The aim of the national structural reform project ‘Responsible Conduct of Research - Research Integrity and Ethics in Georgian Universities (ETHICS)’ is to launch a systemic improvement intervention to improve the quality of University and Research-Performing Organizations (RPOs) research through launching measures to adhere to the foundations of high-quality research and excellence. Its specific objectives are to introduce the mechanisms of ensuring research ethics, research integrity and good faith for researchers and within advanced level study programs, and in the accreditation standards of doctoral programs to enhance the standards of Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) – Ethics and Integrity supported by appropriate national and institutional policies and processes that help avoid cases of scientific work lacking originality. Equally important is to formally introduce and prevail a culture of research integrity, good research practice and better prepare Georgian universities to become more competitive and offer trustworthy research proposals at home and abroad incorporating research integrity and ethics, specifically under the Horizon Europe and ERC calls. The planned activities include: (a) Policy Change and Capacity Building of Experts in Accreditation of Doctoral Programs, (b) Creation of Research Integrity Module/MOOC, (c) Training of Researchers and Research Support [INTEGRITY] Officers, (d) Elaboration of University Research Integrity, Policies, Ethics, and Resources, (e) The Research Integrity Ethics Board, (f) Development of Academic Support and Research Integrity Services for Supportive Environment for Researchers, and (g) Enhancement of Responsible Science Communication in Georgian universities. The intervention is intended for universities, research centers and institutes, national authorities, Horizon Europe Office, science foundation, research support [INTEGRITY] officers, PhD and young researchers.

Unilateral Cerebral palsy (UCP) is the most common neurological chronic disease in childhood with a significant burden on children, their families and health care system. AInCP aims to develop evidence-based clinical Decision Support Tools (DST) for personalized functional diagnosis, Upper Limb (UpL) assessment and home-based intervention for children with UCP, by developing, testing and validating trustworthy Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cost-effective strategies. The AInCP approach will: i) establish a clinical diagnosis and accurate prognosis for treatment response of individual UCP profiles, by employing a multimodal approach including clinical phenotyping, advanced brain imaging and real-life monitoring of UpL function, and ii) provide personalized home-based treatment, from advanced ICT and AI technologies. The AInCP will build upon personalized diagnostic and rehabilitative DST (dDST and rDST) to be developed and validated through large observational and rehabilitation studies, including at least 200 and 150 children with UCP, respectively. Using data driven and AI approach, dDST and rDST will be combined for developing a theranostic DST (tDST) that will allow the re-designing of an economical, ethical, sustainable decision-making process for delivering a personalized and validated approach, focused on the care, monitoring and rehabilitation of UpL in children with UCP. AInCP is a significant example of a transdisciplinary approach, where all project collaborators (clinicians, data scientists, physicists, engineers, economists, ethicists, SMEs, children and parent associations) will work closely together in building the AInCP approach. This approach will, therefore, hinge on transdisciplinary contributions, multi-dimensional data, sets of innovative devices and fair AI-based algorithms, clinically effective and able to reduce users? and market barriers of acceptability, reimbursability and adoption of the proposed solution.

HERD is a National SM initiative with the core objective to enhance the research capacity of Georgian HEIs through developing R&D units supported by professional development of research management mechanisms, skills and tools, evidence based policies & tech-transfer aiming to introduce technology and online national platforms, train admin staff and PhDs, contributing to Georgian R&I capacity nationally and internationally.Specific objectives are: 1. To introduce software online platform for Georgian HEIs R&D units facilitating planning, implementation and evaluation of R&D activities and KPIs. 2. Create an Online Georgian Research Portal accumulating and disseminating all public information on research activities, human resources and infrastructure of Geo HEIs and supporting inter- and intra- university collaboration nationally and internationally. 3. Upgrade the research management and data analysis skills of university admin staff in research management, analyzing institutional research data and providing ground for further forecasting and strategic planning. 4. Enhance the capacity of the target universities in respect to tech- transfer and university-industry collaboration. The relevance of this initiative are: a) Georgian HEIs are urged to respond to the national policies for R&I capacity building to provide high impact in socio-economic development of the countryb) Internationalization of R&D as mandatory feature after joining H2020 as associate memberc) New standards by quality assurance agency to develop evidence-based policies for R&D in Georgian HEIs and tracking the KPIsd) Georgian HEIs attempt to align their research management processes with EU standards.The HERD impact at the individual level [min 10 000 PhD students, 80 admin staff and 4 282 academics], institutional [12 GE HEIs] sector [transferable to the entire HE sector and research centers] and society level [supporting tech-transfer and innovation].

Despite advances in the medical management of high-risk pregnancies and deliveries, cerebral palsy (CP) remains the most common physical disability in childhood in high and low-to-middle income (LMIC). In addition, caregivers of children with CP are at higher risk of psychiatric issues, further increasing health and socio-economic burden to the families. In spite of the scientific advancements in early detection and intervention (EI) in CP, there is a lack of implementation into clinical service delivery. The overarching aim of the BORNTOGETTHERE program is to exploit current evidence on early detection and efficacy of EI for infants at high risk of CP by implementing the International Clinical Practice Guideline in Europe (Italy, Denmark, Netherlands), LMIC (Georgia, Sri Lanka) and hard to reach populations (Remote Queensland and Western Australia). It will provide a multifaceted knowledge translation approach focused on i) optimizing context-specific health programs for early detection of CP, thus reducing age at diagnosis and age at referral to EI; ii) optimizing early functional characterization of infants with CP, thereby fostering personalized EI and preventing secondary complications (i.e. hip dislocation) and iii) testing the implementation of integrated EI programs adapted to country-specific welfare systems. The protocol of service delivery will result from the adaptation of early detection and EI programs based on the proven, effective intervention strategies, and those that are included into ongoing research based on effectiveness shown with preliminary data. This framework will be validated in real life varying world conditions through a large implementation program and a multicentre parallel controlled trial. The main beneficiaries will include a wide range of stakeholders: not only concerned families and communities but also policy makers, public authorities, the media, and citizen groups to ensure the translation of evidence into routine practice.

The INTEGRITY Programme stands to be a national initiative of Georgian universities, implemented by the means of generous support and funding of the Erasmus+ CBHE Programme - SM pillar ‘Modernization of policies, governance and management of higher education systems’, presumably impacting the entire HE system. The rationale of this collaboration supported the provision of higher education with INTEGRITY through the core objective to enhance the quality of teaching and learning processes that are based on the principles of academic integrity, supported by policies, mechanisms and tools that help prevent and detect cases of plagiarism in higher education institutions in Georgia. Specific objectives implemented are as follows: 1. Introduction of plagiarism detection – Turnitin Feedback Studio in Georgian universities, acquiring licenses and integration into the existing Learning Management System(s).2. Design and launch of PR Campaign on Plagiarism in Georgian HEIs targeting both students and faculty/teaching staff.3. Development and delivery of capacity building training for faculty in Effective Teaching and Learning Assessment (TLA) with the focus on the principles of academic integrity.4. Development and enhancement of student academic support services outside the classroom to boost Academic & Writing Skills (academic writing centers/student services centers/volunteer senior student tutors/ library services).5. Review Academic Writing Curriculum against standards and requirements established in the EU- adopting modern standards established for academic communication to prevent plagiarism.6. Elaboration and passing of university policies that are conducive to quality teaching and learning processes based on the principles of academic integrity. The project covered the following key areas for intervention: 1. Quality of Teaching & Learning & Faculty Training; 2. Student Academic Support Services; 3. Academic Writing; 4. Institutional Policies and Mechanisms; 5. PR Campaign and Awareness Raising. The relevance of this initiative responded to these internal and external forces demanding the measures of academic integrity in Georgian academia. a) The external QA measures emphasizing regulation of Plagiarism; b) 'The Problem of Plagiarism and Its Perceptions in Georgia' (2016) research report; c) The national needs assessment of GE HEIs in December 2016 by ISU;d) EU HE Standards; c) The successful case of piloting Turnitin at ISU transferring knowledge to other partners. While delivering Education during COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, which created the largest disruption of education systems in history, affecting nearly 1.6 billion learners worldwide, including Georgia, the project became essentially relevant. In the emergency distance education, the project provided the tools (Turnitin) and resources (tailored training sessions) required for distance learning during university closures. The INTEGRITY consortium (14 Georgian HEIs, 2 government authorities, and 4 EU HEIs), has delivered a flagship SM project in Georgia with great achievement and added-value at the (a) individual (50,300 students informed, 20,703 students trained, engagement of 1260 lecturers via launching 60,000 Turnitin licenses/366,000 submitted papers in 2633 academic courses and introduction of new and updated 27 academic writing courses, enhancing assessment and digital skills of over 655 admin and 3061 academic staff, and training of 71 non-HEI individuals, (b) institutional (14+7 GE HEIs),(c) sector (transferable to the entire HE sector through dissemination program and gained experiences), and (d) society levels (changing perceptions and culture on academic integrity through dissemination reaching out to 17,516 participants).