CIU Representatives Attended International Staff Week at University of La Rioja

From July 13 to 17, representatives of the Department of International Relations and the Faculty of Viticulture and Enology at Caucasus International University participated in the International Staff Week hosted by the University of La Rioja (Universidad de La Rioja) in Spain.
As part of the program, participants attended sessions and workshops dedicated to international mobility, internationalization, the Erasmus+ program, international partnership development and grant opportunities, where best practices of European higher education institutions in the direction of international collaboration were presented. Within the framework of the meetings and discussions, special attention was paid to sharing experience between universities, developing international projects and planning new partnership initiatives.

As part of the visit, representatives of Caucasus International University held working meetings with representatives of partner universities to discuss the expansion of Erasmus+ international mobility opportunities for students, academic staff, and administrative personnel, as well as the development of new areas of cooperation.

During the International Staff Week, the CIU delegation also met with the coordinator of the EU-GIFT (European University for Geographical Identity as a Driver for Food Systems and Transition to Sustainability) project. The meeting focused on opportunities to strengthen involvement of Caucasus International University in the consortium activities as an associate partner. The parties discussed prospects for participating in joint international initiatives and projects, expanding academic collaboration, and fostering closer institutional partnerships in support of shared educational and research objectives.

As part of the visit, the participants toured the University of La Rioja teaching and research facilities, learned about the university internationalization model, and established new professional contacts with representatives of higher education institutions from various countries. Representatives of the Faculty of Viticulture and Enology also visited the Institute of Grapevine and Wine Sciences (Instituto de Ciencias de la Vid y del Vino - ICVV), where they were introduced to the latest scientific research and ongoing projects in the fields of viticulture and enology. In addition, they visited Viveros Provedo, a leading grapevine nursery, to gain insight into modern grapevine propagation technologies and nursery management practices.

The visit is expected to make a significant contribution to expanding Caucasus International University international partnerships, creating new Erasmus+ mobility opportunities, increasing participation in international projects, and further strengthening the internationalization efforts of the university.