By order of the Georgian Education Commission dated September 24, 1935, four faculties were established at the newly founded Batumi Teachers’ Institute: Georgian Language and Literature, History, Physics-Mathematics, and Natural Sciences–Geography. To operationalize each faculty, it was essential to form appropriate departments. Accordingly, on October 4, 1935, by official directive, eight departments were created—among them, the Department of Geography.

At that time, Batumi lacked suitably qualified staff for the Institute, so invited specialists primarily filled the teaching roles. Some headed departments, while others lectured.

To lead the Geography Department, the Institute brought in the renowned pedagogue and scientist (later Academician) Aleksandre Javakhishvili from Tbilisi. Together with the first dean, Nikoloz Lortkipanidze, he developed the department’s academic and research plans and staffed it with qualified lecturers. He placed special emphasis on the quality of lectures, faculty research, and students’ field practices. Since Prof. Javakhishvili continued his educational and scientific work in Tbilisi, he could not remain in Batumi physically and, in September 1937, ceased working there. Nonetheless, his contribution to establishing the Geography Department in the newly founded Batumi Teachers’ Institute was invaluable.

After Prof. Javakhishvili’s departure, in September 1937 the department was led by young educator Nadim Nizharadze. On July 31, 1944, he defended his dissertation at Tbilisi State University titled “Alpine Agriculture of Adjara” and received the scientific degree of Candidate of Geographic Sciences. By decision of the university's academic council, his thesis was published as a monograph in 1948—the first Soviet scientific study on alpine agriculture, covering development in mountainous meadow regions. Until 1944, Nijharadze served as a commissioner in education, and afterward devoted his career entirely to Batumi Teachers’ Institute’s Geography Department. In 1949, he became the Institute’s rector.

During his tenure as rector, the campus saw a third-story addition, a newly planted courtyard, installation of the Rustaveli statue, and the introduction of central heating. He served as rector until 1949. From 1954, Nizharadze worked as a senior researcher at Tbilisi’s V. Bagrationi Institute of Geography, then returned to the Geography Department in 1955. From 1963 to 1982, he served again as head of the Department of Geography.

In 1970, at the V. Bagrationi Institute, he defended his doctoral dissertation titled “Economic-Geographical Problems of Equalizing Living Standards between Mountainous and Lowland Regions, and Attempts to Solve Them in the Adjara ASSR,” earning the title of professor in 1972. He significantly strengthened the department’s material and technical base and developed curricula for the disciplines.

During World War II (1941–1945), operations of the Institute and the Geography Department were affected; however, emphasis remained on conducting extensive field practices, some even outside Soviet borders.

On September 1, 1946, per an Education Commission order, a Department of Geology–Mineralogy was spun off from Geography. It included noted specialists: Prof. N. Qipiani (head), Prof. G. Khundzhua, Associate Prof. E. Mgaloblishvili, and assistants G. Murvanidze and D. Mamphoria. The Geography Department included Associate Prof. N. Nijharadze (head), Prof. D. Gedevanishvili, senior lecturers N. Jibuti, K. Kvasvhvadze, and the assistant K. Alasania. In 1949, the Department split into two factions: Physical Geography (led by Associate Prof. N. Jibuti) and Economic Geography (led by N. Nijharadze).

In 1955, the independent departments—Physical Geography, Economic Geography, and Geology–Mineralogy—were merged into a single Geography Department under experienced pedagogue and scientist Associate Prof. N. Jibuti. Under his leadership, most department members held academic degrees (e.g., I. Jibladze, K. Alasania). Teaching, fieldwork quality, and faculty research significantly improved.

Following Associate Prof. Jibuti’s departure for doctoral studies, from 1963 until his death in 1982 the department was headed by Associate Prof. N. Nijharadze. In 1970 he earned his Doctor of Geographic Sciences degree and the title of professor.

After his passing, the department was temporarily led by Associate Prof. M. Kemkhadze (August 1982–March 1983), then from March 1983 to September 1991 by Meritorious Worker of Georgian Schools Associate Prof. V. Borchkhadze. Borchkhadze had joined Batumi Shota Rustaveli Pedagogical Institute’s Geography Department in 1948 as a lab assistant and, in 1955, defended a dissertation in Leningrad on the “Physical-Geographic Characteristics of the Mazimta and Sochi Basin Rivers.” He became senior lecturer, received the associate professor title in 1965, was dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences (1975–1979), and prorector (1979–1983). Between 1983 and 1981 [sic] he served as department head.

From September 1991 to May 1992, Candidate of Geographic Sciences Zurab Bejanidze served as department head. Bejanidze joined the department in 1975 as an assistant, served as Institute Party Committee Secretary (1985–1990), and as prorector for humanitarian affairs (1990–1991). In 1991, he defended a dissertation on the geographic aspects of natural resource use in mountainous Adjara at the V. Bagrationi Institute.

From May 1992 to May 1993, Candidate of Geographic Sciences Jemal Gabaidze acted as department head.

From May 1993 until 2006, the department was headed by Professor Shakro Falavandishvili. He had worked at the Chkvi branch of the Institute of Tea and Subtropical Crops (1971–1989) before joining Batumi Pedagogical Institute’s Geography Department as associate professor in 1989. In 1993, he defended a doctoral dissertation at the Georgian Agrarian Institute on “Geographic Aspects of Rational Soil Use in Adjara’s Subtropical Crop Development,” earning the title of Doctor of Geographic Sciences and winning a State Prize. Alongside Prof. N. Beruchashvili (Tbilisi) and Jean Radvan (Paris), he prepared and published a bilingual Geographic-Informational Atlas of Adjara in Georgian and French.

During his term, new staff joined: Z. Davitadze and A. Diasamidze.

Since February 2008, the department’s head has been Associate Professor Antaz Kikava, a Doctor of Geology–Mineralogy and Full Professor. He has served at Batumi Shota Rustaveli State Pedagogical Institute (later University) since 1981 in various roles—teacher, senior lecturer, vice dean (1983–1987), dean (1987–1991), and head of academic affairs (1994–1997). Under his leadership, subject-based curricula were first introduced post-independence. He received his associate professorship in 2004 and became an associate professor in 2008. In 1999, under the supervision of Prof. A. Tvalchrelidze at the Georgian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Geology, he defended a dissertation on “Petrology, Thermophysical Model, and Mineralization of the Merisi-Namonastrevi Intrusive Complex.” Politically active, he served as a two-term deputy in the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara and held positions such as vice chair of the legal and human rights commission, vice chair of the Council of Ministers, Agriculture Minister, First Deputy Chair of the Council of Ministers, acting head, and Chair of the Adjara Senate.

Currently, the Geography Department comprises 1 full professor, 2 associate professors, 1 assistant professor, and invited lecturers.

Associate Professor M. Futkaradze (PhD 1992, Institute of Geography of the Georgian Academy of Sciences) has worked at Batumi University’s Geography Department since 1992, becoming associate professor in 1997. He served as vice dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences from 1996 to 2004.

Associate Professor S. Khorava (PhD 1989, Lomonosov Moscow State University) specializes in coastal underwater canyon morphology and dynamics and is associate professor at Batumi since 1993.

Assistant Professor Nazibrola Faghava has worked at the department since 1997, becoming assistant professor in 2004. The department also lists guest lecturers: Prof. K. Tavartkiladze, Assoc. Prof. T. Gordeziani, Z. Abashidze, and lecturer R. Solomonidze.

The department actively conducts scientific research on natural conditions, resource use and protection, socio-economic geography, population, agriculture, and ecology in southwestern Georgia. Research areas include relief and climate, hydrological networks, landscape formation and transformation, sustainability and potential assessment, soil type distribution and genesis, and hazardous waste utilization.

Over the years, technical staff have served the department; current lead specialist is L. Gabaidze.