Future of Science Or Why and How to “Count” Science

Nodar Kheduri, Doctor of Economic Science, TSU Perfect Professor

When I become a student of Economic faculty, economy science on “market economy equivalent” was newly founded in Georgia and of course it was hard for our professors accommodating with new reality.

New, foreign books were not approachable, and we had to learn from old text- books and monographs. One of such books was “Youth of Science”, including political- economy as independent science forming and its developing first period. I do not know why, but when started working on the letter, I remembered exactly that book (and why? I `ll tell you a little bit later). It was hard to imagine that the science and especially economic science was taking advantage serious reforms and very soon we would have to live with new rules, bat a lot was difficult to be predicted.
At the end of spring, to say exactly on the May 28. Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University Academy Council enforced regulation of Economic and Business Faculty Thesis Council. What is really step forward for Georgian economic science development.
In reality, new period of economic science development starts. Georgian economic education and science moves on three level economic education and inculcation of European academic degrees awarding system.
Real innovation, followed with the document enforcing is confirming of academy degree of doctor in the sphere of business and economics. Law of Georgia on “high education” annulled existed rule and practice in Georgia on degree awarding. And each one having degree of Scholastic Doctor or Science Candidate before the law coming into effect was announced as owner of Doctor Academy Degree. The most revolutionary innovate of the law is moving into three level system of education and together with already existed BA and MA, PhD will be created.
Economics and Business faculty provided lost of serious works and came to the regulation enforcing. Theoretically, for economic science-1 every sort of hindrance concerned to skilled staffers enrollment has been creaked down.
But the issue remains keeping on theoretical level, no one practical step has been made.
Of course, we have no illusion about doctors preparing by conveyor rule immediately following PhD coming into action. But we should keep in mind not to rise artificial barriers while doctors preparing process. It also should be determined that there are tens of the University post graduators and science applicant made no progress in science degree receiving, so their interests ought to be taken into consideration.
This one regulation attempts foresee all these factors and it likely possessing any real threat if not an only important factor –science work publishing by PhD student (doctorante).
According to the Law of Georgia on “high education” based regulation, while studying at PhD, doctorante should collect at least 180 credits, including 1/3 for educating component and 2/3 for research. PhD duration is 5 years.
According to Thesis Council regulation, “Thesis applicant should publish at least three science articles before thesis maintain. The articles should be published in reviewed magazines, two being international examined. Examination is ensured by the University”.
In that way, we came to the basic problem –issuing of the articles. Besides, in reviewed and authority magazine.
The basic problems is which magazine will be considered as reviewed or authorized one or what is the criteria of such name confirming.
There are several periodical issues of economic profile in Georgia, having long history or great future, but their international acknowledgment is not an easy issue.
Making accentuate on foreign magazine posses serious problems. They have as best quality so “quack” publishing abroad. Their filtering is hard to be realized, but maybe using of impact- factor will most suitable one.
From the 60th of the recent century accounting of scientific magazines or so –called Impact –Factor (IF) process started, -1 by Institute for Scientific Information (ISI). The institute was purchased by Thomson scientific corporation, in 1992. And research results and IFs are yearly focused by “Journal Citation Report” magazine.
The magazine` s IF includes three years and is accounted by the following formula:

A –Quotations published during 2006 from the articles released in 2004 -2005 years.
B –Total issues of 2004 -05.
The method is well known for the society, but I brought it as an instance to think about, when Georgian magazines will be put into the list of IF magazines. Dates report about the world at average 500 economy IF magazines, but unfortunately, on one in Georgian.
The reason is banal: for quoting in any famous magazine, one should be able to read the article. If we just theoretically imagine, that world famous economists would learn Georgian language, read Georgian articles in Georgian and make quoting after, the problems will be resolved. The is other solution –Georgian economists should learn writing in not Georgian language (preferably in English), articles, referees and resumes should be issued in English and magazines to be freely delivered to the world more or less famous universities, libraries, scientific centers and maybe the result could be achieved, but this pleasure is expensive enough. But probability of Georgian magazines appearing in IF list remains to be low.
Economic problems of post communist transitive period is less interested by the West. Correspondently, interest of the West towards Georgian scientists is low. That is unfortunate reality, and resolutions making not considering the reality at the “age of economy science youth” (from Anikin) means leaving.
For the moment we `ll lie ourselves claiming doctorants articles published in IF magazines. The first cause is, I have told about already, and the other –if new Adam Smith would born in Georgia and sent the article to any scientific magazine, he would have to wait in a long row.
We have no such sort of demands for today, but claiming reviewing, and two of three to be obligatory foreign. It should be outlined, that high IF magazines face strict system of reviewing and low IF magazines have correspondence reviewing system. So, we indirectly, but however moving to IF. IF is not the best one, but …
The way out from the situation is not an easy, in the case of any limiting gear rejecting PhD academy degree will be brought to depreciation. In the case of strict claims remaining Georgia may be left without PhD. Outlet form the locked cycle not just dependent on just Georgian economists. The authority of our issues should be increased for attracting foreign science cycles to read Georgian articles. But the issue requires hard work.
P.S. One more obligatory issue is equal environment creation for all universities ` doctorants. We know several too authorized universities having too low requirements at PhD. And the cause could be just one –PhD revenues, solid revenues but not for the love of depreciation.