Public Lecture “Immune Evasion Strategies by Viruses” by Philip M. Murphy
2024-11-22 18:00 - 19:00 (Asia/Dubai)
On November 22, at 18:00, in Auditorium T102 at Ilia State University, Philip M. Murphy, Chief of the Laboratory of Molecular Immunology (LMI) at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, will give a public lecture “Immune Evasion Strategies by Viruses.”
This lecture will explore the diverse mechanisms viruses use to avoid and survive detection by the immune system, focusing on human pathogens of clinical importance.
About the Speaker
Philip Murphy is a Senior Investigator and Chief of the Laboratory of Molecular Immunology (LMI) at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda.
Dr. Murphy studies WHIM syndrome, a rare primary immunodeficiency disorder caused by mutations in the chemokine receptor CXCR4, in an attempt to better understand pathogenesis
and to develop both drug treatment and genetic cure strategies. He has published over 300 peer-reviewed articles, mostly on basic, translational, and clinical studies related to immunoregulation and infectious disease. He has received numerous patents and awards, including the NIAID Mentor of the Year Award, the NIH Director’s Award (twice), the Pillars of Immunology Award from the Journal of Immunology, and both the Dolph Adams Award and the Bonazinga Award from the Society of Leukocyte Biology.
Dr. Murphy has had two papers selected as Classics by Science magazine. He is a member of the Association of American Physicians, the American Society for Clinical Investigation, the American Society of Microbiology, the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and the Henry Kunkel Society.
Working Language: English
Date and Time: November 22, 18:00
Location: Ilia State University, Auditorium T102, 3/5 Cholokashvili Avenue
Everyone is welcome to attend.

Workshop "Applying Photogrammetry Method in Historical Heritage Studies"
2024-11-27 17:00 - 18:00
On November 27, Ilia State University will host an international workshop titled “Applying Photogrammetry Method in Historical Heritage Studies” as part of the research project ‘Interdisciplinary Research and Documentation of the Architectural Heritage of Uznadze Street in Tbilisi’ (FR-23-6740) funded by the Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation.
The project comprises archival, artistic, and field studies, including the measurement and documentation of buildings. Photogrammetry, which was selected as the primary technique for the research, allows for the creation of architectural documentation (drawings) through the capture and post-processing of photographic images using specialized software.
Italian colleagues from the Institute of Heritage Science (Istituto di Scienze del Patrimonio Culturale) possess a wealth of experience in this direction. One of the leading experts of the institute, Daniele Ferdani, with whom the Georgian counterparts have maintained a long-standing collaboration, will share his expertise with his colleagues. The event aims to examine worldwide experience and practices, facilitate information exchange between Georgian and Italian scientists and promote the use of the photogrammetry method.
The workshop participants will include:
Daniele Ferdani, National Research Council, Institute of Heritage Science (Rome);
Giorgi Partskhaladze, Ilia State University;
Ekaterine Kiknadze, Theatre and Film State University;
Davit Nioradze, Publishing House “Artanuji,” PhD student at Tbilisi State Academy of Art;
Tatia Ghvineria, International Black Sea University, PhD student at Tbilisi State Academy of Art.
Join Zoom Meeting

https://iliauni-edu-ge.zoom.us/j/85655689655?pwd=[REDACTED]

Meeting ID: 856 5568 9655
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Date: November 27, 17:00
Location: F303 Lecture Hall, Ilia State University, 3/5 K. Cholokashvili Ave.
Everyone interested is welcome.

Workshop "Applying Photogrammetry Method in Historical Heritage Studies"
2024-11-27 17:00 - 2024-11-28 18:00
On November 27, Ilia State University will host an international workshop titled “Applying Photogrammetry Method in Historical Heritage Studies” as part of the research project ‘Interdisciplinary Research and Documentation of the Architectural Heritage of Uznadze Street in Tbilisi’ (FR-23-6740) funded by the Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation.
The project comprises archival, artistic, and field studies, including the measurement and documentation of buildings. Photogrammetry, which was selected as the primary technique for the research, allows for the creation of architectural documentation (drawings) through the capture and post-processing of photographic images using specialized software.
Italian colleagues from the Institute of Heritage Science (Istituto di Scienze del Patrimonio Culturale) possess a wealth of experience in this direction. One of the leading experts of the institute, Daniele Ferdani, with whom the Georgian counterparts have maintained a long-standing collaboration, will share his expertise with his colleagues. The event aims to examine worldwide experience and practices, facilitate information exchange between Georgian and Italian scientists and promote the use of the photogrammetry method.
The workshop participants will include:
Daniele Ferdani, National Research Council, Institute of Heritage Science (Rome);
Giorgi Partskhaladze, Ilia State University;
Ekaterine Kiknadze, Theatre and Film State University;
Davit Nioradze, Publishing House “Artanuji,” PhD student at Tbilisi State Academy of Art;
Tatia Ghvineria, International Black Sea University, PhD student at Tbilisi State Academy of Art.
Date: November 27, 17:00
Location: F303 Lecture Hall, Ilia State University, 3/5 K. Cholokashvili Ave.
Everyone interested is welcome.

Transparent Conductive Oxide Thin Film and Its Applications in Lasers – Public Lecture by Yuanan Zhao
2024-11-29 16:00 - 17:00
On November 29, at 16:00, in Auditorium T102 at Ilia State University (ISU), Yuanan Zhao, a professor at Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, will deliver a seminar titled “Transparent Conductive Oxide Thin Film and Its Applications in Lasers.”
Organized by Avtandil Tavkhelidze, a professor of the School of Technology, the visit of a group of Chinese scientists to ISU at the end of November aims to foster closer ties with Iliauni’s research staff, explore the university’s laboratories, and deepen cooperation between the institutions.
Working Language: English
Date/Time: November 29, 16:00
Location: Ilia State University, Auditorium T102, 3/5 K. Cholokashvili Ave.
Everyone is welcome to attend.

Marking 100 Years Since the 1924 Uprising − Panel Discussion Featuring Professors
2024-12-13 16:00 - 17:00
On December 13, at 16:00, a panel discussion marking the 100th anniversary of the 1924 Uprising will be held at the Book House Ligamus. The event is organized by the Master’s Program in Modern History of Georgia at Ilia State University.
The opening will be delivered by Ilia State University Rector, Professor Nino Doborjginidze.
The moderator will be Stephen Jones, professor at Ilia State University and co-supervisor of the Master’s Program in Modern History of Georgia.
Participants in the discussion include:

Beka Kobakhidze, Professor at Ilia State University, co-supervisor of the Master’s Program in Modern History of Georgia;
Timothy Blauvelt, Professor at Ilia State University;
Dimitri Shvelidze and Mikheil Bakhtadze, Associate Professors at Tbilisi State University.

Working languages: Georgian, English
Date/Time: December 13, 16:00
Location: Book House Ligamus, 32 Ilia Chavchavadze Ave.
Everyone is welcome to attend.

International Conference “The Middle East and the Caucasus: Culture, History, Politics”
2024-12-19 10:00 - 2024-12-21 18:00
On December 19, at 10:00 a.m., the International Conference “The Middle East and the Caucasus: Culture, History, Politics,” organized by the Giorgi Tsereteli Institute of Oriental Studies, will open in Auditorium T102 at Ilia State University. The event is dedicated to the 120th anniversary of the birth of Academician Giorgi Tsereteli and the 95th anniversary of the birth of Academician Tamaz Gamkrelidze. The conference will be conducted on December 20 and 21.
On December 22, a roundtable will also be held to discuss the results of the first year of the project “Perception of Georgia and Armenia in Western and Eastern Sources (Middle Ages and Early Modern Period)” (FR-23-10274-1), supported by the Shota Rustaveli National Scientific Foundation.
On December 22-23, a final international conference of the project “Ethnoreligious Mosaics of Tbilisi (1801-1921)” (FR-21-8081), supported by the Shota Rustaveli National Scientific Foundation, will take place.
Conference languages: Georgian and English
Date/Time: December 19-21, 10:00 a.m.
Location:

December 19 – Auditorium T102;
December 20-21 – Auditorium S201-202

Everyone is welcome to attend.

Marking 100 Years Since the 1924 Uprising − Student Panel Discussion
2025-01-08 19:00 - 20:00
On January 8, at 19:00, a student panel discussion marking the 100th anniversary of the 1924 Uprising will be held at the Book House Ligamus. The event is organized by the Master’s Program in Modern History of Georgia at Ilia State University.
The opening will be delivered by Ilia State University Rector, Professor Nino Doborjginidze.
The moderator will be Alexander Mikaberidze, a professor at Louisiana State University and a visiting lecturer in the Master’s Program in Modern History of Georgia at Ilia State University.
Participants in the discussion include:

Giorgi Chkadua, graduate of the Master’s Program in Modern History of Georgia at Ilia State University, PhD student at Iliauni;
Ninutsa Zakalashvili, graduate of the Master’s Program in Modern History of Georgia at Ilia State University, master’s student at the University of Glasgow;
Ketevan Akhobadze, student of the Master’s Program in Modern History of Georgia at Ilia State University;
Mariam Chincharauli, PhD student at Tbilisi State University.

Working languages Georgian
Date/Time: January 8, 19:00
Location: Book House Ligamus, 32 Ilia Chavchavadze Ave.
Everyone is welcome to attend.

Public defense of the dissertation by doctoral student Ivane Lomidze
2025-01-14 13:00 - 14:00
Public defense of the doctoral dissertation “Liberal Realism: Politics of Difference beyond Universalist-Contextualist Debate” by the doctoral student of the doctoral programme Philosophy, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Ilia State University, Ivane Lomidze, will be held on January 14, at 13:00, under the Cotutelle Agreement between University of Münster (Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster) and Ilia State University.
The joint project gives the doctoral student an opportunity to defend a dissertation based on the cotutelle principle and obtain a double doctoral degree and diplomas from both universities.
The dissertation examines the problem of difference in democratic theory, critiquing liberalism’s universalism and realism’s inability to normatively adjudicate differences. Building on moral particularism’s meta-ethical insights on practical rationality, it introduces the idea of “particularist political principles”, addressing the limitations of both liberalism and realism and offering an alternative framework − liberal realism − that enables the politics of representing difference in contemporary democratic societies characterized by deep pluralism.
Supervisor from the University of Münster: Professor Thomas Gutmann
Supervisor from Ilia State University: Professor Giga Zedania
Working language: English
Time: January 14; 13:00
Venue: Ilia State University, S800, 3 G. Tsereteli str.

Fully Funded Master’s Programs at Korea University
2025-01-20 11:30 - 12:30
Korea University in Seoul is pleased to announce the opening of applications for the SK Global Scholarship Program (Fall 2025), offering full funding for master’s degrees in Information Technology/Artificial Intelligence, Electronic Engineering, and Physics.
In this regard, Korea University representatives will host an informative session for students at Ilia State University. The meeting will take place on January 20 at 11:30 AM in Auditorium G106.
For detailed information on the program’s requirements and conditions, please refer to the attached appendix.

Students’ life in Korea
2025-01-24 17:00 - 18:00
On January 24th, at 5:00 PM, in auditorium G106 of Ilia State University, a public lecture by Inha University’s student, Lee Youngmin (Youngmin Lee), will be held, organised by Ilia University’s Korean Culture Club. During the public lecture, the spiker will be talking about: his experience as a student in Korea, the characteristics of the Korean University system, student clubs and student projects in Korea. He will also talk about the challenges Korean students encounter during the studying period.
Location: Ilia State University, Auditorium G106, G.Tsereteli N3

AWS 2024 re:Invent re:Cap
2025-02-28 16:00 - 20:30
Join us for a day of cloud computing insights at the AWS re:Invent re:Cap in Tbilisi. This event brings you the essence of the world’s largest cloud conference, featuring the most impactful announcements, innovations, and insights from our 2024 Las Vegas event. Explore most recent developments in areas like AI/ML, generative AI, analytics, security, and industry-specific cloud solutions. Network with fellow cloud enthusiasts and engage directly with AWS technical representatives. Learn from those at the forefront of cloud innovation and gain practical knowledge to elevate your own projects.
Date: February of 28th
Time: 2025 16:00 (UTC+4)
Register Here: https://forms.gle/tu2aS9zHvBn6rfY86
Venue: Georgia, Tbilisi, Ilia State University, Building T, Auditorium T102 1st floor
(https://maps.app.goo.gl/mNUWofjUMeZDbHox5)
Agenda:
16:00 – 17:00 | Doors Opens
17:00 – 17:15 | Welcome Notes
17:15 – 18:00 | Securing Infrastructure with AWS Shield&WAF – Giorgi Semenikhin @TBC
18:00 – 18:15 | Coffee Break
18:15 – 19:45 | AWS re:Invent re:Cap – Viktor Vedmich and Alexandr Bernadskiy @AWS
19:45 – 20:30 | TCP Networking with Community
Why Attend AWS Community Meetup?
Unlock the Potential of AWS: Explore the latest innovations, best practices, and case studies that will empower your organization to thrive in the cloud.
Connect with Experts: Engage with AWS experts, solution architects, and partners to get answers to your toughest questions and learn about AWS services.Networking Opportunities: Connect with fellow cloud enthusiasts, exchange ideas, and expand your professional network.

Tbilisi AI Meetups at Ilia State University
2025-03-15 14:00 - 16:00
On March 15, Ilia State University will host an event as part of Tbilisi AI Meetups: “Implementation of Transformer Architecture in PyTorch”.
Speaker: Malkhaz Suladze
Agenda:

Key innovations of the Transformer architecture compared to RNNs and LSTMs
The role of self-attention, positional encoding, and residual connections
How multi-head attention is interpreted through Anthropic’s 0-layer and 1-layer theory
Hands-on implementation: writing multi-head self-attention and building the Transformer Encoder-Decoder from scratch using PyTorch

Working language: English
Register Here: https://lu.ma/wsk6ddc1
Date & Time: Saturday, March 15, 14:00
Location: Ilia State University, T Building, Auditorium N102, 3/5 K. Cholokashvili Ave.

Alumni Talks – Civil Solidarity Before the Soviet Occupation
2025-03-26 11:00 - 12:00
On March 26 at 11:00, the Alumni Development Network and SovLab present a lecture from the Alumni Meeting Series – “Civil Solidarity Before the Soviet Occupation”.
Speaker: Badri Okujava
Date & Time: March 26, 11:00
About the Lecture: “Civil Solidarity Before the Soviet Occupation”
The discussion will focus on examples of philanthropy and civil solidarity in the 1890s, highlighting the unique culture of public support and solidarity in Georgia before the Soviet Russian occupation, involving thousands of people.
The lecture will be conducted in Georgian.
Attendance / Location
Please note that seating is limited for this lecture. If you wish to attend, please follow the registration link below:
https://forms.gle/9tARxDNjq59BeuVc9
Registered participants will receive the venue details via a personal message.

A Public Lecture by Professor Paul Salkovskis
2025-03-28 17:00 - 18:00
Professor Paul Salkovskis, a renowned Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy expert, will deliver a public lecture on current issues in modern Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy at Ilia State University, Hall G106, on March 28th at 17:00.
Professor Paul Salkovskis, Director of the Oxford Centre for Psychological Health, also leads the Clinical Psychology Course and serves as the Editor of the BABCP journal, “Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy”. https://oxicptr.web.ox.ac.uk/people/professor-paul-salkovskis
The meeting will be moderated by Ketevan Tchanturia, a Clinical Psychology Professor at King’s College London and Ilia State University. https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/kate.tchanturia.html; www.peacepathway.org
Working language: English
Date/Time: March 28, 17:00
Location: Ilia State University Hall G106, N1 G. Tsereteli St.
Everyone interested is welcome to attend.

Meet the Austrians, meet the Georgians: Business, Communication and Culture - what are we talking about? An interactive Workshop
2025-04-11 19:00 - 21:00
About the workshop

What characterizes business today in Austria and Georgia?
Which impacts do international settings have on business?
How is business affected by cultural differences?
What has to be considered when engaging in intercultural exchange in a corporate context?
What’s an Austrian working style, what do young professionals think in Georgia?

Interactive Workshop
About the Speaker
Alexander Burka, Prof. PhD. M.A
Professor for international Business Communication at the University of Applied Sciences Burgenland, Austria. Courses on international competencies, intercultural management and Russian as foreign language.
More than 25 years professional experience in various fields of activity in more than 60 countries worldwide for international organisations and enterprises.
Time: 11 April, 19:00

Conference “Psychotherapy Method: Mythodrama”
2025-04-24 13:00 - 14:00
On April 24, Ilia State University’s Child Development Institute, the Georgian-Swiss project ‘Nergi,’ and the Georgian Association of Analytical Psychology will host a concluding conference titled “Psychotherapy Method: Mythodrama.”
Allan Guggenbühl – the creator of the Mythodrama method, Director of the Institute for Conflict Management and Mythodrama in Zürich, and Professor at the University of Education of the State of Zürich – will participate in the conference.
Since 2009, Ilia State University has collaborated with the Educational Counseling Center of the State of Bern (Switzerland) and its department for group psychotherapy for children and adolescents. As part of the Georgian-Swiss project “Nergi,” launched by Lela Ksovrelashvili-Schmid and David Schmid, psychological support has been provided to diverse groups of children and adolescents throughout Georgia.
The approach is primarily based on Professor Allan Guggenbühl’s Mythodrama method, which uniquely integrates core elements from the work of renowned psychotherapy pioneers (Jung, Moreno).
The method has been implemented in several European and Asian countries. Its effectiveness is confirmed by the assessment tools specifically designed for it.
The conference will feature presentations prepared within the “Nergi” project, showcasing the practices of psychotherapists.
See the detailed agenda at the following link.
To register, follow the link: https://forms.gle/esySY6F6XhceBewP7
Date/Time: April 24, 13:00 (conference opening)
Location: Book House Ligamus, 32 Ilia Chavchavadze Ave.
Everyone interested is welcome to attend. (Please note that seating is limited.)

Falling Walls Lab Georgia 2025 Info Session
2025-04-25 15:00 - 17:00
On May 31, a local competition in Tbilisi will provide a platform for students and PhD students – Georgian and international talents – to present innovative ideas. The winner gets to attend the global Falling Walls Science Summit in Berlin!
This platform offers participants the opportunity to present their ideas on an international stage in Berlin, learn how to craft a winning 3-minute pitch, and connect with leading scientists, entrepreneurs and thinkers.
To register, please visit: https://falling-walls.com/falling-walls-lab-georgia-0
Registration deadline: May 12, 2025
On April 25, at 15:00, at Ilia State University’s G106 Conference Hall, an info session for the Falling Walls Lab Georgia 2025 will take place. The audience will receive information about the competition, the application process, eligibility criteria, and the benefits of participating.
To register for the info session, please complete the following form
https://fb.me/e/4TtJxQqBH
Contact: anika.freese@daad-lektorat.de
Working Languages: Georgian and English
Date & Time: April 25, 15:00
Location: Ilia State University, G106 Conference Hall, 1. G. Tsereteli St.

"Feminist Democracy: Reconstruction of Autonomy, Identity and Citizenship" - PhD Dissertation Defense by Aia Beraia
2025-04-29 10:00 - 12:00
Public defense of the doctoral dissertation “Feminist Democracy: Reconstruction of Autonomy, Identity and Citizenship” by the doctoral student of the doctoral programme Philosophy, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Ilia State University, Aia Beraia, will be held on April 29, at 10:00, under the Cotutelle Agreement between University of Münster (Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster) and Ilia State University.
The joint project gives the doctoral student an opportunity to defend a dissertation based on the cotutelle principle and obtain a double doctoral degree and diplomas from both universities.
The project aims to offer the new model of democracy through reconstructing several foundations of actual liberal democracies. There are various symptoms that liberal democracy is in crisis – among them are the decline of electoral participation, the rise of far-right movements and the strengthening of illiberal regimes. As a response to this global crisis, the author proposes ‘feminist democracy’ – the model which is constructed by looking into the theoretical flaws and weaknesses of normative liberal theory, the foundational ideas of liberal democracy, and offers their reconstruction in feminist terms. Following this aim, the objectives are to reconstruct the ideas of autonomy, identity and citizenship. Thus, the research aims to create a normative theory of democracy. The proposed normative theoretical framework of the dissertation consists of the ideas of relational autonomy and collective autonomy, ‘identity’ as an ethical- normative concept and a feminist-republican model of citizenship in heterogeneous societies.
Supervisor from the University of Münster: Professor Thomas Gutmann
Supervisor from Ilia State University: Associate Professor Tamar Tskadadze
Working language: English
Time: April 29; 10:00
Venue: Ilia State University, S800, 3 G. Tsereteli str.

Panel Discussion: “EU Enlargement in an Era of Global Shifts: Opportunities and Challenges for Georgia”
2025-04-29 18:00 - 19:00
On April 29 at 6 PM, a panel discussion on “EU Enlargement in an Era of Global Shifts: Opportunities and Risks for Georgia” will be held in G106 conference hall at Ilia State University.
The panel discussion will address topics such as: the security and geopolitical arguments behind EU enlargement, the impact of global geopolitical changes on the EU’s strategic outlook, the significance of global transformations for Georgia, and Georgia’s positioning within the newly emerging geopolitical landscape.
Participants in the panel discussion will include Professor Sonja Grimm from the University of Würzburg, and professors from the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Ilia State University: Giorgi Gvalia, Nino Pavlenishvili, and Archil Abashidze. The discussion will be moderated by Professor Davit Aprasidze, representing the same faculty.
The panel discussion is organized within the framework of the Horizon Europe project “EMBRACing changE: Overcoming obstacles and advancing democracy in the European Neighbourhood (EMBRACE)” in cooperation with the University of Würzburg (Germany).
Working language: English
Attendance: Free
Time: April 29, 18:00
Location: G106 Conference Hall, Ilia State University, 1 G. Tsereteli Street

Importance and relevance of embedding models, their construction, and the methodology for selecting the appropriate architecture
2025-05-03 13:00 - 14:00
On May 3, Ilia State University will host an event as part of Tbilisi AI Meetups:
“Importance and relevance of embedding models, their construction, and the methodology for selecting the appropriate architecture.”
In the age of powerful large language models, embeddings remain a critical component in retrieval, recommendation, and understanding systems. This session explores why embeddings still matter, how they’re built, and how to choose the right architecture for your domain and application.
Agenda Highlights:

Context length limitations and the rise of RAG;
Why LLMs aren’t ideal for embedding generation;
Causal attention vs contrastive learning;
Sparse vs dense retrieval (TF-IDF, SPLADE, hybrid approaches);
Bi-Encoders vs Cross-Encoders vs Late Interaction;
Latent interaction models and HNSW search;
Contrastive learning, triple loss, Siamese networks;
Speed vs accuracy trade-offs;
Domain-specific embedding tuning (e.g., code vs text);
Evaluation with BEIR and MTEB benchmarks.

Speaker: Sandro Barnabishvili
Date & Time: Saturday, May 3, 13:00
Register Here: https://lu.ma/n16g786u
Location: Ilia State University, T Building, Auditorium #102

Public Lectures by Researcher Ravza Altuntaş-Çakır at Ilia State University
2025-05-06 17:00
On May 6 and 7, Ravza Altuntaş-Çakır will deliver a series of public lectures. She is both a visiting researcher at the ongoing seminar of the G. Tsereteli Institute of Oriental Studies at Ilia State University and an assistant professor at Marmara University. These lectures are intended for students, researchers, and anyone interested in gaining a deeper understanding of contemporary debates on modernity and democracy in the Islamic world.

Islam and Modernity
The speaker will explore the ongoing debates surrounding modernity in Islamic thought, particularly emphasizing the legacy of the Islamic modernist movement and its key figures, including Muhammad Abduh and Fazlur Rahman. The audience will reflect on the dynamic interplay between tradition and reform in shaping contemporary Muslim societies, with the theoretical discussion grounded in the concept of multiple modernities.
Working Language: English
Date and Time: May 6, 17:00–18:30
Location: Ilia State University, Building S, Meeting Hall 201/202, 3 G. Tsereteli Street
Everyone is welcome to attend.

Towards a Political Theory of Muslim Democracy
The speaker will examine the development of theories about a Muslim-based democratic system—a form of democracy that acknowledges the central role of religion in Muslim societies. The lecture will cover the following topics: multiculturalism, secularism, constitutionalism, and the organization of the public sphere, presenting the idea of Muslim democracy as a subject of political theory rather than theology.
Working Language: English
Date and Time: May 7, 12:00–13:30
Location: Ilia State University, Building S, Meeting Hall 201/202, 3 G. Tsereteli Street
Everyone is welcome to attend.

About the Speaker
Ravza Altuntaş-Çakır is an assistant professor at the Institute for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at Marmara University. She earned her Ph.D. from the School of Government and International Affairs at Durham University in 2018. Altuntaş-Çakır is the author of “A Political Theory of Muslim Democracy,” published by Edinburgh University Press in 2022. The book was translated into Arabic and published by Qatar University Press in 2024.

“Strengthening Korea-Georgia Relations toward Future Partnership” – Public Lecture by Ambassador Hyon Du Kim
2025-05-06 17:00 - 18:00
On May 6, at 17:00, at Ilia State University Hall G106, Hyon Du Kim, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Georgia will deliver a public lecture, titled “Strengthening Korea-Georgia Relations toward Future Partnership.”
The speaker will cover the current state of bilateral relations and future cooperation between Korea and Georgia in a broad way. He will also describe the past development and current situation of Korea.
Ambassador Kim began his career in public service in 1998 as a mid-ranking official in the Ministry of Unification of the Korean government. At the ministry, he worked on promoting exchanges and cooperation between North and South Korea as well as improving the human rights of North Korea. In 2008 he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and began working as a diplomat. His previous postings abroad include countries like the US, UK, Hungary, Philippines, Ethiopia, and Guatemala.
He earned his B.A. in Political Science and Philosophy (1993) from New York University (NYU) and M.A. in International Relations (1997) from the Graduate School of International Studies, Yonsei University in Korea.
Working Language: English
Date/Time: May 6, 17:00
Location: Ilia State University, G106 Hall, 1 G. Tsereteli St.
Everyone is welcome to attend.

Documentary Film Days at Iliauni - Screening of the film "Blueberry Dreams"
2025-05-08 19:00 - 20:00
Ilia State University Alumni Network of Religious Studies and the Documentary Film Association (DOCA) present: The project “Documentary Film Days at Iliauni” offers a unique opportunity for viewers not only to discover contemporary Georgian documentary cinema, but also to engage in discussions with the filmmakers themselves about the themes explored in the films.
Modern documentary cinema doesn’t aim to explain everything – it teaches us how to observe what’s happening around us. Watching a documentary is not merely a visual experience; it’s an ethical encounter with people, events, and stories.
Documentary films create a space where the audience doesn’t just observe – they connect. And often, that connection begins with quiet observation and leads to deeper questions.
Documentary film is increasingly seen as one of the key tools in shaping a society’s collective memory.
Film: Blueberry (2023, 75 min)
Invited guest: Director Elene Mikaberidze
Moderator: Sopo Zviadadze, Associate Professor in the field of Culture and Religious Studies.
Date: May 8 | Time:19:00 PM
About the Film:
Amidst Abkhazia’s border tensions, a Georgian family pins hopes on blueberry farming. But two sons, Giorgi and Lazare dream beyond land’s uncertainty.
Film Language: Georgian
Subtitles: English
Location: Ilia State University, Auditorium G106, 1 G. Tsereteli St.
Admission: Free

A Public Lecture by Professor Morgane Bomsel: “Long COVID Pathogenic Mechanisms”
2025-05-21 18:00 - 19:00
On May 21 at 18:00, at Ilia State University, Auditorium G106, Professor Morgane Bomsel, Head of the Laboratory of Mucosal Entry of HIV and Mucosal Immunity at Institut Cochin (Paris, France), will deliver a public lecture titled “Long COVID Pathogenic Mechanisms.”
The lecture will address one of the most pressing challenges in post-pandemic medicine — the phenomenon of Long COVID. Although the pandemic has officially ended, the spread of SARS-CoV-2 continues, and new variants of the virus are still emerging. As a result, long-term symptoms affecting a portion of those infected have become increasingly evident, often appearing months after the initial infection.
Professor Bomsel will present the latest scientific findings on the primary mechanisms underlying this condition. She will discuss key symptoms, including chronic tiredness (asthenia/fatigue), cognitive dysfunction, and cardiovascular disorders, and introduce the audience to recent scientific advances in understanding these processes.
Professor Morgane Bomsel, PhD in Biological Sciences, is a CNRS Research Director and a leading expert in mucosal immunity and viral pathogenesis. Her research focuses on the mechanisms of HIV and Long COVID, immune responses, and the development of antiviral therapies. She has worked at leading institutions throughout Europe and the United States and collaborates with international research teams.
Working Language: English
Date and Time: May 21, 18:00
Location: Ilia State University, Auditorium G106, 1 G. Tsereteli Street
Everyone interested is welcome to attend.

The Blood Donation Day
2025-05-27 11:00 - 16:00
The Blood Donation Day will be held in the buildings A and T of Iliauni on May 27, it will be organized by the Department of Student Affairs of Ilia State University.
As part of the campaign, the mobile teams of the “Natalia Kvantaliani Central Blood Bank” and “Sicockhle” organizations, staffed by professional, experienced doctors, will offer those who wish to selflessly donate blood and thus show their support for people who need help.
Any person between the ages of 18 and 65 can become a blood donor if:

your weight is 50 kg or more;
you have not been infected with viral hepatitis B and C;
syphilis, tuberculosis;
you are not infected with HIV;
you do not have blood or oncological diseases;
you are not a drug user;
you have not undergone a surgical operation, you have not been vaccinated against tetanus and rabies in the last 1 year;
you have not gotten a tattoo in the last 6 months;
you have not had contact with other people’s blood;
you have not been pregnant in the last 6 months;
the donor must be practically healthy on the day of donation – must not have a fever, runny nose, catarrh, or other flu-like symptoms.

Those who participate in the charity event will receive the following research results free of charge:

Group, rhesus, phenotype
Hepatitis B and C, syphilis, cytomegalovirus and AIDS virus

A person who is going to donate should know the following:

Blood donation is an easy, safe and painless process;
When donating blood, only disposable material is used and the donor is protected from infection;
Donating blood is absolutely safe for health;
Blood donation is recommended in the first half of the day;
It is better to eat lightly and drink sweet tea in the morning on the day of blood donation. You should refrain from taking tobacco and analgesics;
Blood can be donated again after 2 months;

Bring a proof of identity card with you.
Time: 11:00-16:00
Location:
Natalia Kvantaliani Central Blood Bank – Building A of Iliauni. Student space, I. Chavchavadze Ave. N32
“Sicockhle” blood bank – Building T of Iliauni, student space, Cholokashvili Ave. N3/5

Presentation of the First Georgian Edition of the Book “Politics in Europe” and the Student Conference and Poster Competition at Ilia State University
2025-05-29 11:00 - 14:00
On May 29 Ilia State University will host the presentation of the first Georgian edition of the book “Politics in Europe”, along with a student academic conference and a poster competition.
Presentation of the Georgian Edition of “Politics in Europe”
The first part of the event will feature the presentation of the Georgian translation of the book “Politics in Europe.” The book provides an in-depth discussion of the institutional structures, political systems, decision-making mechanisms, as well as the historical and current political, socio-economic, foreign policy, and security challenges of seven countries: the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Russia, and Poland. It also covers the institutional framework of the European Union.
This comprehensive approach allows readers to both deeply understand each individual political system and conduct comparative analysis, making the book a valuable resource for both teaching and research purposes.
The academic editors of the first Georgian edition of “Politics in Europe” are Professor Giorgi Gvalia, Professor of International Relations at Ilia State University, and Giorgi Odoshashvili, PhD candidate in political science and lecturer.
The book was published by Ilia State University with the support of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation’s Representation in Georgia.

Student Academic Conference and Poster Competition
The book presentation will be followed by a student academic conference and a poster competition on the topic:
“The European Union and a Changing World: At the Crossroads of Geopolitical Shifts, Strategic Autonomy, and Global Responsibilities.”
Participating students will present academic papers and visual posters on pressing issues in contemporary European politics — including the EU’s global role in a changing international system.
The event is organized by the EU-funded project “Jean Monnet Chair at IliaUni” in cooperation with the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.
Date: May 29, 2025
Time: 11:00 AM
Location: Ilia State University, G106 Conference Hall

A public lecture by Paolo Bernardi
2025-06-03 17:00 - 18:00
On June 3, 2024, at 17:00, Paolo Bernardi, MD Emeritus Professor, University of Padova (Italy) and Adjunct Professor, New York University (New York) will give a public lecture “Mitochondria: How ancient bacteria allowed our evolution”.
Cyanobacteria, the first organisms able to carry out photosynthesis, about 3,500 million years ago initiated the formation of free molecular oxygen on earth. Due to its lethal effects, oxygen caused the mass extinction of primitive anaerobic forms of life. Surviving organisms managed to exploit oxygen for their vital functions following integration within the cell of ancient bacteria, the progenitors of our mitochondria. This unique event allowed evolution of multicellular organisms and provides us with the vital energy of life.
Location: G106, G.Tsereteli st 1, G building (near Vake Park)
Working language: English

A seminar dedicated to the 100th anniversary of The Great Gatsby's publication
2025-06-05 16:00 - 17:00
On June 5, 2025, at 16:00, the Ligamus Book House at Ilia State University will host a seminar dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the publication of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby.
The seminar will explore the novel’s historical and literary significance, as well as its influence on American culture and contemporary thought.
Moderator: Prof. Paata Chkheidze
Speakers:

Prof. Rezo Marsagishvili, “Speech Strategies of The Great Gatsby’s Characters”;
Assoc. Prof. Nino Guliashvili: “Constructing Meaning in The Great Gatsby: A Comparative Linguistic Analysis Through Pragmatic, Psycholinguistic, and Cognitive Lenses”;
Nona Maziashvili; “Fitzgerald and Conrad”;
Ketevan Gakhokia: “The Great Gatsby ─ A Modernist Novel”;
Ia Jejelava: “The Great Gatsby and the River”;
Davit Tsarielashvili: “The Great Gatsby ─ An Epic Hero”.

Admission is free

A public lectures of Polish Professors from Warsava University of Life Sciences
2025-06-05 16:00 - 17:00
On June 5, 2024, at 16:00, Polish colleagues from Warsava University of Life Sciences – Professor Robert Popek and Professor Arkadiusz Przybysz will give public lectures:
Robert Popek – “Urban Vegetation as a Natural Filter: Assessing the Role of Green Infrastructure in Capturing Airborne Particulate Matter »
A public lecture will explore how urban greenery helps combat air pollution in rapidly developing cities. The talk will highlight recent research on the effectiveness of different plant types—such as parks, meadows, and green barriers—in capturing harmful airborne particles like particulate matter, trace elements, and microplastics. This lecture will discuss how vegetation not only improves air quality but also serves as an indicator of environmental health.
Arkadiusz Przybysz – „Phytoremediation: the sustainable strategy for improving urban air quality”
Urban air is increasingly polluted by particulate matter, microplastics, and trace elements—posing serious health risks. This lecture will highlight how different types of urban greenery, especially often-overlooked informal green spaces and urban meadows, function as natural air filters. We will examine how plant structure, biodiversity, location, and environmental conditions influence their effectiveness in improving air quality and delivering broader ecosystem services.
Location: G106, G.Tsereteli st 1, G building (near Vake Park)
Working language: English

Public Lecture by Polish Professors "Blood and the Relationship between Blood Types and Nutrition"
2025-06-12 14:00 - 15:00
On June 12 at 14:00, in Room S103 of Ilia State University, Polish colleagues from the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Social and Medical Sciences in Lublin – Associate Professor Leszek Zakrzewski and Associate Professor Agnieszka Michalska will give a lecture on the blood, blood-grouping and the importance of blood types and their relationship to nutrition.
Language of the lecture: English
Date and Time: June 12, 14:00
Location: Room S103, Ilia State University, G.Tsereteli Street N3
Target Audience:
The lecture is intended for students in the fields of natural sciences, medical and health sciences, biology, nutritional science, applied biochemistry, and biotechnology.
2025
