LEPL – Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation of Georgia
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 the excellent, high quality scientific research in Georgia;
- Development of young scientists’ potential and promoting mobility;
- To promote Georgian Studies and the related scientific research, to support and popularize the country’s cultural and material heritage ;
- Enhancement of international cooperation in scientific research;
- To support development of scientific-information and technological infrastructure;
- To increase science popularization;
SRSNF supports grant projects in the following science directions (OSCD/ EUROSTAT classification + Georgian Studies)
- Exact and Natural sciences;
- Engineering and Technologies;
- Medical and health sciences;
- Agrarian sciences;
- Social sciences;
- Humanities;
- Georgian Studies;
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.
Priorities of the foundation for 2021-2024
- Promoting the excellent, high quality scientific research in Georgia;
1.1 FR- Fundamental Research Grants;
1.2 AR- Applied Research Grants;
1.3 DI - Joint Research with participation of Georgian compatriots residing abroad;
1.4 STEM - Targeted program – providing long-term support to research projects in engineering, exact and natural sciences (STEM);
1.5 Providing access to international scientific and research infrastructure (CERN, DUBNA) to the scientists of Georgia
- Development of young scientists’ potential and promoting mobility
2.1 YS – Research Grants for Young Scientists,
2.2 PHDF - Grant competition for PhD Research Projects;
2.3 MR – MA Research Grants;
2.4 MG - Grant Call for Mobility and International Scientific Events;
2.5 Research Grants for Institutionalization of Graduate Schools;
2.6 IG - Scientific research Internship Programme;
2.7 PHDP - Development of Structured PhD educational programme;
2.8. Targeted projects in collaboration with international partners – joint fellowships for young scientists
- Supporting Georgian Studies and the related research, protecting and popularizing Georgia’s cultural and material heritage
3.1 HE - Grant Call for Research of Georgia’s Cultural and Material Heritage;
3.2 GEC - Call for targeted Conference Grants for Georgian Studies;
3.3 UO GSP - Joint Research Programme of the University of Oxford and SRNSFG in Georgian Studies;
3.4 EUGSP – SRNSFG and European Universities’ “Georgian Studies” Joint Research Grant Call;
3.5 BRG – Grant Call for Supporting Scientific Research Projects and International Scientific Events in the Cross- border Regions of Georgia;
3.6 OTG - Grant Call for Promotion Scientific Research Projects and International Scientific Events in the Occupied Territories of Georgia;
3.7 CS - Grant call for Promotion Scientific Research Projects and International Scientific Events in the Caucasus Studies;
3.8 Grant Call for Promotion Georgian Studies Programs and Centers Abroad
- Enhancement of international cooperation in scientific research
4.1 Forschungszentrum Jülich - Joint program of SRNSFG and Juelich Research Center of Germany;
4.2 DAAD-SRNSFG – Joint Scholarships for Young Scientists;
4.3 VW - SRNSFG – Targeted Call for Supporting Joint program in Cooperation with VW Foundation;
4.4 CNR - Joint Call of the SRNSFG and the National Research Council Italy;
4.5 CNRS- Joint Call of the SRNSFG and the French National Center for Scientific Research;
4.6 STCU - Joint Call of the SRNSFG and the Ukrainian Science and Technology Center;
4.7 ISTC – International Science and Technology Center;
4.8 TUBITAK - Joint grant competition of the Turkish Scientific and Technological Research Council and SRNSFG;
4.9 GFI - Joint Call for Research Fellowship of the SRNSFG and French institute of Georgia;
4.10 Promoting the participation of Georgian Scientists in international scientific research network.
- Science Popularization
5.1 YSS - Scholarship Call for Young Scientists;
5.2 LEO - Programme for young inventors and researchers “Leonardo Da Vinci”;
5.3 SPG – Targeted Grant Call for Science Popularization;
5.4 SP - Scientific Publication Grants;
5.5 SCR - Research Projects with Participation of Secondary School Students
5.6 RA - Prize for Special Achievement in Science
5.7 SPF - Grant call for creation scientific popularization films
5.8 ZGP - Call for Prize named after the first President of the Republic of Georgia - Zviad Gamsakhurdia
5.9 -Program for encouraging successful students to participate in International Academic Olympiads - Sub-program of International Academic Olympiads
- Science information and technology infrastructure development
6.1. Providing access to international publications and database - ELSEVIER, SCOPUS database - Integration of Georgian journals in ELSEVER database
6.2 RIM- Competition to support the renewal of the material and technical base of independent research units of Higher Education Institutions.
6.3 OSDP - Program for Promotion of ‘Open Science’ Development
6.4 Developing National Database (Georgia’s Science Portal)
Annual Taxes – International institutions/ centers
- CERN – European Organization for Nuclear Research
- DUBNA - Joint Institute for Nuclear Research
Ensuring the payment of the annual taxes to facilitate participation scientists in the programs of these centers
A resume of the Priorities for 2010- 2020
- 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.
- 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).
- 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;
- 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
(Joint research projects with Georgian researchers of DUBNA, CERN)
- 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
- 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.