In 1922, with the participation of N. Muskhelishvili, G. Nikoladze, G. Tzulukidze, G. Gedevanishvili, A. Razmadze, A. Gulisashvili, A. Kharadze, A. Benashvili, V. Kakabadze, and others, the Polytechnic Faculty was established at Tbilisi State University. Alongside Georgian scholarly engineers, a leading role was played by engineer-metallurgist—and later Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences and scientist of broad expertise—Professor Giorgi Nikoladze (1888–1931). On his initiative and under his leadership, the training of metallurgical engineers began in 1923, and in 1928 the Department of Ferrous Metallurgy was founded.

In the same year, the Polytechnic Faculty was separated from the university and became an independent institute. Initially, metallurgists were grouped with mining engineers and later with chemists. The Faculty of Metallurgy operated independently between 1931 and 1934, with Professor A. Gulisashvili (1888–1971) serving as its first dean. In 1952, the Faculty of Metallurgy was re-established as a separate academic unit.

The Department of Ferrous Metallurgy (No. 50) ceased to exist in 1937 and was restored only in 1952. For three decades, it was headed by Professor Aleksandre Khvichia (1903–1985). From 1985 to 2007, the department was led by Professor G. Lomtatidze, and from 2007 onward by Professor Omar Mikadze.

In 1961, a Problem Laboratory for Ore Processing and Recovery was established under the department, directed by Professor S. Mazmishvili. Together with Professor N. Tsereteli, he played a major role in improving smelting technologies at the Zestafoni Ferroalloy Plant and in advancing beneficiation technologies for low-grade ores. Building on the laboratory’s work, N. Tsereteli became the first to develop and implement effective and economically viable technologies for producing “special concentrates” and “special products,” from which corresponding manganese ferroalloys were smelted. Four patents were issued for these developments, all of which were subsequently acquired by Georgian Manganese (Zestafoni Ferroalloy Plant) in 2012 and 2020.

In 1972, the Department of Metal Forming (No. 103) was founded, headed by Academician R. Adamia of the Georgian Academy of Sciences. From 1983, the department was chaired by Professor A. Nozadze, Academician of the Engineering Academy, and in 2002 it was taken over by Professor D. Nozadze.

The origin of the Materials Science specialty in Georgia dates back to 1930, when at the Polytechnic Institute, under the initiative of the renowned scientist Professor Giorgi Gedevanishvili (1883–1957), the Department of Metal Technology was created. He chaired the department until 1949. From that year onward, for nearly four decades, it was led by Academician Ferdinand Tavazde (1912–1989), who also served as Director of the Metallurgy Institute of the Georgian Academy of Sciences from 1951 until his death.

From 1959, the department functioned under the name “Metal Technology and Metallography” (No. 12). Between 1970 and 1973, the acting head of the department was Professor I. Janelidze; from 1989, it was chaired by Professor S. Qurashvili. The department served more than 40 engineering specialties.

In 1961, the Department of Foundry Production (No. 26) was established, chaired by Associate Professor B. Petriashvili (1978–1999). Later, the department was led at various times by Professors R. Gvetadze and J. Barbakadze.

In 1981, the Department of Welding Metallurgy and Processes (No. 85) began operating under the leadership of Professor S. Iakobashvili.

In 1992, Departments No. 26 and No. 85 were merged into the Department of Foundry Production, Welding, and New Technological Processes (No. 26), headed by Corresponding Member of the Engineering Academy Professor Vasil Kopaleishvili.

In 1995, on the initiative of Professor Givi Zviadadze, the Department of Nonferrous Metallurgy and Semiconductor Materials (No. 123) was opened at the Faculty of Metallurgy. Later, it was renamed Nonferrous Metals Metallurgy. Over the years, it was chaired by Professors Avtandil Tzilosani and Zurab Okrostsvaridze. The department trained engineers specializing in gold, silver, and copper production.

Professor J. Barbakadze and his research group made significant contributions to the study of high-strength cast irons and casting of highly wear-resistant rolls.

Special recognition is due to Professor Eter Giorgidze, Dean of the Faculty of Metallurgy, whose textbook written in Georgian served as a foundational learning resource for many generations of specialists.

Among the notable contributors is Professor A. Nozadze, one of the founders of electro-rolling processes. During his tenure as Prorector, the Georgian Technical University achieved leading scientific positions and established productive international collaborations.

Professor Jemal Lomsadze left an indelible mark through his invaluable contributions to the theory and technology of transverse and helical rolling, as well as research on the stress-strain state of metals.

Under the leadership of Professor Merab Mikautadze, a highly qualified engineer, new rolling mill units were developed and implemented, and technological lines of tube-rolling complexes were improved.

Professor Vasil Kopaleishvili contributed significantly to science, particularly through the development of original series of low-alloy steels, many of which were implemented at the Rustavi Metallurgical Plant. His work “Development and Industrial Implementation of Economically Alloyed Steels and Advanced Technological Processes” was awarded the State Prize of Georgia in Science and Technology.

Professor Raul Gvetadze made major contributions to the creation of a new class of high-strength deformable cast irons with unique properties and to the development of their production technologies.

The invention by Professor Sozar (Bau) Iakobashvili, “New Technology for Steel Processing and Furnace Design,” received the Grand Gold Medal at the Leipzig International Fair. The license for the “Cycloconverter Welding Power Supply CS-200,” developed under his leadership, was sold in Germany.

Three scientific discovery diplomas (No. 390, No. 437, No. 497) and one silver and two gold medals from Nobel laureate P. Kapitsa were awarded for the discovery of the reductive process achieved through experimental industrial smelting using natural gas and air-oxygen injection at the steel-tapping outlet of the Rustavi Metallurgical Plant. The authors were Guram, Irakli, and Beno Khashakashvili.

Under the leadership of Professor M. Okrosashvili, the technology for producing nanocrystalline powders by electron-beam metal evaporation and vapor-condensation was developed for the first time. Numerous patents and international research grants were awarded for this work.

In 2008, the honorary title “Engineer of the Year” in metallurgy was awarded to Professor S. Mebonia, who later, in 2012, received the National Prize of Georgia for the research cycle “Engineering Methods for Calculating Parameters of Impact Phenomena in Mechanical Systems and Optimization of Dynamic Processes.”

It is noteworthy that dozens of metallurgists have received state and national awards.

After the merger of faculties in 2006, the Faculty of Metallurgy was reorganized as the Department of Metallurgy, Materials Science, and Metal Processing, headed by Professor Davit Nozadze until 2021, and from 2021 by Professor Zurab Sabashvili. The department currently oversees two educational programs: Metallurgy and Materials Science.

Since 2025, the Department of Metallurgy, Materials Science, and Metal Processing has been integrated into the Faculty of Transport Systems and Mechanical Engineering.

Contact Information

Zurab Sabashvili — Head of Department
💧 69 M. Kostava St., 10th Academic Building, Room 512
✉️ z_sabashvili@gtu.ge

Medea Jibashvili — Junior Specialist (Third Category)
💧 69 M. Kostava St., 10th Academic Building, Room 505
✉️ m.jibashvili@gtu.ge