Reseach Activities
Research Activities Research is one of the core areas of academic activity at Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani University. The University’s research tradition is grounded in its institutional heritage. It is oriented towards the creation of new knowledge, the enhancement of research quality, the strengthening of international visibility, the improvement of teaching and learning, and the practical application of research outcomes.
Research activities are conducted in accordance with the principles of academic freedom, disciplinary autonomy, research quality, interdisciplinary cooperation, and international engagement. They are governed by the “Procedure for Planning, Evaluating, and Supporting Scientific Research Activities.”
The University’s research activities initially focused on the humanities and social sciences. Today, its research priorities encompass a broader and more diverse range of fields, including:
- Theology and Religious Studies;
- Law and Public Administration;
- Business Administration, Management, and Development Studies;
- Social and Political Sciences;
- Education Studies.
The University’s research priorities are defined in accordance with its strategic objectives, the disciplinary priorities of its faculties, and contemporary challenges in research and scholarship. These priorities are reviewed and updated every three years. The University operates a decentralized research model, under which faculties and research units define their respective research directions in line with their disciplinary profiles and development priorities.
The planning and evaluation of research activities are based on the engagement of the University’s academic community. They are periodically reviewed and updated in response to developments in the research environment and evolving disciplinary needs.
Research Units at the University
The University’s research units include:
- Institute of Theology and Philosophy;
- Center for Crime and Criminal Justice;
- Center for Anti-Discrimination Law;
- Prince David Institute of Law;
- Institute for Development Studies;
- Michel Mouskhely Center for European Studies.
The research units foster disciplinary and interdisciplinary research environments and contribute to the development of research projects, scholarly publications, and international research collaboration.
Research Support
The University operates an effective research support system that provides academic staff, researchers, and students with a range of opportunities and services, including support for the development and implementation of research projects; information and individual consultation on funding opportunities; training in academic writing and project management; support for participation in academic conferences and research events; research mobility and travel; assistance with the preparation and publication of scholarly work; and opportunities for international research collaboration.
Research support mechanisms operate at both faculty and University levels. The University supports the research initiatives of academic staff and researchers through internal grant and publication support programs. The internal grant system is designed to foster the development of new research projects, provide financial support for research initiatives, facilitate the preparation of scholarly publications, strengthen the institutional research culture, disseminate research findings, and enhance the international visibility of research conducted at the University.
Research performance is evaluated using both quantitative and qualitative indicators, including publication quality, journal rankings, research impact, international engagement, and other relevant disciplinary criteria. Evaluation outcomes inform the development of research priorities, refinement of support mechanisms, and planning for further institutional development.
The University also operates both financial and non-financial incentive mechanisms to recognize and encourage high-quality research performance and academic achievement.
Postdoctoral Research
The Postdoctoral Research Program is one of the University’s new directions for research development and is designed to support independent research by scholars holding a doctoral degree. The program provides postdoctoral researchers with opportunities to conduct research based on a specific scientific project, engage in the University’s academic and research activities, develop independent research competencies, and collaborate with academic staff and research units.
The program contributes to strengthening the University’s research capacity and attracting emerging researchers from both Georgia and the international research community. The University places particular emphasis on engaging early-career researchers in its research activities and creating opportunities for their professional and academic development.
Students and early-career researchers have access to a range of research opportunities, including:
- participation in collaborative research with professors and researchers;
- involvement in research projects;
- participation in academic conferences and research events;
- opportunities to publish scholarly work;
- research skills development programs;
- doctoral and postdoctoral research opportunities;
- a research mentoring program.
These mechanisms support the development of a sustainable research culture and provide students and early-career researchers with pathways for progressing towards independent academic and research careers.
Internationalization of Research
The internationalization of research constitutes a key priority within the University’s research policy. This priority is advanced through the University’s Internationalization Policy and its associated mechanisms, strategic and action plans, research-support instruments, procedures for evaluating the quality of research outputs, and the academic staff performance-evaluation system.
Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani University actively participates in international research projects and hosts established international academic conferences. It also publishes international scholarly journals and supports a broad range of initiatives designed to foster international academic cooperation and engagement.
Through these activities, the University strengthens its research capacity, broadens international research collaboration, and enhances its visibility, reputation, and participation in the global academic community.
Publishing House
The dissemination of research findings and the strengthening of the University’s international visibility constitute important priorities of its research policy. The University produces and publishes a broad range of academic and educational materials, including textbooks, teaching resources, scholarly publications, conference proceedings, translations, and other research-related outputs.
Textbooks, translations, and other scholarly and educational resources developed by the University are used in teaching and learning at higher education institutions throughout Georgia. Income generated through the University’s publishing activities is reinvested in the development, production, and dissemination of new scholarly publications and research outputs, thereby contributing to the sustainability and continued advancement of its research and publishing capacity.
The University currently publishes five disciplinary and interdisciplinary scholarly journals:
- Dialogi (published since 2004);
- Methods of Law (published since 2017);
- Orbeliani (published since 2019)
- Journal of Development Studies (published since 2020)
- Orbeliani Law Review (published since 2022)
Through these publishing activities, the University promotes the dissemination of scholarly knowledge, facilitates academic communication, and enhances the visibility and recognition of research produced at the University within the national and international academic communities.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity constitutes a fundamental principle of research activity at Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani University. The University operates in accordance with the Procedure for the Prevention, Detection, and Response to Plagiarism. Academic and research papers are checked through the international electronic platform StrikePlagiarism.com. This mechanism contributes to the prevention and detection of plagiarism, promotes compliance with academic-integrity standards, and supports the development of a robust culture of research integrity among academic staff and students.
The University also implements the University Policy on the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Scientific Research and Teaching and Learning. The policy establishes principles and guidelines for the responsible, ethical, transparent, and academically appropriate use of artificial intelligence (AI). AI may be used as a supplementary resource in research, teaching, and learning, provided that it does not replace human academic judgment, intellectual creativity, or personal responsibility.
The use of AI is subject to requirements relating to transparency, copyright compliance, data protection, and research ethics. Where AI makes a substantive contribution to research, researchers must disclose the tool used and explain the purpose and nature of its use. Researchers remain fully responsible for the accuracy, integrity, originality, and ethical compliance of all research outputs submitted or published under their name.
The University provides academic staff, researchers, and students with information, guidance, and support to ensure the effective, responsible, and academically appropriate use of AI in research, teaching, and learning.