No. 501 Academic Department of Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Technologies was formed in 2023 on the base of two departments: 1. Department of Mechanical Engineering and Technologies; 2. Department of Industrial Engineering and Technology.

 The Department of Mechanical Engineering and Technologies combined the Departments of Machine Building Technology and Metal Cutting Machine Tools, which have been functioning since the establishment of the first engineering and technical school in Georgia - Polytechnic Institute of Georgia (February 1922). It can be surely said that the training of mechanical engineers in Georgia has been going on for practically a century. It is worth noting that this field of science was led at different times by distinguished and honored personalities of our country. In particular, two worthy representatives of our specialty - Professor Giorgi Gedevanishvili and Giorgi Gotsiridze were among the eleven founders who laid the foundation for the Forge of Engineering Personnel in Georgia. At the same time, Professor Giorgi Gedevanishvili was appointed as the first head of the cathedra of the mentioned specialty. In 1941-49, the same department was headed by the famous scientist of mechanical engineering and physics, Martin Kasian, who was transferred to Armenia by special invitation, and together with his colleagues, spearheaded the establishment of Yerevan Polytechnic Institute. At that time, Professor Giorgi Gedevanishvili again became the head of the department. In 1958-2000, practically until his death, the cathedra was headed by a well-known scientist, academician of the Georgian Academy of Sciences, former Rector of GTU, Professor Teimuraz Loladze. Since 2000, the department has been headed by Professor Raul Turmanidze.

The Department of Industrial Engineering and Technology operated in 2011-2023, under the leadership of Professor Nia Natbiladze, where it merged - Polygraphy and Light Industry; Forestry-technical and food industry directions.  Each of the mentioned directions has its own interesting and fruitful historical past.

In order to train forestry and wood processing engineers, the Department of Wood Processing Technology was established in 1961 at the Technical University of Georgia. Doctor of technical sciences Professor Revaz Akhvlediani was the governor of which for many years. And after him, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor Giorgi Jabua. In 2011, the department was transformed into a forestry-technical department, the head of which was appointed Professor Zaur Chitidze, Doctor of Technical Sciences. The direction is provided by a laboratory and practical base equipped with 30 units of machine tools, models and laboratory tools (32 units), which helps to carry out educational and scientific work at a perfectly high level.

The cathedra of "Equipment Equipment of Food Industry" was established in 1946 at the Mechanical Faculty of the then Industrial Institute of Georgia (II). The famous scientist, academician of the Georgian Academy of Sciences Nikoloz Landia was unanimously elected as the head of the cathedra. He headed the department until 1959. In 1959-1990, the department was always headed by Doctor of Technical Sciences, Honored Worker of Science and Technology of Georgia, Laureate of the State Prize, Professor Aleksandre Kakalashvili. In 1990-1997, after the death of Professor Kakalashvili, the department was headed by Nodar Zaldastanishvili, member-correspondent of the Engineering Academy, famous scientist, professor, laureate of the Honored Inventor State Prize of Georgia – Nodar Zaldastanishvili. With the direct support of Professor Nodar Zaldastanishvili, in 1996, the Department of Automation of Production Processes was added to the Department and it was named "Department of Automation of Food and Refrigeration Equipment and Production Processes".In 1998, Professor Tamaz Megrelidze, a member of the Engineering Academy of Georgia, was elected to the cathedra of the Department of Automation of Food and Refrigeration Equipment and Production Processes. In 2007, the department was merged into the newly established Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Faculty, whose head was Professor Tamaz Megrelidze, and Professor Zurab Japaridze was in charge of the catering department. In 2011, the aforementioned cathedra was transformed into the Department of Food Industry.

The Department of Polygraphy and Light Industry Technologies at the Faculty of Transport Systems and Mechanical Engineering of the Technical University of Georgia has been operating since 2012. It was formed on the basis of the union of the departments of polygraphy and light industry. Generations of scientists were brought up at the department, including a number of doctors of sciences, dozens of candidates of sciences. Among the candidates of sciences educated at the department, there are more than 10 foreigners who were awarded the degree of doctor of philosophy. The Georgian scientific school in the field of mechanical engineering has gained world recognition in America, England, Japan, China, Poland, the Czech Republic and other foreign countries. About ten monographs and more than a hundred fundamental works were published separately. The accumulated scientific potential and international connections during the 100-year operation of the department create prerequisites for continuing scientific research, not only in the above-mentioned direction, but also in newly formed directions.

The employees of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Technologies honorably continue the traditions of scientific and educational processes accumulated over the years. This can become a prerequisite for the training of specialists according to international standards for the sustainable development of the economy of Georgia. The academic staff works in the direction of improving the syllabus of study disciplines. The existing literature is being systematically improved. New manuals, methodical instructions, highlights of new achievements and other appropriate materials are created to conduct the educational process at a high level. The educational process is provided by the manuals prepared by the employees of the department, methodological works, abstracts, electronic versions, Internet sources, supporting literature available in the library of GTU and the faculty. The main task of the department is to promote the principles of student-oriented teaching and take care of raising the quality of teaching. Newly accredited training programs in the department comply with international standards as much as possible. They are equipped with training laboratories for the following disciplines: mechanical engineering technology, material cutting, product planning and production, cutting tools and others. The educational process in the department takes place at the following levels: Vocational training, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. The programs of all levels are provided with relevant modern level educational literature and material base.