Working Visit of the GTU Delegation to Hamburg University of Applied Sciences

From June 22–26, an international workshop and a series of working meetings were held at Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW Hamburg), Germany, within the framework of the Erasmus+ CBHE project “DIGITECH.”

The GTU delegation was led by the Chancellor of the Georgian Technical University and the project’s administrative coordinator, Professor Carlo Kopaliani. During the visit, Professor Kopaliani met with the Vice President of Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Professor Axel Weigenit, and his team. The meeting focused on opportunities to strengthen cooperation between the two universities, including developing joint academic programs and research projects, implementing short-term mobility programs for students and academic staff, organizing joint conferences, and other areas of collaboration.

The GTU delegation also included the project leader and Deputy Director of the “Techinform” Institute, Professor Mariam Razmadze; the Dean of the Faculty of Transport Systems and Mechanical Engineering, Professor Boris Githolendia; and faculty members Professor Irine Ugrekhelidze and Professor Tamar Loladze.

The event also brought together representatives of the project consortium of partner universities from Germany, Slovenia, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan.

The primary objective of the working visit was to support the modernization of engineering education programs at partner universities, exchange best practices in digital learning, and explore opportunities for implementing European educational approaches.

During the visit, participants toured the teaching and research laboratories of the Faculty of Aviation and Automotive Engineering, learned about the activities of the Business Innovation Lab (BIL), and explored successful practices in the digital transformation of bachelor’s mechanical engineering programs. They also examined Project-Based Learning (PBL) models and modern simulation methods applied in engineering education.

The workshops placed particular emphasis on updating existing academic program profiles, digitalizing learning modules, and integrating modern information technologies into the educational process.

Drawing on European experience and best practices from partner universities, the Bachelor’s Program in Mechanical Engineering at Georgian Technical University will undergo significant updates as part of the project. The revision will prioritize enhancing the digital capabilities of learning modules, incorporating state-of-the-art engineering tools, and further developing students’ practical and hands-on skills.

As part of the working week, the sixth meeting of the Governing Council of the Erasmus+ CBHE project “DIGITECH” was also held. During the meeting, participants reviewed the project’s current achievements, discussed completed activities, and outlined future plans.

The DIGITECH project (“Implementation of Innovative Technologies in the Digitalization of Technological Processes and Production”) aims to develop the competencies required for Industry 4.0 and strengthen modern engineering education across the region. The project includes the development and introduction of new academic courses at the Georgian Technical University, professional development activities for academic staff, modernization of laboratory infrastructure, and the pilot implementation of project outcomes at the Faculty of Transport Systems and Mechanical Engineering.

This working visit marks an important milestone in the implementation of the Erasmus+ CBHE “DIGITECH” project and contributes to strengthening the Georgian Technical University’s international partnerships, sharing European educational experience, and advancing engineering education.