Georgia establishes close ties with CERN research centre

Georgia has a high chance to become an associated member of the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN), an international research organisation operating the world's largest particle physics laboratory, officials say.

If this happened, the country will be eligible to participate in international tenders announced by CERN, which in turn, will stimulate the Georgian economy.

Georgia’s Education Minister Tamar Sanikidze and Deputy Minister Giorgi Sharvashidze met CERN laboratory administration officials in the framework of an international symposium in Italy.

CERN director general Rolf-Dieter Heuer and director for research Sergio Bertolucci positively assessed Georgia’s scientific potential and said Georgia had "a high chance” to become a CERN associated member.

"[CERN] said they were ready to send a group of experts to Georgia to evaluate the country’s opportunities in the near future,” the Education Ministry press officer said.

The agency noted if Georgia becoming a CERN member would bring larger international opportunities to Georgian mathematicians, physicians, engineers and IT specialists. Having the title of associated member will also see Georgia increase its number of scientists at the CERN headquarters, as well as send more young scientists and PhD students to participate in large-scale international research.

CERN, which is based in Switzerland, was the workplace for well-known Georgian physician Giorgi (Gia) Dvali, who was a Professor of Physics at New York University's Center for Cosmology and Particle Physics and at LMU Munich, and a director at the Max Planck Institute of Physics in Munich, Germany. His major research interests were large extra dimensions, quantum gravity and the very early universe.