During the visit, the guests met with the authorities of the University and of the Faculties and discussed cooperation possibilities in the area of teaching, as well as staff and student exchange. Both parties were interested also in applying together for funds within the ERASMUS+ programme which allows cooperating with entities from outside the EU.

The guests then proceeded to visit our laboratories and simulators of Navigation and Marine Engineering Faculties, being most impressed with tri-dimensional teaching principle our university endorses i.e. lecturing the theory, verifying the theory by means of practical simulator-based classes and work placements in real conditions, be it aboard a ship or in a transport-logistics-freight company. The BSMA delegation visited also our Marine Rescue Training Centre where the guests inquired about the free-fall lifeboat course and working at heights safety course for wind turbine operators. The next item in the visit agenda was a meeting with our Language Centre and Teaching and Certification Department.

The guests were curious of whether we have any best practices in the field of effective language teaching and shared their opinion in this respect. The final point of the programme was visiting our training-research vessel which might, in the future, host sea-service placements for several of BSMA students.

The atmosphere of the visit was friendly and it appears that both institutions will soon initiate their cooperation.

Batumi State Maritime Academy educates ca. 2000 students every year at two Faculties: Marine (Navigation, Marine Engineering, Marine Electrical Engineering) and Business and Management (Marine Transport Logistics, Port Management, Tourism, Banking). Campus of the University is located by the very Black Sea and yet in the Batumi city centre.

Representatives of the Batumi State Maritime Academy and Maritime University of Szczecin (from the left: Andrzej Bąk PhD, Master Mariner, Associate professor at MUS, Deputy Rector for Maritime Affairs, Magdalena Markiewicz – Head of the International Mobility Office, Teona Dzneladze – Coordinator of certification and international projects at BSMA, Prof. Stanisław Gucma Master Mariner, Rector of MUS, Irakli Katsadze – First Deputy Rector of BSMA, Mamuka Baramidze – Head of Rector’s Administration at BSMA, Piotr, Treichel PhD Eng, Deputy Rector for Education)