Scientists’ salary increases 250% in Georgia

The average salary of scientists in Georgia will increase by 250 percent.

Instead of 150-200 GEL, scientists in Georgia will now earn 700-800 GEL, announced Georgia’s Minister of Education Tamar Sanikidze after the first meeting of the Research and Innovation Council.

"Scientists used to have meagre salaries, which was a big challenge in Georgia. We have finally overcome this challenge after so many years,” Sanikidze said.

The Research and Innovation Council establishes innovative and strategic decisions which are useful for scientists. This is a European format which we follow.

Ensuring scientists received an appropriate salary was "a very important step”.

"Science should be popularised in Georgia and we should create appropriate conditions for this. It is very useful to make more young people interested in science,” she added.

The Research and Innovation Council has begun work to define status of science, which was not clearly defined by the law.

Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said the Georgian Government would contribute to developing scientific traditions in the country.

With the help of Georgian scientists working abroad and the Research and Innovation Council, a ten-year plan has been drawn up. During recent years our scientists did not have any financing or support from the state. Now we already have long-term programs for developing science in Georgia and increasing [scientists'] salaries is one of the steps forward,” Garibashvili said.

The Research and Innovation Council, led by PM Garibashvili, was created in accordance with a Government resolution.

The Council united representatives of the executive and legislative branches of the Georgian Government, representatives of the business community and famous Georgian scientists.