Hailing from the earliest landscape of human civilization – the small Georgian town of Dmanisi – Eka’s educational path is a remarkable journey spanning prestigious institutions across the globe, reflecting her deep commitment to international relations, global affairs, and leadership. Her academic pursuits have taken her from China to the United States and Russia, equipping her with a diverse skill set and a multilingual perspective.
Eka’s academic journey reached a defining milestone at Tsinghua University in China, where she became the first Georgian selected as a Schwarzman Scholar. She earned a Master’s degree in Global Affairs and Leadership, completing a rigorous program designed to cultivate the next generation of global leaders. This experience significantly deepened her understanding of global governance and strengthened her engagement with China’s role in world affairs.
Before that, she advanced her academic and research profile in the United States as a Fox International Fellow at Yale University’s MacMillan Center from 2021 to 2023. This prestigious fellowship enabled her to engage with cutting-edge research, collaborate with leading scholars, and refine her analytical and leadership skills in a global academic environment.
Eka did her PhD at Lomonosov Moscow State University in Russia, where she joined the Faculty of Political Science in the Department of International Relations and Integration Processes. Specializing in political problems of international relations and global and regional development, she wrote her dissertation on the “U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy: Its Global and Regional Implications,” further strengthening her expertise in geopolitical strategy.
Prior to that, she pursued her studies at the State University of Management in Moscow, where she specialized in State and Municipal Management at the Institute of Public Administration and Law. Her dissertation, titled “State Regulation of Foreign Economic Relations of the Russian Federation with China and the USA,” reflected her focus on governance and international economic relations.
Eka began her higher education at Pyatigorsk State University, where she studied at the Institute of International Relations. Her thesis, “Foreign Policy of China in the South Caucasus Region,” laid the foundation for her long-standing interest in global diplomacy and regional dynamics.
Beyond her formal degrees, Eka pursued additional education to broaden her expertise. She earned professional retraining diplomas in Translation Studies and as a Specialist in the Field of Management of Innovative Processes and Social Transformations, demonstrating both versatility and adaptability.
Eka is fluent in English, Russian, and Georgian, and is currently studying Chinese, Arabic, and French. This linguistic range has enriched both her academic and professional work. She has also completed various training programs, including Effective Communication, Psychology of Leadership, The Art of Diplomacy, and Teach the Scientist.
Eka is the founder of the Georgia-Hong Kong Business Council, a strategic platform connecting Georgia and Hong Kong to promote trade, investment, and high-level collaboration among businesses, investors, and policymakers. This initiative later evolved into a broader platform – Eurasia Access – which connects capital with vetted investment opportunities across Eurasia, expanding its scope and impact beyond bilateral engagement.
Eka is also the founder of the World Top Universities Alumni Association of Georgia, an initiative aimed at connecting accomplished young leaders educated at leading global institutions. The platform focuses on fostering collaboration on joint initiatives, strengthening professional networks, and amplifying the voices of a new generation on key national and international issues.
In addition, Eka founded Expert Views on Global Politics, a platform designed to bring unbiased, well-analyzed perspectives on global political issues to a broader audience in a clear and accessible format. The initiative aims to bridge the gap between expert analysis and public understanding, making complex geopolitical developments easier to navigate.
Currently, Eka is also the Research Associate at the Ng Teng Fong • Sino Group Belt and Road Research Institute in Hong Kong, where she works on the project “Development of Economy, Industries and Trade in Belt and Road Countries,” with a particular focus on Georgia and on fostering cooperation between Hong Kong and Georgia across multiple sectors.
Previously, she served as a pre-doctoral fellow at the Centre on Contemporary China and the World at the University of Hong Kong, where her research focused on U.S.–China relations.
Eka’s credentials include numerous scholarly articles, contributions to two monographs, and eight op-eds published in outlets such as Financial Times Chinese, China-US Focus, ThinkChina, and China Daily Hong Kong. She actively participates in international conferences and forums and serves on the editorial boards of two scientific journals. In addition, she brings extensive experience in NGO work, project management, political advisory, business consultancy, and youth policy advocacy, having represented her country in multiple international youth organizations.
Her achievements include a Guinness World Record for “Most Nationalities to Contribute Vocals to a Musical Recording,” representing Georgia among 195 participants; recognition as a Laureate of the Young Scientists-BRIXologists Competition (2020); and the Outstanding Leadership Persona Engineering’s Global Education and Community Service Award, among others.
Eka’s educational and professional journey reflects a consistent dedication to intellectual growth, cross-regional engagement, and meaningful impact on the global stage.