project is the development of an innovative end-to-end platform for the rapid and effective management during and after a CB attack with an emphasis on health and environmental security. From Georgian side as project END USER participate Ministry of Internal Affairs Emergency Management Service/CBRNE group.   In scope of CACHE project scientific meetings, seminars will be held. Within the framework of the competition, young scientific scholars will be selected. All activities will take place during two years. This project integrates two previously funded NATO SPS projects: (1) NICS for situational awareness and decision support tool to support response coordination and recovery; (2) REACT - Network for Alerting and Managing Public Safety and Resilience, with monitoring of    atmospheric air pollutant agents.

In 2019, the German Ministry of Education and Science (BMBF) funded a small-scale pilot project to encourage German-Georgian co-operation in biodiversity research. The project was quite successful and the German government offered our German partners to prepare a large- scale project with us, within the framework of which a new research center would be established at Ilia State University and lay the foundation for Caucasian biodiversity barcoding. Biodiversity is a background of the normal functioning of the Earth Ecosystem. Biodiversity global report, prepared by UN in 2019 stated that biodiversity, specifically species diversity declines rapidly, which undermines the sustainability of the environment. For several years, the German Government supports a project called the German Biodiversity of Life (GBOL). This project showed that real species diversity, especially in some insect groups, may exceed several times the diversity so far described by taxonomists. Within our project (the scheme is quite similar to GBOL with some specifics, however) it is planned to study genetic markers of 50,000 insects, snails, birds, mammals, and other animals and plants and aggregating this information in a single database. Student team of Iliauni will conduct a primary determination of collected specimens, and leading zoologists and botanists from all throughout the World will determine thousands of individual species, some of that most likely will be new for science. Importantly, DNA laboratory of Ilia State University will be substantially updated within this project framework, which will be able in future run next-generation sequencing; this is important for treating a high number of individuals and genes simultaneously. Our students will participate in gaining and analyzing genetic data. Project Coordinator: Ilia State University  More information about the project: https://ggbc.eu/

The main objective of the COST Action is to comparatively research and discuss anti-gender politics in Eastern Europe and neighbouring countries through its academic events and to disseminate these findings. It will represent systematic uncovering of how the rise of anti-gender and anti-feminist mobilizations is linked to the decline of democratic norms and structures. Action will promote equality by comparatively examining mechanisms, actors and discourses that oppose it. It will systematically connect researchers and activists with expertise on anti-feminist and anti-gender politics, as well as those who are developing feminist counterstrategies. https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA23149/   To coordinate, activate and energize COST Action, the following targets are set: Broaden and systematize the state of research on countries in the target regions by developing a comparative gender politics perspective to systematically observe and investigate the relationship between anti-gender and anti-feminist mobilizations, the ascent of de-democratizing and authoritarian tendencies, and the decline of democracy in a manner that focuses on comparison between EE and the NME and within these regions. Develop self -reflective, compatible, and/or cohesive and mutually supporting data collection and analysis methods aligned with the developed comparative gender politics perspective to secure the robustness and comparability of the research findings in different contexts. Under this objective, methodological innovation is also targeted. This is necessary to advance the depth and accuracy of comparison. Innovation will be achieved thanks to transdisciplinary character of the network. Establish an international database of resources, bibliographic references, and related publications. Establish an international digital platform to communicate and disseminate the research results in the form of perspective papers/essays, monitoring reports, online tutorials, and policy briefings. Develop strategies for effective public communication and citizen-led democratic deliberation on the topics fuelling anti-gender and anti-feminist mobilizations. A total of four working groups will be established, including colleagues from EE and NME countries, as well as early-career researchers, innovators, and NGOs. Those working groups are: WG1: Revealing the historical, social-political, and economic background conditions WG2: Deciphering the triangle of state, civil society, and anti-gender actors with a focus on politicized religion WG3: Rethinking activism and forms of oppositions with a focus on unexpected allies WG4: Dissemination and outreach activities Keywords: antigender mobilization, anti-feminism, women's rights, democratization, social transformation Co-lead of the working group four (WG4) is PhD candidate of the Ilia State University and the University of Göttingen (Cotutelle), participant of the Lehman-Haupt International doctoral program (LHIDP). (https://internationaldoctoralschool.iliauni.edu.ge/doctorants/kristine-margvelashvili) She is also a member of all other working groups. Managing committee is comprised from the representatives of various institutions and universities across Europe. Such as: Martin-Opitz-Bibliothek, University of Helsinki, University of Belgrade, Metropolitan University of Prague, Comenius University in Bratislava, University of Zagreb, University College Bedër and Herder-Institute for Historical Research on East Central Europe. Project starts on 21st of December 2024 and ends on 20th of December 2028. More information about the project: https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA23149/

Neology is the study of lexical innovation in natural languages, in multiple contexts and over time. Lexical innovation is a massive, permanent and universal phenomenon. From a strictly linguistic point of view, the study of neology “contributes to a better understanding of the lexical system of a given language and its evolution” (Sablayrolles 2019: 7), while from an extralinguistic point of view, “the inventory of neologisms also gives much information about language communities in their material lives and social representations” (ibid.). The key challenges addressed by the network may be summarised thus: Define the core terminology of neology conceived as a discipline through the creation of a born-digital specialised multilingual glossary (none exist currently) in order to facilitate research on an international scale; Adapt digital methodologies and tools to identify and account for lexical innovation; thanks to the involvement of institutions, experts and the general public (crowdsourcing), increase the awareness of lexical creations and their societal implications, foster creativity in mother tongues, clarity in institutional communication and in science;  Carry out comparative studies on lexical innovation in European languages, with a particular focus on borrowings and their equivalents; Provide specific training in neology for translators, editors, journalists, technical writers and teachers through a specific protocol that could be replicated for any European language. Conferences, training schools and short-term scientific missions are also planned in order to achieve the aforementioned goals.  WG1: Multilingual glossary of neology WG2: Methodologies, digital resources and tools for neology WG3: Diachronic and synchronic comparative studies of neology WG4: Training in neology Action keywords Lexical innovation - Lexicography - Terminology - Digital Corpora – Translation Ilia State University Prof.Tinatin Margalitadze has been nominated and appointed as a member of the COST ENEOLI Management Committee. The Action starts on October 6, 2023 with four years of funding and collaboration ending in 2027. Project Coordinator: Ilia State University  More information about the project: COST CA22126

“Connecting Theory and Practical Issues of Migration and Religious Diversity” (COREnet) is an interdisciplinary network that aims at knowledge production, knowledge exchange and capacity building across Europe in the intersection of migration and religious diversity with a particular emphasis on bottom-up research. The background of the network is the pressing social situation that is characterised by the fact that migrants and Syrian war refugees coming to Europe, have become one of the major political issues and social challenges during the past years. Research, capacity building and exchange are important tools to analyse what lies behind these challenges and possible solutions. The network aims thus to contribute to overcoming divisions within and across European countries with the help of innovative approach that would add to existing social scientific knowledge on migration and religious diversity the study of religions and theological insights explaining the narratives of migrants and refugees. Drawing in researchers from all stages of their careers, and across different European countries, training a new generation of interdisciplinary action researchers capable of connecting study of religions and theology and the social sciences, and working that into action through processes of co-production. This network brings the bridging of knowledge with stakeholders – governmental, non-governmental and media organizations working in the field of diversity management on the local and national levels. Action keywords Migration - Religious Diversity - Social cohesion - Refugee crisis - Diversity management and practice Ilia State University Dr. Sophie Zviadadze has been nominated and appointed as a member of the COST COREnet Management Committee. The COST Consortium COREnet programme is coordinated by Vytautas Magnus University, Beder College University, Institute of Ancient Manuscripts "Matenadaran", University of Vienna, University of Vienna, University of Sarajevo, University of Banja Luka, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, University of National and World Economy, Faculty of Law of the University of Zagreb, Frederick University, European University Cyprus, University of West Bohemia, Roskilde University, Estonian, Aademy of Music and Theatre, School of Theology and Religion Studies, University of Helsinki, Ilia State University, Heidelberg University, Goldsmiths, University of London, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki National Centre for Social Research (EKKE), University of Szeged, University of Akureyri, University of Iceland, Maynooth University, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, University of Turin, University of Turin, Daugavpils University, Vytautas Magnus University, Vytautas Magnus University, Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, UKIM, European University, University of Malta, The Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova, VID Specialized University, Western Norway Research Institite, WSB University, Jesuit University Ignatianum, ISCTE - Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), Interdisciplinary Center for Gender Studies (CIEG), UMF IASI Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, “Al. I. Cuza” University of Iasi, The Institute of Ethnography SASA, University of Novi Sad, Institute of Ethnology and Social Anthropology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Inštitut pravnih znanosti, raziskave in razvoj na področju prava Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Uppsala University, University of Fribourg Ankara University, Eskisehir Osmangazi University,University of Oxford The Action starts on October 2, 2021 with four years of funding and collaboration ending in 2025. More information about the project:  https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA20107/#tabs+Name:Description

Efficient access to the constantly growing quantities of data, especially of language data, largely relies on advances in data science. This domain includes natural language processing (NLP), which is currently booming, to the benefit of many end users. However, this optimization-based technological progress poses an important challenge:   accounting for and fostering language diversity. (See. https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA21167/). The UniDive Action takes two original stands on this challenge. Firstly, it aims at embracing both inter- and intra-language diversity, i.e. a diversity understood both in terms of the differences among the existing languages and of the variety of linguistic phenomena exhibited within a language. Secondly, UniDive does not assume that linguistic diversity is to be protected against technological progress but strives for both of these aims jointly, to their mutual benefit. Its approach is to: (i) pursue NLP-applicable universality of terminologies and methodologies, (ii) quantify inter- and intra-linguistic diversity, (iii) boost and coordinate universality- and diversity-driven development of language resources and tools. UniDive builds upon previous experience of European networks and projects which provided a proof of concept for language modelling and processing, unified across many languages but preserving their diversity. The main benefits of the Action will include, on the theoretical side, a better understanding of language universals, and on the practical side, language resources and tools covering, in a unified framework, a bigger variety of language phenomena in a large number of languages, including low-resourced and endangered ones. Action keywords Natural language processing - language universals - diversity - idiosyncrasy - language resources and tools Ilia State University Professor, Dr– Irina Lobzhanidze has been nominated and appointed as a member of the COST UniDive Management Committee. The COST Consortium UniDive programme is coordinated by University of Paris-Saclay (France) with the following members of the management committee: EPOKA UNIVERSITY (Albania), KU Leuven (Belgium), UCLouvain (Belgium), University of Tuzla (Bosnia and Herzegovina), University of East Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Institute of Information and Communication Technologies (Bulgaria), Bulgarian Academy of Sciences(Bulgaria), University of Zagreb (Croatia), Institute of Croatian Language and Linguistics(Croatia), Univerzita Karlova (Czech Republic), Institute of the Estonian Language (Estonia), Institute for Computer Science(Estonia), University of Helsinki(Finland), LIS - Laboratoire d'Informatique et Systèmes (France), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität(Germany), Ilia State University (Georgia), Institute for Language and Speech Processing(Greece), Hungarian Research Centre for Linguistics(Hungary), University of Szeged(Hungary), Data Science Institute(Ireland), Dublin City University(Ireland), Jerusalem College of Technology(Israel), The Open University (Israel), "L'Orientale" University of Naples(Italy), Università degli Studi di Cagliari(Italy), Tilde(Latvia), Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuanian), University of Malta(Malta), Technical University of Moldova(Moldova), Vladimir Andrunachievici Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science(Moldova), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal(Netherlands), Ss. Cyril and Methodius University (North Macedonia), University of Oslo(Norway), University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn(Poland), Institute of Computer Science(Poland), INESC-ID (Portugal), University of Coimbra(Portugal), University of Bucharest (Romania), Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence (Romania), University of Belgrade (Serbia), Institute for Serbian Language SASA(Serbia), Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics(Slovakia), University of Ljubljana(Slovenia), Jožef Stefan Institute (Slovenia), Univerisity of Murcia(Spain), Universidad de Málaga(Spain), Uppsala University (Sweden), University of Zurich(Switzerland), Istanbul Technical University(Turkey), Bogazici University(Turkey), University of Sheffield (United Kingdom), University of Cambridge(United Kingdom). The Action starts on September 23, 2022 with four years of funding and collaboration ending in 2026. More information about the project: COST CA21167

The European Green Deal directives endorse the development of new renewable energy concepts using non-toxic materials with low environmental impact and low greenhouse gas emissions. To meet this goal, RENEW-PV brings together leading and pioneering academic and industry researchers from across Europe and worldwide, targeting to pool current and stimulate further research development and deployment of emerging inorganic chalcogenide thin-film solar cell and other PV technologies. THE ACTION AIMS to create a research and innovation-networking environment that will allow exploiting the high stability, low environmental impact, low carbon footprint, and high technological flexibility potential of emerging inorganic chalcogenide PV technologies. RENEW-PV seeks to consolidate and strengthen the emerging PV ecosystem, providing generation and exchange of knowledge, enhancing creativity and collaboration. It will deliver a portfolio of technological benchmarking to establish performance indicators defining a technological roadmap for the development of a new type of solar cells technology capable of producing higher power densities, and with a wider application range than traditional Si-based solar cells. The challenge to overcome is to bridge the knowledge gaps between different research groups focused on materials and device modeling, thin-film materials and processes development, solar cells engineering, and material and device characterization. RENEW-PV Action will promote research excellence and foster the career development of early-career researchers and doctoral students (following the gender balance principles) through networking, training, mentoring, and integration into PV research collaborations, contributing to jobs creation and re-industrialization of Europe in a low-carbon economy and green society. Ilia State University Professor – Avtandil Tavkhelidze has been nominated and appointed as a member of the COST RENEW-PV Management Committee and will participate in the action as a researcher in one of the seven working groups. The COST Consortium RENEW-PV programme is coordinated by Tallinn University of Technology (Estonia) with the following members of the management committee: Vienna University of Technology (Austria), Central Laboratory of Solar Energy and New Energy Sources (Bulgaria), Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (Bulgaria), Institut Rudjer Boskovic (Croatia), University of Cyprus (Cyprus), Ilia State University (Georgia), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (Germany), Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (Germany), Holon Institute of Technology (HIT) (Israel), University of Verona (Italy), Institute of Solid State Physics of University of Latvia (Latvia), Center for Physical Sciences and Technology (Lithuania), University of Luxembourg (Luxembourg), University Ss. Cyril and Methodius (North Macedonia), Wroclaw University of Science and Technology (Poland), Lodz University of Technology (Poland), Universidade de Aveiro (Portugal), Faculty of Sciences and Technology DCM-FCT-UNL (Portugal), Vinca Institute of Nuclear Sciences (Serbia), Univerza v Ljubljani (Slovenia), IREC: Catalonia Institute for Energy Research (Spain), National Renewable Energy Center (Spain), Uppsala University (Sweden), University of Liverpool (UK), and University of York (UK) The Action starts on October 6, 2022 with four years of funding and collaboration ending in 2026. More information about the project: COST CA21148

Project is a four-year (2024–2028) research and capacity-strengthening programme that supports Georgia’s national efforts to modernise its primary health care (PHC) system and address the growing burden of chronic diseases. Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the UK Department of Health and Social Care, the project aims to generate actionable evidence for policymakers, practitioners, and global health partners. ChangePHC uses a mixed method, participatory approach to assess how PHC reform affects patients, providers, facility managers, and decision-makers across Georgia. Through surveys, interviews, and national data analysis, the project explores issues of access, equity, and financial protection in PHC. Project aim is to (i) understand the performance and consequences of Georgia’s planned PHC reform across different regions and health system levels, and the likelihood of any changes being sustained; and, (ii) significantly strengthen Health Policy and Systems Research (HPSR) capacity in Georgia and the wider eastern European region. We will focus on three key NCDs targeted by the Project coordinator: Curatio International Foundation

In partnership with Yale University, Ilia State University implements the project "Introducing Biostatistics Teaching into Applied Science Fogarty Training Program (GIFT)" project funded by the US National Institutes of Health, Fogarty International Center. A graduate training program in biostatistics aimed at addressing public health issues in the region. With a focus on HIV and opioid use disorder implementation science methods and analysis, GIFT strives to train the first generation of biostatisticians in the area and establish a cohort of academics to further the field of biostatistics. Through a hybrid program between Yale University and Ilia State University, we plan to train 4 existing public health faculty and 6 doctoral students. Funding will also be provided for the execution of their own implementation methods and biostatistics research projects. In addition, GIFT will conduct a summer short-courses in Biostatistics and Methods Implementation Science Boot Camps. Project Coordinator: Yale University Funding Agency: Fogarty International Center/NIH/DHHS