GIPA - Georgian Institute of Public Affairs recently concluded a highly successful pilot run of its new modular training program focused on Research Ethics and Integrity. Implemented between February 3 and February 21, 2025, the program was designed to support the academic development of Master’s and Ph.D. students, as well as their academic supervisors. Developed as a voluntary elective, the training targeted students actively preparing research deliverables, including Master's theses and doctoral dissertations. To ensure maximum accessibility and engagement, the five-cycle program was delivered entirely online via Zoom.
To guarantee the program met the specific needs of GIPA's academic community and a Tailor-Made, Trainee-Centered Curriculum, organizers conducted a comprehensive training needs analysis via Google Forms prior to the launch. Based on the audience's preferences, the curriculum was divided into five core modules:
- Research Ethics and Integrity Standards
- Regulatory Frameworks for Research Ethics Committees
- New Guidelines and Frameworks for Doctoral Studies and Responsible Conduct of Research
- Open Science, Open Access, and FAIR Data
- Ethics in Publishing Science
The training utilized official materials from the EU-funded ETHICS project ("Responsible Conduct of Research – Research Integrity and Ethics in Georgian Universities"), supplemented by tailor-made content from GIPA to create a highly engaging, trainee-centered learning experience.
Tra Pilot program was characterized by the high engagement Across Students and Faculty. Information about the pilot program was successfully disseminated with the assistance of GIPA’s academic program coordinators.
The initiative saw strong interest, with 84 students initially registering (46 Master’s students and 38 doctoral candidates). Ultimately, 53 students (24 Master’s and 29 Ph.D.) successfully completed all five cycles, meeting the strict 75% attendance requirement necessary for final completion. Recognizing the importance of a unified understanding of research standards, GIPA also tested the pilot program among academic supervisors. A total of 21 supervisors—comprising 17 affiliated GIPA personnel and 4 visiting professors—participated in dedicated sessions to ensure consistent, content-wise alignment between students and their mentors.
The successful implementation of this pilot program marks a significant step forward in GIPA's ongoing commitment to fostering a culture of rigorous academic integrity and responsible scientific research.
