Professionalism

Civic Responsibility

Georgian Think Tank Peer Review System Background Georgian think tanks have expressed interest in establishing a peer review system for their policy research products. Although it is common for Georgian think tanks to have their own peer review processes involving staff or knowledgeable outside contacts, a system for anonymous third-party review does not exist. A Georgian peer review system would be an asset for Georgian think tanks, and would also distinguish Georgia as a policy research leader among its peer countries. After exploratory discussions between EWMI G-PAC, think tanks, and academic institutions, EWMI G-PAC agreed to organize and facilitate the system in its early stages, and 13 institutions agreed to participate in the system. Purpose The objectives of the peer review system are: Provide think tanks with more objective feedback from Georgian experts in relevant policy areas; Facilitate knowledge sharing among organizations and academics involved in policy research; and Build trust and cooperation among policy research actors in Georgia. Format Interested think tanks can submit policy research paper drafts for review to EWMI G-PAC via email (peerreview@ewmi-gpac.org). Depending on the policy research topic, EWMI GPAC will select reviewers with relevant expertise from the pool of think tanks, academic institutions, and independent experts that have agreed to participate in the system. The identities of all reviewers and think tanks participating in the system will be known only to EWMI G-PAC. The peer review system will be double-blind the reviewers will not know the identities of each other or the think tanks they are reviewing, and the think tanks will not know the identities of the reviewers. To ensure anonymity, EWMI G-PAC will remove all identifying markers from the policy document that indicate its author(s) and organization(s) before sending it via email to reviewers. Likewise, think tanks will receive written feedback via email from EWMI G-PAC without any markers identifying the reviewers. To provide structure to the feedback, reviewers will complete the Peer Review Feedback Form, which will be developed with input from participating organizations. Although it may be possible for reviewers to know whose work they have reviewed after the policy paper is published and publicized, the reviewers will not know the think tanks identity while conducting the review, which will make for as objective of a review as possible. However, there will be no way for think tanks to know who reviewed their work, unless the reviewer volunteers this information after the publication of the paper. Timeline and Compensation EWMI G-PAC will provide feedback to think tanks within two weeks of the submission of the policy paper. Reviewers will have 10 working days to review the paper and return their

Civil Society

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Public Policy

feedback to EWMI G-PAC. Reviewers will receive a $100 US (net) honorarium for each paper review. Think Tank Eligibility Any Georgian think tank is eligible to participate in the system if it has a draft policy paper for review. Think tanks are under no obligation to adopt the feedback and recommendations provided by reviewers. Any changes to the policy paper after it is reviewed will be voluntary on the part of the think tank. Following the launch of the system, any new draft policy papers produced as part of EWMI G-PAC-funded projects will be required to be reviewed through the system. Sustainability After the peer review system is established and operational, EWMI G-PAC will begin a search for an organization that is willing and able to facilitate the peer review system after the end of the G-PAC project. Georgian think tanks have expressed the preference for an international organization to serve this function. Georgian organizations will also be considered.