On January 29, Rector of the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University (TSU), Academician Vladimer Papava held a press conference in connection with promoting research activities at TSU.
He announced 2015 as the Year of Science that implies support to young and already recognized scientists. Rector Papava said that the university had always been conducting research activities at a high level, but a certain vacuum has emerged, as the research activities were dependent on personal initiatives of professors. “We deemed it expedient to adopt certain regulations, which will help intensify research activities and increase the popularity of our scientists abroad,” TSU Rector Vladimer Papava said. For this purpose, TSU successfully carried out certain activities last year and this is confirmed by increased number of the university publications in peer-reviewed journals with high impact factor, as well as by obtaining international science grants, etc. In 2014, 372 publications were published in peer-reviewed journals with high impact factor, including 174 publications in physics and astronomy; 74 – in mathematics; 51 – in engineering science and 27 – in medicine.
The university provides free access to international electronic scientific databases to help scientists carry out research activities; Post-Doctoral Institute was established; the Ivane Javakhishvili Science Forum was held. “We decided to promote student involvement in scientific activities and therefore we set up a special foundation, which will finance purpose-oriented science programs. In order to promote young scientists, the programs, which were launched last year, will be continued and they will stimulate university science, professors and students,” Rector Papava said.
During the press conference Vladimer Papava also focused on violation of academic ethics, including plagiarism, compilation, reacting on the facts of violation of academic ethics and other violations. “This problem has been persisting in Georgia for a long time. The university has no tools to prevent plagiarism. Therefore, we decided to adopt regulations that would prevent not only plagiarism, but also any facts of scientific misconduct. These regulations were developed as a result of six-month work and they clearly define what particular decisions should be made in case of scientific misconduct. The facts of violations of academic ethics are studied by the commission composed of academic staff and decisions are made by the Academic Council. Five complaints have been filed and decisions have already been made in respect of three complaints; plagiarism was confirmed only in one case; the commission is still working over two other complaints,” Rector Papava said.
He also noted at the press conference that the minimum workload standard for academic staff will be enacted from 2017.
