As part of the collaboration between St. Andrew the First-Called Georgian University and the University of Applied Sciences Bremen (HSB Hochschule Bremen), on May 19, 2025, a student delegation from the School of Business, Computing and Social Sciences – Luka Alibegashvili, Ana Abesadze, Giorgi Jishishvili, and Medea Gogilashvili – traveled to Bremen, Germany, under the supervision of Professor Niko Kvaratskhelia.
The purpose of the visit was to continue joint research within the DAAD-funded project between the two universities, focusing on the development of methods and criteria for assessing sustainable tourism. The project, which has been ongoing for four years, involves collaboration with graduate students from Bremen University.
Georgian students delivered a presentation to German peers and project coordinators – Professor Rainer Hartmann and Assistant Professor Julia Rosdorf – highlighting institutional, economic, ecological, and socio-cultural dimensions of their research.
The workdays included lectures, hands-on workshops, and independent assignments. During the first session, professors Hartmann and Rosdorf introduced the objectives and structure of the program. Georgian students then gave presentations on Georgia, with a special focus on the city of Kutaisi.
The workshops revealed that the Georgian team's presentations were highly beneficial for the 16 German MA students, helping them better understand Kutaisi’s history, destination management practices, economic and environmental context, and socio-cultural background. Students were then divided into thematic groups to explore each dimension in greater depth.
The project received positive feedback from both sides. The collaborative efforts contributed significantly to the progress of the research, and fostered strong interpersonal connections. The evaluation of sustainable tourism in Kutaisi will continue in the next phase of the project.
On June 3, the German team will visit Georgia to conduct fieldwork. SANGU students from the Business Administration program, led by Professor Kvaratskhelia, will actively participate in the joint research efforts.
