Kaspi Innovations Center Tech Park & Vocational College
On Friday, October 26, Georgia’s Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Giorgi Kobulia, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure Maia Tskitishvili, and Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, Mikheil Batiashvili were in the central Georgian town of Kaspi to visit the site of the new Innovations Center Tech Park and Vocational College. They were accompanied by the Majoritarian MP for the Shida Kartli region, Irakli Mezurnishvili, and selected regional youth.
Kobulia noted that it is important that the services and benefits of the Innovations Center will reach beyond the Kaspi district to the whole region. "The construction of such centers is very important for our country - not only in term of economic development but in general, it is a strong driving force to encourage our young people to gain knowledge, develop, get acquainted with new technologies, and be creative. This greatly facilitates the entire population to find full intellectual realization and to further develop their potential. I think this will greatly contribute to the economic development as well as to the social welfare and human well-being,” said Kobulia.
The Tech Park complex will be constructed in Kaspi by the Municipal Development Fund of the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia. Construction is scheduled to begin in February of next year. Currently, the Ministry is searching for a company to construct the facility – an open tender was announced October 10 and will close on November 9. Constructions plans include a two-story building with educational classroom space, a Fab-Lab offering digital creation and 3D printing services, conference and auxiliary halls, co-working spaces, and support facilities designed for 200 students. The entire Tech Park will be developed for various activities and will include a parking lot and landscaping. The Innovations Center and Tech Park will be fully accessible for people with disabilities. The entire complex will cost an estimated 2,156,093 GEL ($800,034) and is funded by the European Investment Bank.
Describing the process of designed the Tech Park, Tskitishvili said, “We had a very good meeting with the youth of Kaspi Municipality. It is important that both projects, the vocational college and the tech park, will be completed simultaneously, which will enable the youth of Kaspi to study and work in practice too. It means that they will be able to combine professional education with the opportunities that the tech park provides for them. Kaspi Tech Park, as well as Tbilisi Tech Park, provides young people with access to technologies: 3D printers, various machine tool stations and all the equipment which the Tech Park is to be equipped with. The youth will be enabled to participate in grant financing to implement their projects and share information and knowledge of experts. Most importantly – everything will be located in Kaspi and nobody will have to leave for Tbilisi. It will be an educational center for technological education and development that will unite the youth and give them the opportunity to realize their potential completely.”
The vocational college will offer courses based on regionally in-demand professions. The institution will focus on applying new technologies and collaborating with the tech park.
“I am sure that we have great potential in the region to develop th innovative fields. This is the field by means of which we will be able to overcome and decrease employment, especially amongst the youth. I am glad that such a platform is being formed in the Kaspi region and that I am part of it,” said Mezurnishvili.
By Samantha Guthrie
Image source: Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development