On 2–4 November 2026, Iakob Gogebashvili Telavi State University, coordinator of the Erasmus+ GASTROTOUR project, joined project partners and industry stakeholders for a three-day Pilot Assessment Workshop in Georgia. The workshop was hosted at Schuchmann Wines Georgia in Telavi on 2–3 November and at Caucasus University in Tbilisi on 4 November.
GASTROTOUR—“Skilling for Impact: University–Industry Partnerships for Local/Regional Gastronomic Tourism”—supports cooperation between higher education institutions and industry to strengthen skills relevant to gastronomic tourism. The workshop focused on reviewing pilot activities, sharing experiences and preparing the next stages of project implementation.
During the first day, partner universities presented their progress in piloting the project’s courses and Learning Packages. Discussions addressed participant engagement, feedback, implementation challenges and successful practices. Particular attention was given to improving the learning materials and exploring opportunities to integrate the courses into universities’ educational provision. The programme also included an example from the EnoTour project concerning the development of a micro-credential.
The second day focused on the Self-Assessment Tool (SAT) and the Interactive Development Component. A hybrid stakeholder session, led by Creation and Schuchmann, provided a platform for discussing preliminary SAT findings and exchanging industry perspectives. Topics included organisational strengths, development needs, practical recommendations and the preparation of consultancy reports. Partners also discussed the continued use of the project’s courses and assessment tool beyond the project’s lifetime.
On the final day, hosted by Caucasus University, discussions centred on forthcoming deliverables, partner responsibilities and implementation timelines.
The workshop supported continued cooperation between universities and industry and helped advance the partnership’s work towards relevant learning opportunities and sustainable project results in gastronomic tourism.
