Discussing two recently introduced pieces of legislation in Georgia, Nino Gogadze argues that taken together they have the potential to undermine and isolate research efforts in the country.
Higher education and research institutions in Georgia face increasing risk of isolation. The passage of the Russian-style Law on the Transparency of Foreign Influence (the “foreign agents law”) in May 2024, followed by the adoption of anti-gay legislation (Law on the Protection of Family Values and Minors) and the contested October elections by the Georgian Dream (GD) government party, have raised significant concerns about the country’s commitment to democratic values and its aspirations for EU membership.
How do these recent political developments affect Georgia’s academic and research sectors, and what are the potential consequences for EU-Georgia cooperation in research and innovation? The ongoing protests from the academic community underscore the critical nature of the situation.
the Russian-style foreign agents law not only threatens to undermine the country’s progress towards European integration, but also damages the reputation and international standing of Georgia’s higher education and research sectors.
First, the Russian-style foreign agents law not only threatens to undermine the country’s progress towards European integration, but also damages the reputation and international standing of Georgia’s higher education and research sectors. These sectors have made significant strides since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, largely through support from international donors, including the EU. The law requires non-profit (non-commercial) higher education institutions (HEIs) receiving foreign grants exceeding 20% of their income to register as organisations representing foreign interests and to provide the Ministry of Justice with any requested information, including personal data. As one of the members of the National Team of Higher Education Reform Experts, Keti Tsotniashvili stated:
“This law is particularly threatening in terms of safeguarding research ethics. It undermines the protection of research participants’ anonymity, confidentiality, and personal data, jeopardizing the implementation of various research projects and international collaborations. Ultimately, it damages the reputation of Georgia’s academic system and may lead to its international isolation”.
Second, a recently announced amendment to the Law of Georgia on Higher Education (Article 3(1)), derived from the Law on the Protection of Family Values and Minors, bans discussions in HEIs on topics such as gender identity, same-sex relationships, and related issues. This raises serious concerns, as it not only violates human rights, but also constitutes a direct attack on the academic freedom guaranteed by the Constitution of Georgia. According to the European University Association’s University Autonomy Scorecard 2023, academic autonomy is the weakest of the four autonomy dimensions assessed for public HEIs in Georgia. Already limited, academic autonomy now faces additional challenges due to recent political developments and restrictive legislation, raising concerns about the future of HEIs in Georgia.
Already limited, academic autonomy now faces additional challenges due to recent political developments and restrictive legislation
On November 28, the GD government decided to pause its European accession efforts and reject EU grants, following a European Parliament resolution that criticised the country’s recent parliamentary elections as “neither free nor fair”. The government has not clarified whether it is also rejecting grants from schemes such as Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe. However, as Diana Lezhava, a research fellow at the Center for Social Sciences in Georgia, told Times Higher Education before the government announcement:
“A broken relationship with the EU, could result in Georgian higher education being cut off from schemes including Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe – schemes that created mass opportunity for Georgian students and scholars to study and work in European countries”.
The challenges facing Georgia’s higher education and research system are further exacerbated by the country’s limited research funding. Public expenditure on research and development in Georgia is considered ‘sub-critical’, amounting to approximately 0.3% of GDP, with minimal financial contributions from industry. The National Science Foundation of Georgia serves as the primary research funding body, distributing funds through highly competitive, project-based research grants. However, its annual budget – around 33 million Georgian GEL in 2023 (approx. 11 million EUR) – is nearly half that of the budget allocated to the Patriarchate of Georgia, for example. A Horizon 2020 Policy Support Facility (PSF) report conducted in Georgia in 2017-2018 warned: “Without adequate funding, there is a risk that the whole higher education and research system will whither away, with serious consequences for the economy and the entire country”.
In this context, funding from international sources is critical. Georgia has been associated with the EU Framework Programmes for Research and Innovation – Horizon 2020 since 2016 and Horizon Europe since 2021 – and became a full member of the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) in 2022, marking significant milestones in its research and innovation cooperation with the EU. Under these programmes, Georgia signed 102 grant agreements, and organisations from Georgia received a total of €15.6 million in funding. This financial support has been essential for sustaining the country’s scientific potential, particularly given its limited domestic funding. The FPs offer additional opportunities to advance research and innovation in Georgia, providing critical resources for Georgian scholars and researchers to collaborate internationally. However, recent political shifts – particularly the potential rejection of EU grants (it remains unclear how recent events will affect domestic funding to the higher education and research sectors) and the growing risk of isolation – raise serious concerns about the future of this cooperation. Without continued access to these EU programmes, Georgia’s ability to remain connected to global research networks and develop its science technology and innovation system could be severely compromised. Furthermore, the potential damage to Georgia’s international reputation could be profound and enduring, with long-term consequences that may take years, if not decades, to repair.
Without continued access to these EU programmes, Georgia’s ability to remain connected to global research networks and develop its science technology and innovation system could be severely compromised
Since the passage of the Russian-style law in May, students along with academic and research staff, organised protests and staged a boycott to voice their opposition. The protests have continued following the GD party’s announcement to pause its EU accession efforts. The movement ‘Georgian Education Under Threat’ has brought together academic community in opposition to the recent political developments. In addition, several statements and open letters have been published by individual HEIs and groups of academics from specific fields, expressing their concern about the situation. Friday 20 of December marks the 23rd day of ongoing protests in the streets of Tbilisi. Georgian students and the academic community stand united with thousands of others, fighting for democratic values and a European future.
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