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Two international academic groups from the GTU, Tbilisi and the BOKU, Vienna worked closely together during the four years’ time span, focusing on promoting resilience in higher environmental education through sharing knowledge and experience in professional teaching.  

 

The major outcomes comprised:

​

  • Reviewing  and Updating of the Master program (MP) in Water engineering;

  • Development of a new MP on Environmental engineering based on the latest research findings;

  • Training the academic staff on using innovative teaching methods, providing support & materials;

  • Implementation of innovative teaching methods and tools adjusted to the new forms of study and training, giving special attention on gender diversity aspects in higher education;

  • Sharing knowledge and experience between teachers and students at the GTU and the BOKU, e.g. visits, round tables, field trips and workshops, and via internet platforms;

  • Provided quality assurance: MP accreditation, collection of feedbacks of students, employers and stakeholders of the new environmental master programs.

 

Implemented Activities:

  • Inception workshops to identify needs, constraints and interests with representatives of the university, stakeholders and green companies: Kick-off meeting , 26-30 Sept. 2016, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Biosystems Engineering, GTU, Tbilisi, (77 participants, 57% females)

  • Internal communication to define specific interests and demands of the staff and students: meetings and round tables with: The inception (Kick-off) meeting was held in the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Biosystems Engineering at the GTU in Tbilisi, Georgia from the 26th to 30th Sept. 2016 (35 participants, 57% females). of the Faculties: Agricultural Sciences and Biosystems Engineering and Civil Engineering of GTU, University Boards, Administration and Quality Assurance Offices, Green and Water Supply Companies (e.g. Institute of Hydrometeorology, United Water Supply Company of Georgia, Water Management Institute (WMI), International Black Sea University (IBSU), Tbilisi Teaching University (TTU), Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University, Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia, Department of Amelioration and Land Management, etc.), BSc, MS and PhD level students and graduates, academic staff, lecturers and faculties’ members were participated.

  • Georgian Amelioration Company, 16 Sep. 2016 (Technical and IT Staff of the Company).

  • Open seminar with B.Sc., M.Sc. and Ph.D. students of the GTU, 24 Nov. 2016 (16 participants, 44% females), e-questionnaire for suggestions and comments; Round tables with academic staff, quest professors, Head of Study commission on Env. Engineering, Centre of Didactic, 17 Jan. 2017, BOKU, Vienna (13 participants, 39% females); GTU Academic council extended, 30 Jan. 2017; a workshop “Education – Research – Innovations”, Academy of Agricultural Sciences of Georgia,

  • Workshop “Education – Research – Innovations”. 10 Jul.  2017 (20 delegates, 28% females), etc. In regard to, a workshop and presentations on Gender sensitive E-Learning and Didactic in Higher Education, given by the BOKU team, were organised in the frame of the 1st annual meeting, 11 July 2017. The participants were teachers, students, administrative and leading staff of the Georgian Technical University (GTU), the Tbilisi Teaching University (TTU), and invited experts from the Georgian National Academy of Sciences (GNAAS). The ambition was reaching the project intention of implementing innovative teaching tools (R.1.1) in the future master programs among a broad audience from public and private academic education, government institutions, and stakeholders. (31 participants, 48% females).

 

Innovative teaching and learning methods and tools:

  • Visits of the Centre of E-learning and discussions and continuous exchange via emails;

  • Workshops on Gender Sensitive E-Learning and Didactic in Higher Education, Mr. Michalek & BOKU team, following discussions at the GTU and Tbilisi Teaching University , 10/11 Jul 2017 (month 12)

  • Selected teaching materials and literature on university didactic, blended learning and allied topics and consultancy were constantly provided;

  • Adaption and implementation of innovative leaning-teaching methods incl. new forms of study and trainings, and materials

  • Trainings for academic staff on innovative teaching (emphasis on e-learning, gender sensitive teaching) and tools (i.e. supported by digital media)

 

Reviewing and updating the MP “Water engineering”:

  • Selection of courses and practical exercises to be updated, I.e. Hydrology of Surface and Groundwater; Water Resources Engineering; Water Resources Planning; Water Systems Modelling;

  • Review and update of the contents and syllabuses, refining used teaching approaches;

  • Completed /approved master program in Water Engineering.

 

Development of a new master programme “Environmental Engineering” (EE):

  • Setting of courses and practical trainings, proper topics and contents; relevant syllabuses

  • Providing data, professional support, teaching materials examples

  • Preparing and translation of the new teaching materials/ contents

  • Preparing of a textbook in Georgian and English languages for publishing

  • Conducting pilot courses, first level evaluation thought students feedback.

  • Quality assurance (support by BOKU) ready for approvement at Faculty and University levels

  • Handbooks in Georgian and English languages completed

 

Academic staff and students’ mutual exchange:

 

Dissemination and sustainability:

  • Organising regular stakeholder meetings / Networking- e.g. project and academic staff of the GTU and several "Green Companies“, i.e. Georgian Water and Power Company (GWP), Ts. Mirtskhulava Water Management Scientific-Research Institute (WMI), and United Water Supply Company of Georgia (UWSC) (30 participants, 44 % females), etc.: On 15 Dec 2017, the GTU team organized a Stakeholder’s Meeting with students, project and academic staff of the GTU and several "Green Companies" such as Georgian Water and Power Company (GWP), Ts. Mirtskhulava Water Management Scientific-Research Institute (WMI), and United Water Supply Company of Georgia (UWSC) (Total number of participants 30, 44 % females). The main discussion was dedicated to the project progress, implemented and ongoing activities, as well as possibilities for part time employments of students at the given companies.

  • The stakeholder meeting held (until 36) On 22 October 2018, the GTU and BOKU team organized a Students Day at the Faculty of Civil Engineering including Academic Staff and Representatives of Quality Assurance Service of GTU, and several „Green Companies“ such as: Georgian Water and Power Company (GWP), Ts. Mirtskhulava Water Management Scientific-Research Institute (WMI), and United Water Supply Company of Georgia (UWSC). The whole morning was devoted for a meeting with students (Total number of participants 19, 53% females).

  • On October 24th 2018, the Georgian Academy of Agricultural Sciences hosted a round table with the team of the bilateral APPEAR project "Academic Cooperation for Environmental Education" (ACCES)” between GTU, Georgia and BOKU, Austria.

  • On 23 October 2018 (Afternoon) the Project Team (GTU&BOKU) has hold an official meeting with the Administration and Scientific Staff of “Green Company” – Tsotne Mirtskhulava Water Management Institute (WMI) of Georgian Technical University (GTU) (Total number of participants 13, 54% females).

  • The review and update of the course contents, syllabuses, and text books in English and in Georgian Languages is now at the stage of finalization. For this purpose, discussions in person with lecturers responsible for similar courses, guest professors, Quality management and Teaching centre representatives of the BOKU were organised during the last GTU visit to BOKU Vienna, 11 to 19 June 2019, i.e. 7th project meeting.

 

Development & sustaining of a project website, platforms & forums: 

  • Issued Teaching Materials: text books in Georgian and English  for WE & EE (52)/ Publications in periodicals, newspapers, open access papers: 5 reports  APPEAR website, a TV report (Saperavi ),a report in News of the Georgian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, an article in BOKU magazine, an Interview for a radio show "Welt im Ohr" Ö1 ORF, joint publications for a scientific conference issued (28, 52), contributions to APPEAR book;

  • Field demonstrations & innovation (open days/ schools networking;

  • Final dissemination workshop- 30 Nov 2020.

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