The President of Caucasus University Kakha Shengelia, and Vice President for Internationalization Irena Melua visited Mendel University in the Czech Republic, Brno as part of an official working visit.

During the visit, the Caucasus University delegation held meetings with Martina Rašticová, Vice-Rector for Internationalization, and Lukáš Kala, Head of the International Relations Office, to discuss the existing cooperation between the two institutions and explore opportunities for further expanding the partnership. The discussions focused on strengthening academic and institutional cooperation through joint research initiatives, international projects, student and staff mobility, and the development of joint academic programs.

Both sides expressed strong interest in deepening cooperation and highlighted the importance of building long-term strategic partnerships between the universities. The meetings were held in a very positive and productive atmosphere, and the parties agreed to continue active communication and organize reciprocal visits in the future.

Several priority areas for future collaboration were identified, including business, economics, tourism, hospitality, wine studies, and gastronomy-related education and research. Special emphasis was placed on the growing importance of interdisciplinary approaches linking tourism, culture, sustainability, and regional development.

As part of the visit, representatives of Caucasus University also participated in activities organized within the framework of the GastroTour Project, an Erasmus+ initiative focused on gastronomy tourism education and innovation. The delegation had the opportunity to learn more about Czech wine traditions, gastronomy culture, and tourism development practices, particularly in the South Moravia region, which is internationally recognized for its wine heritage and culinary tourism potential.

The visit included participation in various workshops, discussions, excursions, and professional networking activities related to gastronomy tourism and innovative educational practices. The program covered topics such as educational wine trails, tourism innovation, learning platform development, and skills required in the gastronomy tourism sector. 

Representatives from the Caucasus School of Tourism, lecturers Nino Tigishvili and Nato Robitashvili, also participated in the GastroTour study visit and training activities. They actively contributed to discussions and collaborative work related to the development of the project’s learning packages and educational materials on behalf of Caucasus University. Their participation provided an important opportunity to exchange knowledge and best practices with international partners and further support the internationalization and modernization of tourism education at Caucasus University.

The visit further strengthened the partnership between Caucasus University and Mendel University and opened new perspectives for future academic, research, and international project cooperation.