French-Georgian tourism and cultural heritage programme launched for students

Prospective students looking to develop their knowledge in fields of tourism and cultural heritage now have a new Master's programme to look forward to at the French-Georgian University project that involves joint efforts by two of the countries' major educational institutions.

Unveiled in a Tbilisi occasion on Thursday, the programme is designed to those looking to "showcase Georgia's rich material and immaterial cultural heritage", a release from the French embassy said in its introduction of the degree.

Devised in joint efforts by Tbilisi State University and Université Lumière Lyon 2, the major will involve a dual diploma from the two institutions upon graduation, and is one of the first such programmes at the FGU.

The embassy also said the degree would take advantage of France's experience in the tourism and cultural heritage sector, as it becomes the latest entry of the curriculum at the FGU, a 2016-inaugurated project between the two states to contribute to the development of high quality education in Georgia.

The first two semesters of the new programme will involve classes at Tbilisi State University through Georgian-language teaching orientated on business and tourism, in addition to a course in French.

The third semester, also to be taught at the Georgian university, will see teachers from Université Lumière Lyon 2 introduce professional French, cultural tourism methodology and project diagnostics and development to students.

Students will then undergo a two-month specialised tourism course at the French university for the fourth semester, to be followed by internships at tourist companies in France, and a diploma defence at the Lyon university.