Visit of Professors from Keele University to GTU

Professors Colin Rigby and Gulam Sorvari from Keele University are visiting Georgian Technical University (GTU) as part of the project “Building Enterprise-Driven Transnational Education Between the UK and Georgia: Embedding Authentic Pedagogy at Keele Business School and Georgian Technical University.”

The joint project proposal submitted by Georgian Technical University and Keele University (UK), titled “Building Enterprise-Driven Transnational Education Between the UK and Georgia: Embedding Authentic Pedagogy at Keele Business School and Georgian Technical University,” won the British Council’s Transnational Education (TNE) Exploratory Grant Competition (TNE 2025–2051) and received the relevant funding.

According to the Dean of GTU’s Faculty of Transport Systems and Mechanical Engineering, one of the key events of Colin Rigby’s and Gulam Sorvari’s visit is a training seminar held at the Faculty of Transport Systems and Mechanical Engineering, entitled “Enterprise-Infused Teaching and Authentic Pedagogy Methods for Academic Staff.”

According to Associate Professor Boris Gitolendia, the seminar aims to familiarize academic staff with modern, practice-oriented teaching approaches and discuss opportunities for integrating them into the educational process.

“As part of the visit of the professors from Keele University, a number of work-related and academic activities envisaged by the project were held, officially launching the implementation of the project at Georgian Technical University. The British professors held a working meeting with the Vice-Rector of Georgian Technical University, Professor Tamar Lominadze. Representatives of the Office of Technology and Grant Projects, as well as the Departments of International Relations and Global Academic Engagement and Institutional Visibility, also attended the meeting. Taking into account the longstanding cooperation between Georgian Technical University and Keele University, the meeting focused on and planned areas for further strengthening grant-related, academic, and institutional cooperation, including prospects for developing new joint projects, academic initiatives, and partnership opportunities.”

 – Associate Professor Boris Gitolendia

According to the Vice-Rector of Georgian Technical University, Professor Tamar Lominadze, the longstanding cooperation between Georgian Technical University and Keele University provides an important foundation both for the successful implementation of the current project and for the development of joint educational and research initiatives in the future.

“The visit of the professors from Keele University and the activities planned within the project provide Georgian Technical University with an important opportunity to further strengthen international academic cooperation, introduce modern, practice-oriented teaching methods, and develop educational opportunities tailored to the real needs of industry. The project will contribute to familiarizing academic staff with contemporary methods of enterprise-infused teaching and authentic pedagogy and to their integration into the academic environment. At the same time, the initiative will support the professional development of the University’s academic staff and create learning experiences for students that are more closely connected to practical environments.”

 – Professor Tamar Lominadze

The British Council’s TNE 2025/2051 grant project, “Building Enterprise-Driven Transnational Education Between the UK and Georgia: Embedding Authentic Pedagogy at Keele Business School and Georgian Technical University,” encompasses a range of academic, practical, and institutional activities. The project includes professional development opportunities for academic staff, the integration of practical, enterprise-related components into the educational process, and the sharing of international experience. The project is scheduled to conclude in August 2027.

The project aims to develop enterprise-driven education in Georgia, share best practices from the United Kingdom, and introduce contemporary methods of authentic pedagogy at Georgian Technical University. The pilot implementation of the project’s key outcomes is planned at GTU’s Faculty of Transport Systems and Mechanical Engineering, with the Master’s Program in Entrepreneurial Management serving as the project’s primary beneficiary.