About

The Georgian Reproducibility Network (GeoRN) is a national peer-led consortium dedicated to improving the rigor and reliability of research in Georgia. Established in 2023 with support from the Horizon Europe-funded TIER2 project, GeoRN brings together researchers from multiple Georgian institutions to promote reproducibility, replicability, and open science in academic research . GeoRN is part of a growing movement of national Reproducibility Networks aimed at fostering better research practices. A Reproducibility Network is generally defined as a countrywide, researcher-led initiative that works to elevate research quality by promoting training, sharing best practices, supporting meta-research, and advocating for open and robust science . By serving as a hub for local scientists, GeoRN will facilitate cross-disciplinary collaboration and provide the infrastructure needed to support and amplify efforts towards more transparent and trustworthy research.

Mission and Goals

GeoRN’s mission is to foster a culture of rigorous, transparent, and collaborative research in Georgia. We are committed to upholding the principles of academic reproducibility, Open Science, and FAIR data in all our activities. Our key goals include:

Education & Training

Empower researchers – especially early-career scientists – with the knowledge and tools to conduct reproducible research. We organize training sessions and workshops to build core skills in study design, data management, and statistical analysis . By incorporating reproducibility and Open Science training at early stages of research careers, we aim to instill best practices as the norm.

Open Science & FAIR Principles

Promote Open Science practices such as open-access publishing and transparent data sharing, ensuring that research findings are accessible for scrutiny and reuse. We encourage adherence to FAIR principles (making data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) so that scientific data and methods can be readily discovered, understood, and reproduced by others . This includes advocating for data management plans and open repositories that maximize the impact and integrity of research outputs.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Break down silos between disciplines by fostering collaborations across different fields. GeoRN provides a platform for researchers from medicine to social science (and beyond) to pool expertise and resources in tackling complex research questions. By connecting diverse institutions and specialties, we hope to spark innovation and collectively address challenges to reproducibility.

Innovation & Tools

Leverage modern technology to enhance research integrity. We support the use of new tools – such as computational workflows, AI and data analytics – that can help detect errors, automate data checks, and improve the consistency of research processes . Embracing these innovations will make it easier for researchers to adopt reproducible workflows and maintain high standards of quality.

Advocacy for Cultural Change

Champion systemic changes in the research culture and incentive structure. GeoRN will engage with universities, journals, and funding bodies to encourage policies that reward quality and transparency over quantity of publications. We echo the call to reform the “publish or perish” mentality by recognizing and incentivizing reproducible, high-integrity work (for example, rewarding researchers for sharing data or reproducing others’ results) . Through outreach and example, we aim to shift norms so that rigorous methods and openness are valued at every level of academia in Georgia.

International Context

GeoRN is inspired by and connected to a broader international movement to improve research reproducibility. Around the world, Reproducibility Networks have emerged in many countries (the UK Reproducibility Network even maintains a Global Networks registry to track these efforts ). This global context means that GeoRN is not working in isolation but is part of a community of networks sharing the same goals. We draw particular inspiration from the UK Reproducibility Network (UKRN) – a well-established national network in the United Kingdom that has demonstrated the impact of coordinated action on research culture. UKRN is a peer-led consortium that investigates factors affecting research rigour and supports a culture of continual improvement through training and the dissemination of best practices . Like UKRN, we believe that challenges to reproducibility span all disciplines and that collective action offers an opportunity to reform research culture for the better .

GeoRN will actively engage with this international community. We plan to exchange knowledge with other national networks and adopt proven approaches from abroad. (For example, UKRN’s experience shows the value of grassroots advocacy combined with institutional support, and we aim to replicate a similar model suited to Georgia’s context.) Through the TIER2 project, our Georgian team is actually one of three recent awardees in Europe tasked with starting a reproducibility network – alongside parallel efforts in Ukraine and Serbia . This connection gives GeoRN direct links to sister networks in the region, enabling international collaborations, joint events, and mutual learning. By situating Georgia within this global reproducibility movement, GeoRN ensures that our members stay aligned with cutting-edge developments and contribute to worldwide efforts to make science more reliable.