International Summer School "Research For Development"
During September 5-16, 2016 International Summer School «Research for Development» was held in Abastumani, in Abastumani Research Centre (Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory) of the Ilia State University, hosting the BA, MA and PhD students from six countries: Georgia, Russian Federation, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Iran and Turkey. The Summer School was held within the framework of the SCOPES Program «Sustainable Mountain Development in the Caucasus» funded by Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF). The Summer School was organized by Institute of Geography of Russian Academy of Science The lectures were held by the leading specialist from IGRAN, Institute of Geography of Tbilisi State University, Ilia State University, Institute of Geography of Azerbaijani Academy of Science and University of Bern. Sustainable Caucasus provided logistical and organzational support.
The program of the Summer School was focused on inter and trans-disciplinary research of Adigeni Municipality and involved lectures, field works, meeting with local population, as well as with the heads of local government. The participants got acquainted with the environment, natural resources, demographic conditions and specialization of the region, studied the quality of local water resources, climate change (dendrochronology), built digital elevation models for mapping the mountain reliefs.
As a result of studying the development potential of the Adigeni Municipality the participants prepared and presented their projects on possible directions of sustainable development for mountain regions. At the end of the Summer School the participants were awarded certificates of successful completion of the program.
