Post-Soviet Higher Education and Research Development

An Analysis of Institutional Practices and Social Capital in Georgia

Abstract

Research capacity building is a fundamental element in creating a sustainable research environment. It is defined as a set of mechanisms established as a result of the joint efforts of researchers and institutions, which combines the planning, implementation and dissemination of research. This process is multidimensional, which requires the establishment of appropriate infrastructure, funding opportunities and supportive university policies along with collaborative work. Accordingly, the integration of social capital and institutional support plays a major role in the formation of such university policies. This study examines the interrelationship between social capital and institutional support in students’ research capacity building in Georgian universities. A qualitative research methodology was used within the framework of the study, which included document analysis and in-depth interviews. A total of 6 institutional strategic documents were analyzed and 40 semi-structured interviews were conducted. The study emphasizes the role of formal and informal resources within the engagement in research activities. The findings suggest that institutional support mechanisms create the necessary organizational conditions, resources and opportunities for students' engagement in research activities, while social capital improves these opportunities through networks, trust and shared practices. In an environment where institutional structures are not effective, social capital is an important mechanism to overcome these limitations and support research capacity building. The analysis of the mentioned interrelationship is the main theoretical contribution of the study and offers Georgian HEIs an integrated framework for understanding the interrelationship between institutional and social factors in shaping research capacity building.