How do mountain regions respond to climate change or out-migration? Such questions guide the transnational research seminar “Sustainable Mountain Development” taught at Tbilisi State University and the University of Zurich starting in 2022. MTA was developed for this course to facilitate cross-country student collaboration, and for participants explore different (mountain) contexts in Georgia and Switzerland. Follow our project on this website to learn more about the course and explore students’ writings!

The course's main inspiration is to introduce students to sustainable mountain development through the lens of the Alpine and Caucasus mountainous areas. The course was taught for the first time in fall 2022 and is open to advanced bachelor and master students in geography programs at both universities. Lectures and seminar sessions will be simultaneously held online and in-person in Zurich and Tbilisi. Furthermore, students will do fieldwork in their respective regions to gain hands-on experience with various research methods. The course offers a unique setting to engage with different socio-political contexts in the Caucasus and Central Europe, which stimulates a critical examination of and reflection on processes linked to sustainable development in mountain areas. Moreover, we want to allow students to establish international connections and engage with global challenges in an international setting.