“24 Hours”, August 10

What Does the Changes in Subordination of Research Institutions Envisage

Nino Kancheli

Public differently evaluated the decision of the Government of Georgia made on July 5, 2010 on integration of research institutions to Higher Educational Institutions. According to this decision, authority of the Ministry of Education and Science is reduced but MES assesses the decision positively. According to Dimitri Shashkini, transmitting the authority of MES to the Higher Educational Institutions is liberalism and decentralization that is the natural process in the development of democracy.

62 research institutions operate in Georgia. Many of them are really successful in an international arena, but the hard material-technical conditions of the 4/5 of these institutions are known for everybody. The reason is poor financial resources.

In order to develop the strategic plan of the development of research institutions, special commission was established several years ago. The commission actively cooperated with the National Academy of Sciences and research institutions. Unfortunately, some groups rejected the collaboration. Finally, development of the complete strategic plan was failed. Afterwards, idea about integration of research institutions with Higher Educational Institutions was raised as the result of the consultations with academicians, experts of scientific field and heads of Higher Educational Institutions. Therefore, research institutions accepted the offer to become the University Research Institution. The initiative is designed to integrate the material-technical bases of the research and Higher Educational Institutions.  Additionally the students of Higher Educational Institutions will have more opportunity to get involved in the themes of Doctor, MA and in several cases Bachelor levels of the research institutions.

Dimitri Shashkini, Minister of Education and Science of Georgia: ‘’Currently the research institutions operate under MES. You agree that managing 62 institutions from the only cabinet is difficult. So, we offered the research institutions to change the issue of subordination that is not liquidation or unification with the Higher Educational Institutions. It means to function under the Academic Council of any Higher Educational Institution instead of Minister. This is the liberalism for decentralization. It is to be noted that all research institutions will maintain own budget and status. During the negotiations between the Heads of Higher Educational Institutions, MES and research institutions, the decision was made not to dismiss the employees of these institutions. On the opposite, their salaries will raise. The Heads of Higher Educational Institutions took this task under their management that is very important and at the same time difficult.

As it turns out, the process of integration of research institutions with the Higher Educational Institutions passes successfully. Part of research institutions have been already integrated with Georgian Agrarian University, Iv. Javakhishvili  Tbilisi State University and Ilia State University. Three institutions will work under the Ministry of Defence because of their profile.

Opponents of this decision state that the Government will sell the buildings of these institutions. But, these buildings have been operating under the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia up to present. Generally, conditions of these buildings that were built in the period of SSR, are difficult. They need serious rehabilitation. Some of them do not even have toilets. It is also interesting that only 40 employees work in the buildings of several thousand square km.  Renovating of these buildings is the luxury for our country that does not happen in any European country.

If the research institutions will be privatized, 50% of the sum transferred in the budget will be allocated for the institutions. Decisions on these building will be made by the state but this does not mean that the employees will not have the working conditions. Funds will be allocated from the budget in order to rehabilitate the integrated institutions. Each scientist will work in the conditions that will be in compliance with modern standards. The funds were collected in MES by reducing the administration expenditures.