Action plan

Action plan
28/10/2015 16:06

LEPL – Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation of Georgia

Action Plan (2015 – 2019)

Foundation Activities – General overview

Activities of LEPL – Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation are directed to ensuring rational spending of the resources allocated to research funding. The foundation aims to create a unified system of science funding and build society’s trust towards the system. SRNSF maintains the monitoring of the state research grant beneficiaries (grantees) and submits report to the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia about new science products as well as data of expected economic affects.

LEPL - Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation performs its activities based on fair competition and transparency, in cooperation with scientific circles, state and private institutions.

Main goals of the Foundation are:

  • To provide financial support to the development of scientific activities in Georgia through grant system;
  • To fund research and innovation projects necessary for the development of Georgia’s economic potential;
  • To attract young scientists and facilitate their development;
  • To create popularity to science;
  • To facilitate participation of Georgia’s academic circles in international projects.

Priorities of the Foundation are:

  • To promote high quality, modern scientific research of international standards;
  • To promote Georgian Studies and the related scientific research, to support and popularize the country’s cultural and material heritage ;
  • To facilitate the increase of young researchers potential;
  • To internationalize Georgia’s science through integration of Georgia’s scientific circles into international science network and though strengthening international collaboration in research;
  • To support science infrastructure development;
  • To increase science popularization;

SRSNF supports grant projects in the following science directions (OSCD/ EUROSTAT classification + Georgian Studies)

  1. Exact and Natural sciences;
  2. Engineering and Technologies;
  3. Medical and health sciences;
  4. Agrarian sciences;
  5. Social sciences;
  6. Humanities;
  7. Georgian Studies;

Since the year of 2015, the process of structural and financial reorganization has begun. It aims to promote a research of international standards, develop young scientists’ potential, improve Georgia’s science infrastructure, create a new science portal and integrate into international science network, create popularity to science. The above said is closely connected to launching the new management system, introducing structural changes, increase the number of relevant employees and develop foundation’s human and technical resources.

Reorganization of the Foundation

  • New Statute;
  • International Supervisory Board (ISB);
  • Revision of project evaluation system – introduction of international experts network (ERC, ORAU)
  • Measuring programs’ efficiency and Introducing content evaluation of grants;
  • Creation of the new database and a unified system for grant management;
  • Development of Georgia’s unified science portal;
  • Evaluation and development of information and technology infrastructure;
  • Funding principle: selecting the best (excellent) projects, increasing grant scales;
  • Reorganization of programs and working out new programs and calls. 

New Priorities of the Foundation

  • Compliance of the Foundations' strategy and action plan to the priorities of Georgia’s Government strategic document - ‘Georgia 2020’
  • New evaluation criteria – funding the best (excellent) proposals;
  • Joint calls/matching funds for applied research grants with GITA and National Intellectual Center –SAKPATENTI;
  • Programs for supporting Georgian Studies’ research and related activities (10 % of SRNSF annual budget);
  • Needs assessment for strategic development planning and grant analysis;
  • Increase support to the development of young scientists;
  • Targeted, long-term grant projects of STEM;
  • ‘Science begins from the secondary school’ – fostering Science popularization / Communication programs;
  • Collaboration with new international partner organizations, supporting joint research projects (JSPC, TUBITAC).

A resume of the Priorities for 2015- 2019

  1. Supporting scientific research
    • Fundamental Research grants;
    • Applied Research grants (in collaboration with GITA and Sakpatenti. Joint funding);
    • Joint Research with participation of Georgian compatriots residing abroad;
    • Targeted program – providing long-term support to research projects in engineering, exact and natural sciences (STEM);
    • Providing access to international scientific and research infrastructure (CERN, DUBNA) to the scientists of Georgia.

  1. Supporting young scientists

2.1. Grants for young scientists,

2.2. Grant competition for PhD research projects,

2.3. State science grants for young scientists’ research internship abroad,

2.4. Grant projects for institutionalization of PhD and MA Graduate Schools,

2.5. Targeted projects in collaboration with international partners – joint fellowships (DAAD) for young scientists (PhD students);

2.6. Grant competition for promoting research in MA programs (funding MA students’ educational – research projects).

  1. Supporting Georgian Studies and the related research, protecting and popularizing Georgia’s cultural and material heritage

3.1. State science grants Georgia’s cultural and material heritage existing abroad;

3.2. Promoting Centers and programs of Georgian Studies abroad;

3.3. Targeted conferences aiming at presenting and popularizing Georgian Studies;

  1. Promoting international cooperation and relations
    • Grant competitions for seasonal schools (with participation of foreign scientists, these grants include state science grants on Georgian Studies summer schools) ;
    • Conference grant competitions (with participation of foreign scientists);
    • Short-term individual travel grants;
    • Joint grant competitions as part of European and regional cooperation;
    • Georgian scientists’ participation in international scientific research
    • The EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (Horizon 2020)

(Joint research projects with Georgian researchers of DUBNA, CERN)

  1. Science information and technology infrastructure development

      5.1. Providing access to international publications and database:

                   - ELSEVIER, SCOPUS database

                   - Integration of Georgian journals in ELSEVER database (including the development of Georgian Studies journal)

                   - Clarivate Analytics (Web of Science, Derwent Innovation)

5.2. Developing national database (Georgia’s Science Portal)

5.3. State grants on science equipment

  1. Promoting science popularization

6.1. State science grants, research with participation of secondary school students

6.2. Competition of inventors - secondary school students ‘Leonardo DA Vinci’

6.3. Participation of Georgia’s secondary school students in international Olympiads – sub-program for encouraging successful students

6.4. Special targeted projects for science popularization (public lecture series, TV and radio programs, Junior University)

6.5. Annual stipends and prizes on behalf of distinguished Georgian scientists for special achievements and contribution to science and technologies.