Iakob Gogebashvili Telavi State University

LEPL Iakob Gogebashvili Telavi State University is an academic scientific-research institution, which promotes integration of teaching, research and economics on the bases of the mission and specifics of the field(s); conducts fundamental and applied research, thus contributing to scientific, economic and cultural development on the regional and national levels. With the purpose of carrying out the valuable scientific activities, the University operates in 10 different departments; Center for Caucasus Studies at the Faculty of Humanities, where the problematic issues of the Caucasus region and neighboring countries are being studied and modern social and political situation; two Research Labs at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences: 1. Agriculture, which serves to study soils of the region, agricultural crops, fertilizers and pesticides; 2. Technology, where wine, grapes and preserved products are being investigated; there are experimental research and demonstration plots.
The number of university academic staff is 104 (professor - 20; associate professor - 52; assistant professor - 24; assistant - 8). They are actively involved in various scientific research activities (organizing/conducting, participating in local and international scientific forums; supervising of students’ scientific works and organizing their participation in scientific forums; supervising/reviewing of master and doctoral theses; participation in grant competitions; publication/reviewing of the scientific works; active collaboration with the schools with the purpose of involving the pupils in scientific researches; cooperation with international organizations; cooperation with the universities of Georgia and foreign countries in order to conduct the joint projects and publications.
Telavi State University actively cooperates with business sector with the purpose of integration of researches and Economics due to the signed memorandums. Based on the support by business sector (funding/co-funding), the following research projects/activities are being conducted and planned, in particular: under the memorandums signed with LTD "Schuchmann Wines Georgia" and LTD "Twins Wine Cellar", on the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences the following research was conducted: "Herbicide Klin and its Impact on the Quality of Grapes and Wine"; on the basis of the memorandum signed with LTD "Luk-agro", the following research was implemented: "Fertilizer Organica and its impact on Agricultural Crops"; In addition, based on the order by the winery LTD "Aguna", the research "Influence of Filtering Substances on Fining Wine" was conducted and the research about "Determination of the Moisture in Wheat Harvest of Kakheti Region" was conducted according to the order made by the Agribusiness Development Fund at American Embassy.
Implementation of the following important projects is planned, in particular: "Cultivation of One Hectare Research Vineyard", "Scientific research of Wine Materials made from the Vine Variety at the Place of Origin", "Specification of the Optimal Scheme for Cultivation of Perspective Vine Varieties (Khikhvi, Kisi) within the Kakheti Industrial Range And Examination of Cordon Forms in order to Improve Quantity and Quality of Crops", ”Creation of Agrochemical Cartograms of Soils for Telavi Municipality and the entire Region of Kakheti ", “Creation of Agro-technological Map of Agriculture Crops".
With the support of the business sector, implementation of similar research projects promotes economic and technological/industrial innovative development.
Telavi State University, as a research institute, has a well-defined vision due to which the university conducts and plans complex research activities at both local and international levels. For example, in the Polytechnic University of Valencia (Spain) associate professor of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences together with professor Javier Martine Cortez and Professor Loles Garcia has conducted an important study - "Movement of Heavy Metals in the Soil"; the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences along with the professors of Pozega Polytechnic University of Croatia Valentina Obradovic and Joseph Messick will conduct joint research in viticulture and winemaking.
For Integration of the research outcomes in learning process, the University publishes scientific papers, collected works, which enable the academic staff to enrich the learning process with the latest/modern literature and, therefore, the new results of the research (University collected scientific works; proceedings of international scientific conferences “Intercultural Dialogues " (I, II, III, IV) and “Education, Research, Practice”).
Telavi State University has the distinctly established functions of the supervisor of doctoral student in order to ensure the efficiency of supervising of Doctoral Studies, which is defined in the Regulation of the Dissertation Board and according to which the supervisor is responsible for the quality, consistent and effective implementation of the research component; the high degree of doctoral theses is also provided by the academic workload scheme, which defines an hourly workload (40 hours per year) and the ratio of the supervisor and the doctoral student (1/3).
To achieve the efficiency of supervising of doctoral studies, the university has prepared inquiries for PhD students. Data of the survey is analyzed and reviewed by the Academic Council. Taking into consideration the outcomes of the survey facilitate high quality and effective supervising of doctoral theses.
Telavi State University has public, transparent and fair procedures in order to achieve a high standard of the defense of Doctoral Theses involving highly qualified academic and invited personnel. The existence of regulatory rules for assessment and defense of doctoral theses ensures high quality of works.
LEPL Iakog Gogebashvili Telavi State University, with the purpose of conducting and developing successful, effective, high quality scientific researches, has got the following research support mechanisms: the budget of the University provides sums for research activities; the University finances annual publication of the University Transactions; it actively cooperates with business sector, funds, research institutions/centers in order to promote research funding; the local and international scientific conferences are held systematically and the papers are published; mobility is available to the foreign partner universities and etc. The issues/regulations concerning the development of researches are indicated in the regulatory documents (University Budget, Regulation for Funding Scientific-Research Projects; Regulations of the Dissertation Boards).
It is a priority for the University to carry out the researches which are aimed at building new knowledge, views and further perspectives in connection with the problem. The University supports academic staff to search for getting finances from different sources in order to carry out researches and improve the research infrastructure. For instance, researches in the field of agriculture were implemented with the financial support of the Reserve Fund of the President. As a result the infrastructure was improved – the research lab was repaired and equipped (Calcimeter, Phosphorus and Heavy Metals defining Devices; as well as Infrared Spectrophotometer, etc.). The project about Telavi History and Modernity was accomplished with the support of the National Archives of Georgia, Telavi City Hall and Culture Department.
The University ensures grants administration as well; it helps academic staff with the matters regarding legal aspects of the project, preparation and presentation of applications.
The University cares for attracting and involving youths in scientific activities in order to develop researches. The essential research strategy for the University is to create a free space for them and develop profile and interdisciplinary researches. Conformably, it tries to maintain modern research surroundings and scientific communication both on regional and international level in order to give youths opportunities to establish relations, develop, and use their new knowledge. The University collaborates with the business sector, research centers, plans initiatives, signs memorandums that promote employment of young scientists and introduction/commercialization of the research findings.
Youths themselves are actively involved in organizing and holding scientific activities (scientific forums, scientific festivals, current and planned scientific projects, experimental research and demo plots, research labs, participation in seasonal schools, publication of scientific papers in the University Transactions). The youths successfully hold academic and other positions (Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, Assistant and Invited Teacher). For example, the alumni of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences continue their scientific and pedagogical work at the same Faculty as associate professors and teachers. Doctorate students are actively involved in research projects and various scientific activities (“Laying out TeSaU-based one hectare research vineyard”, “Influence of Kvevri chemical composition over the qualitative index of the wine”) etc.
Special questionnaire are elaborated for studying initiatives support in students’ research activities, and on the basis of their analysis the University has got a complete picture in that regard and based on them it directs its further activities.
With the purpose of internationalization, the University collaborates with the foreign educational-scientific centers and conducts joint research activities. For instance, joint researches on the wheat culture are planned to be carried out by the University of Agricultural Sciences at the University of Tuscia, Italy. Moreover, the University established relations with the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain) in order to accomplish the European Commission funded project – “University-enterprice Cooperation via Spin-off Companies Network “UNISON”. In addition, foreign doctors participate in the implementation of Master and Doctoral Programmes in the field of agriculture, they are: Valentina Obradovic, Joseph Messick (Croatia), Philippe Lespy-Labaylette (France); Lorenzo Venzi (Italy).
In order to evaluate the quality of research activities fulfilled by LEPL Iakob Gogebashvili Telavi State University academic staff, internal and external mechanisms of evaluation are used. Internal evaluation implies periodical monitoring of the Faculty Quality Assurance Department and Departments. For external evaluation, scientific-research reports of academic staff are sent to the Georgian National Academy of Sciences according to the fields/departments. The results/conclusions of evaluation are discussed at the Department and Academic Council meetings. The reports are published on the website of the University. Accordingly, in view of the recommendations, future activities are planned more effectively.