Large-Scale Erasmus+ CBHE Project - DIGITECH Begins at GTU
26-01-2026
A delegation of scientists from the Georgian Technical University participated in the official opening of the Erasmus+ CBHE project DIGITECH and the first international workshop. The project aims use and integrate high-tech knowledge and advanced digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and big data in the process of higher technical education.
The project is funded by the European Union and is planned to be piloted at the GTU Faculty of Transport Systems and Mechanical Engineering, where new courses will be integrated into the educational process, professors and teachers will undergo retraining, and a new laboratory will be equipped. The event, which brought together representatives from higher education institutions and business sectors of Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Slovenia, and Germany, as well as the Georgian Technical University, was hosted by Osh Technological University (OshTU - Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan).
According to the GTU Chancellor and the institutional coordinator of the project, the first working meeting laid the foundation for a three-year international initiative - “Implementation of Innovative Technologies in the Digitalization of Technological Processes and Production” (DIGITECH), which aims to reduce the skills shortage related to the requirements of “Industry 4.0” and to establish a modern industrial education system.
According to Professor Carlo Kopaliani, the project focuses on the integration of digital and innovative technologies into technological processes and production systems. It will contribute to the modernization of higher education programs, strengthening practice-based learning, and increasing compliance with labor market requirements.
As the GTU Chancellor states, within the framework of DIGITECH, special attention is paid to the transformation of industrial education in the Caucasus and Central Asia region, the development of modern digital competencies, and the deepening of cooperation between universities and the industrial sector. The project aims to train specialists who master the key technologies of Industry 4.0, including production digitalization, automation, data analysis, and the implementation of innovative technological solutions, which will significantly strengthen the competitiveness and sustainable economic development of the region.
“Through international cooperation and structured knowledge exchange, DIGITECH creates a sustainable educational framework that ensures students’ relevance to rapidly changing technological and labor market demands. The implementation of the project will significantly increase the employability of graduates and strengthen cooperation between the academic sector and industry, thereby contributing to the sustainable economic development of Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, and Georgia. In this context, the international project DIGITECH purposefully responds to one of the critical challenges of the region - reducing the mismatch between university programs and the rapidly growing demands of the labor market,” says project coordinator Professor Carlo Kopaliani.
One of the key fundamental components of the large-scale Erasmus+ CBHE project DIGITECH is the establishment of “Digital Twins” technology laboratories in the universities participating in the consortium, which will ensure the institutional strengthening of higher education and scientific ecosystems, promote the development of innovative teaching and research infrastructure, and accelerate the integration of academic knowledge into industrial practice.
It is also worth noting that according to the results of the 2025 ERASMUS+ CBHE international competition, three of the 5 winning projects from Georgia are implemented with the participation of the Georgian Technical University. Among them, one project won as a coordinator (ERIC-GE project), and the other two as a partner organization.
The head of the consortium from Georgia is Professor Mariam Razmadze, Deputy Director of the Scientific Research Institute “Techinform” of the Georgian Technical University, the institutional coordinator of the project is Professor Carlo Kopaliani, GTU Chancellor, and the manager is Professor Boris Githolendia, GTU Faculty of Transport Systems and Mechanical Engineering.
The project is funded by the European Union and is planned to be piloted at the GTU Faculty of Transport Systems and Mechanical Engineering, where new courses will be integrated into the educational process, professors and teachers will undergo retraining, and a new laboratory will be equipped. The event, which brought together representatives from higher education institutions and business sectors of Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Slovenia, and Germany, as well as the Georgian Technical University, was hosted by Osh Technological University (OshTU - Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan).
According to the GTU Chancellor and the institutional coordinator of the project, the first working meeting laid the foundation for a three-year international initiative - “Implementation of Innovative Technologies in the Digitalization of Technological Processes and Production” (DIGITECH), which aims to reduce the skills shortage related to the requirements of “Industry 4.0” and to establish a modern industrial education system.
According to Professor Carlo Kopaliani, the project focuses on the integration of digital and innovative technologies into technological processes and production systems. It will contribute to the modernization of higher education programs, strengthening practice-based learning, and increasing compliance with labor market requirements.
As the GTU Chancellor states, within the framework of DIGITECH, special attention is paid to the transformation of industrial education in the Caucasus and Central Asia region, the development of modern digital competencies, and the deepening of cooperation between universities and the industrial sector. The project aims to train specialists who master the key technologies of Industry 4.0, including production digitalization, automation, data analysis, and the implementation of innovative technological solutions, which will significantly strengthen the competitiveness and sustainable economic development of the region.
“Through international cooperation and structured knowledge exchange, DIGITECH creates a sustainable educational framework that ensures students’ relevance to rapidly changing technological and labor market demands. The implementation of the project will significantly increase the employability of graduates and strengthen cooperation between the academic sector and industry, thereby contributing to the sustainable economic development of Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, and Georgia. In this context, the international project DIGITECH purposefully responds to one of the critical challenges of the region - reducing the mismatch between university programs and the rapidly growing demands of the labor market,” says project coordinator Professor Carlo Kopaliani.
One of the key fundamental components of the large-scale Erasmus+ CBHE project DIGITECH is the establishment of “Digital Twins” technology laboratories in the universities participating in the consortium, which will ensure the institutional strengthening of higher education and scientific ecosystems, promote the development of innovative teaching and research infrastructure, and accelerate the integration of academic knowledge into industrial practice.
It is also worth noting that according to the results of the 2025 ERASMUS+ CBHE international competition, three of the 5 winning projects from Georgia are implemented with the participation of the Georgian Technical University. Among them, one project won as a coordinator (ERIC-GE project), and the other two as a partner organization.
The head of the consortium from Georgia is Professor Mariam Razmadze, Deputy Director of the Scientific Research Institute “Techinform” of the Georgian Technical University, the institutional coordinator of the project is Professor Carlo Kopaliani, GTU Chancellor, and the manager is Professor Boris Githolendia, GTU Faculty of Transport Systems and Mechanical Engineering.
