On July 10-11^th, the meeting of the fifth International Policy Board was held at the Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation. The Policy Board is the collegial body of the Foundation which meets biannually to discuss the activities, strategic issues and the action plan implemented by the Foundation during past 6 months. Members of the Policy Board are the Minister of Education and Science of Georgia, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Georgia (curator of the foundation), Georgian and international prominent scientists.

The staff of the Foundation presented a new program portfolio and budget of 2018, critical issues of new strategy, modified projects of 2018 (concept of applied research, grant concept tool) to the Board.

Other issues discussed at the meeting included: project assessment procedure and policy / Unified commission and field panels, program monitoring issues: statistics; challenges, perspectives; grant preparation schemes of 2020, evaluation of the effectiveness of the work plan, international programs and cooperation - new international partners and perspectives (China, French Institute, Bulgaria, Moldova, DFG, TUBITAK, USESFP, ERC, TAEX Cooperation); Membership of international programs, platforms and databases.