An International Forum Focused on the Sustainable Development of Mountain Regions was held at GTU
The Faculty of Sustainable Mountain Development of the Georgian Technical University hosted a two-day international scientific forum – “Teaching Sustainable Mountain Development – Innovative Approaches to Achieving Sustainable Development Goals in the Academic Space”.
The event was held within the framework of the I2Q project, funded by the Competitive Innovation Fund (CIF), a Master’s degree program at the Georgian Technical University “Creating of a Master’s Educational Program at GTU in Cooperation with the Mountain University (Milan University Research Center): Sustainable Development of Mountainous Areas”.
The grant project aims to create an English-language transdisciplinary master’s degree program, which will demonstrate the latest trends in the field and innovative teaching and learning methods, by mobilizing resources within the educational space of GTU and in collaboration with the Research Center of the University of Milan. The program will contribute to the formation of professionals who will be able to contribute to the strengthening, development and sustainable management of mountain areas using innovative approaches and a systemic vision.
The forum proved to be an excellent opportunity for knowledge sharing, interdisciplinary dialogue, and capacity building for academics, practitioners, young scientists, specialists, and policymakers involved in mountain sustainability issues.
The main topics of the forum were: Sustainable Development Goals, Education and the Gold Standard for the Global Goals; Innovative approaches to teaching and learning; Modern methods of e-learning; Teaching mountain environmental sustainability; Teaching mountain social and economic sustainability and outdoor activities as an important component of developing practical skills.
At the forum, researchers from Georgia and Italy discussed educational issues, academic and new scientific and practical approaches to support sustainable mountain development. Discussions were held on climate resilience, biodiversity, sustainable entrepreneurship and mountain tourism, and community empowerment.
In parallel with the forum, a special training course was held for Georgian professors – “Syllabus Design and Creation”, where Italian and Georgian trainers presented six training courses. The trainers provided curriculum developers and academic leaders with practical tools and innovative techniques to create syllabi tailored to the specific mountain context, and shared success stories, learning resources, and pedagogical experience.
Participants of the forum and training were awarded bilingual certificates.
The forum titled “Education for Sustainable Mountain Development – Innovative Approaches to Achieving Sustainable Development Goals in the Academic Space” was held for two days with the close cooperation and partnership of Grigol Robakidze University, the University of Milan Research Center UNIMONT HUB (Italy), the Agency for Protected Areas, the International Association of Mountainous Regions of the Caucasus, the GIS Academy, and the Regional Center for Consulting and New Professions.