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Policy Papers
Maritime Trade in the Black Sea in the Context of the Russo-Ukrainian War
01-Feb-2023

The Black Sea region is often referred to as a gateway between Europe and Asia, though its potential benefits are far from being fully realized. This is especially true for maritime trade - the Black Sea region’s share in international maritime trade is only just 2.5%, while the North Sea region accounts for 17%. And despite there being huge potential in the enhancement of port infrastructure and connectivity in the Black Sea region countries, the varying and distinctive geopolitical orientations of these countries largely hinder any significant advancement in regional cooperation.

The problem became even more severe with the latest military conflict in the region – the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which besides aggravating cooperation problems has significantly shaken up the landscape of the Black Sea’s port infrastructure and maritime trade in the region and the security dynamics not only in the wider Black Sea region, but it has also affected the European and, arguably, global security architecture.

The Diagnostic Study of the Light Manufacturing Cluster of Oni Municipality
18-Nov-2022

The Diagnostic Study of the Light Manufacturing Cluster of Oni Municipality was carried out within the framework of the project financed by the European Union’s initiative - "Mayors for Economic Growth", which is implemented by the Oni municipality Mayor's Office and PMC Research Center. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of PMC Research Center and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.

The Diagnostic Study of the Primary and Processed Food Products Cluster of Oni Municipality
18-Nov-2022

The Diagnostic Study of the Primary and Processed Food Products Cluster of Oni Municipality was carried out within the framework of the project financed by the European Union’s initiative - "Mayors for Economic Growth", which is implemented by the Oni municipality Mayor's Office and PMC Research Center. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of PMC Research Center and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.

The Diagnostic Study of the Construction Sector Cluster of Oni Municipality
18-Nov-2022

The Diagnostic Study of the Construction Sector Cluster of Oni Municipality was carried out within the framework of the project financed by the European Union’s initiative - "Mayors for Economic Growth", which is implemented by the Oni municipality Mayor's Office and PMC Research Center. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of PMC Research Center and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.

The Diagnostic Study of the Tourism Sector Cluster of Oni Municipality
18-Nov-2022

The Diagnostic Study of the Tourism Sector Cluster of Oni Municipality was carried out within the framework of the project financed by the European Union’s initiative - "Mayors for Economic Growth", which is implemented by the Oni municipality Mayor's Office and PMC Research Center. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of PMC Research Center and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.

Everyday Peace Indicators in Conflict-Affected Communities
04-Aug-2022

Applying the Everyday Peace Indicators (EPI) methodology, this research on everyday peace attempts to explore how people in conflict-affected societies perceive and describe peace in their everyday life; more specifically, the research was guided by two questions: What are the perceptions of everyday peace in conflict-affected societies in the Georgian, Abkhaz, and South Ossetian contexts?  What are key factors influencing everyday peace in conflict-affected societies? 

The research report entails the Everyday Peace Indicators for each research location, as well as key factors and cross-cutting themes influencing everyday peace across the conflict-divided societies. The needs and perceptions of everyday peace amongst women and youth are outlined in separate chapters.   

Taking Stock of Ethnic Minority Participation in Public Service
16-May-2022

The purpose of the research is to assess the representation of ethnic minorities, in particular, Azerbaijani and Armenian-speaking groups, in civil service and identify barriers that limit their active engagement in this sector. In addition, the study evaluates the practices of data collection on civil servants’ ethnic background in accordance with the indicator of Sustainable Development Goals and examines the perspectives of different stakeholders on this issue.

Barriers to Completion of PhD Studies in Georgia
06-Apr-2022
The aims of this paper are to better understand the challenges faced by doctoral students who are on academic leave, and to offer policy recommendations with the aim of accelerating the completion time and increasing the graduation rates of doctoral students in Georgia. By analyzing completion rates of PhD students in Georgia and identifying the support mechanisms offered by universities or lack thereof, the paper analyzes the main reasons for widespread delays in graduation and offers some guidance to address a complex and multilayered problem.

The study focuses on two main research questions. First, how has the doctoral landscape changed in Georgia from 2016 to 2021? Second, what barriers do PhD students encounter at individual, institutional, and systemic levels affecting the completion of their studies? The paper ends with a set of policy recommendations to overcome those barriers to improve both completion time and graduation rates.
Uncovering the State of Play of Faculty Professional Development in Georgian Higher Education Institutions
15-Mar-2022

The purposes of this study are to explore the professional development opportunities for academic staff at Georgian public higher education institutions (HEIs), to analyze their implementation and effectiveness from the perspective of HEIs and academic staff, and to uncover the ways through which these can be advanced to better serve the development goals and priorities of HEIs and faculty. The paper briefly reviews the existing literature on the evolution of faculty professional development (FPD) and its role in both fostering universities’ academic and institutional transformation and in revitalizing academic staff capacity. The review also describes the common configurations of structures and practices of FPD and the aspirations for its implementatio

The Fifth Analytical Report: Sector And Value Chain Analytics in Georgia
01-Mar-2022

This quarterly report provides an analysis of economic trends, as well as denoting the challenges and opportunities (in local, regional, and global contexts) in selected value chains within six sectors to improve evidence-based decision-making by providing quality information and analytics. The specific sectors covered are tourism; creative industries; light manufacturing; shared intellectual services; solid waste management and recycling; and cross-cutting sectors. The analysis tracks trends from the third quarter of 2021.