Research Structure

On this page, incrEAST provides an overview of the research and technology potential of Georgia.

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Characterisation of the research system

Policy making and funded functions in Georgia are mainly concentrated in the Ministry of Education and Science, Georgia National Science Foundation (GNSF) and Rustaveli Foundation  (Foundation for Georgian Studies, Humanities and Social Sciences). Actually research is performed in public universities (focus of private universities is on education rather than on research) and scientific-research institutes and in less extent in non-governmental organisations (generally involved is social sciences). Georgian Academy of Sciences is the advisory body and plays a leading role in setting of national R&D priorities.

Georgia's research system has gone through major restructuring in the last 4-5 years, yet the process is far from being completed. The continuing changes encompass: optimisation of the number and the profile of scientific-research institutes and their integration into the university system, elaboration of new funding models of S&T (including cooperative granting of international programmes and projects), support of young scientists, etc.

Research indicators

S&T of Georgia can be estimated by the following main indicators:

• The number of grants received from European and international programmes and funds. The following international programmes and funds have been mainly involved in granting of Georgian S&T (in USD): EU FP6 - (2002-2006) 15 projects – 2.5 mln ; NATO - (since 1994) 160 projects – around 11.5 mln; TACIS - (1996-2007) 8 projects - 6.0 mln; INTAS - (1993-2006) 250 projects- 8.0 mln; CRDF - (since 1995) 235 projects-7.5 mln; ISTC - (1994-2008) 138 projects - 27.997 006 mln; STCU - (since 1998 - 2007) 60 projects -5.5 mln.
• The number of publications by Georgian researchers in leading international research journals indexed by the ISI Web of Science. The number has increased from 1216 for the period 1995-1999 to 1781 for the period 2000-2005, or from 240 papers per million population to 380 papers per million population.
• The number of S&T institutes/universities. Currently Georgia S&T holds 63 S&T institutes (legal entities of public law) and around 20 private institutes mainly of medical profile. S&T activities are also performed by 6 accredited universities (LEPL).
• Number of scientific personnel and researchers (including persons with scientific degree). Number of scientific personnel of public S&T institutes is around 4858 and more than 50% of them (2527) are researchers. Academy staff members of public universities (according to their own regulations) are research performers and their number can be estimated up to 3000 persons. Respectively, total number of researchers in Georgia makes some 6000 and 65% out of them have scientific degree.  

Research performers

The main research performers are represented by public universities, S&T institutes (legal entities of public law) and some private institutes are focused on applied/project activities. Besides, some 20-25 non-governmental organisations are involved in political analyses, socio-economic studies, statistical observations, eco-monitoring.

Research funding system

In 2008, the total funding of S&T from the State budget was around 58 203 500 GEL. Avarage annual funding for R&D was 29 872 500 GEL which made 0.157% of the country’s nominal GDP in comparison with 0,09% in 2007 (country’s nominal GDP in 2008 – 19 069 600 000 GEL). Funding from private sector is very limited and of case-to-case character.
Majority of funds from the State budget are allocated by the Ministry of Education and Science. In 2008 the budget was allocated in the form of i) core funding of public research institutions (around 14 509 200 GEL); ii) competitive grants (via Georgia National Science Foundation) – 9 405 000 GEL for all public S&T organisations (including universities) and individual researchers (for GNSF - total amount: 9 906 200 GEL) and iii) competitive grants (via Rustaveli Foundation - Foundation for Georgian Studies, Humanities and Social Sciences) – 2826 900 GEL for all public S&T organisations (including universities) and individual researchers. Besides, the Ministry has provided financial support to Academy of Sciences (2 930 300 GEL) and Academy of Agrarian sciences (533 000 GEL).

Source: GNSF
Last up-date: 26 May 2010