University of Osnabrück welcomes a visit from Tbilisi Academy of Arts
In a groundbreaking development, the University of Osnabrück, Germany, and the State Academy of Arts Tiflis, Georgia, have established the first Erasmus partnership within the Textile Design program at Osnabrück University. This milestone marks the inaugural German Erasmus partnership with the Tbilisi State Academy of Art.
Funded by the VGH Foundation, this project aims to promote intercultural cooperation and academic exchange between Germany and Georgia through art and textile design. The partnership involves the University of Osnabrück’s Research Center Institute of Early Modern Intercultural Studies, the Justus-Möser-Gesellschaft/Historischer Verein Osnabrück, and the Lower Saxony State Archives, focusing on historical, cultural, and political research aspects connected to Osnabrück’s heritage.
The visit week at the University of Osnabrück included a multi-day workshop titled "Inspiration from the Blue Table Cloth in Batik Technique". During this time, the Georgian visitors, including high-ranking figures such as Prof. Tinatin Kldiashvili and Maya Kipiani, immersed themselves in the rich textile design culture of Osnabrück. They also visited the Linen Weaving Museum in Bramsche and an indigo printing factory in Jever, further enriching their experience.
The traditional Georgian blue tablecloth "Lurja Supra" and the indigo printing workshops in Lower Saxony and the rest of Germany hold particular significance in this partnership. The aim is to make textile design a cross-border cultural heritage, reflecting shared interests in the arts and intercultural studies.
The first Georgian students started attending courses at the Textile Design department of the University of Osnabrück in the summer semester of 2025. The Osnabrück delegation of Textile Design is scheduled to return in July, and further Georgian students are expected to attend in 2026. Funding opportunities are being explored to enable Osnabrück guest students to stay in Tiflis.
Dr. Lucia Schwalenberg, from the Department of Cultural and Social Sciences, expressed that the goal is to make textile design a cross-border cultural heritage. Germany and Georgia share the common textile UNESCO World Heritage of indigo printing, and this partnership is set to strengthen ties between the two countries' cultural institutions.
Prof. Dr. Barbara Schmidt, Department of Cultural and Social Sciences at the University of Osnabrück, stated that such encounters are more than a cultural exchange, showing how collaborative artistic work bridges the gap between tradition and modernity. The Erasmus partnership between the University of Osnabrück and the Academy of Arts from Georgia is planned for two years, with a vision of long-term collaboration.
A bilateral exhibition on the "Blue Table Cloth" is planned with funds from the Schroubek Foundation, further cementing the bond between the two institutions. Prof. Nino Kvrivishvili, a textile artist, is also planned for a guest stay, adding another layer of artistic exchange.
This Erasmus partnership aims to open new avenues for creative and academic collaboration, reflecting shared interests in the arts and intercultural studies. The University of Osnabrück is currently building the first German Erasmus partnership with the State Academy of Arts Tiflis, Georgia, setting a precedent for future collaborations and strengthening the cultural ties between the two nations.
- The Erasmus partnership between the University of Osnabrück and the State Academy of Arts Tiflis, Georgia, is also cultivating a shared interest in online education and learning, as they further explore funding opportunities for Osnabrück guest students to take online courses at the academy in Tiflis.
- As part of this cross-border cultural heritage project, the universities are also considering the addition of online education channels for students and academics, fostering education-and-self-development opportunities that transcend geographical boundaries.
