The current cycle of grant funding for scientific and technical projects in Kazakhstan, covering 2024-2026, comes to an end this year. For a significant proportion of grant recipients, this means having to fulfil publication obligations within a tight timeframe, while peer review at a scientific journal can take anywhere from several weeks to six months.
Which grants require scientists to publish?
Grant funding for scientific and technical activity in Kazakhstan is governed by the Rules on Basic and Programme-Targeted Funding, Grant Funding and Commercialisation of Scientific Results, approved by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan (MSHE RK). Under these rules, the Science Committee of the MSHE RK periodically announces competitions, and applications are submitted through the information system of the National Centre for State Scientific and Technical Expertise.
The main instruments of grant support include:
- grant funding for scientific and technical projects
- grant funding for young scientists
- funding for projects to commercialise scientific results
- programme-targeted funding for priority areas
The specific requirements for the number and level of publications are set out individually in the grant funding agreement and the project’s calendar plan. It is therefore best to be guided by the terms of one’s own agreement rather than by average figures.
Grant reporting deadlines in 2026
Grant recipients submit a final report on scientific and/or technical activity upon completion of the project no later than 1 November of the current reporting year – this deadline applies to projects whose implementation falls entirely within 2026, including the three-year 2024-2026 cycle. A different deadline applies to agreements whose implementation continues into the next calendar year: brief information on the project’s progress must be submitted through the expertise centre’s information system no later than 15 November of the current reporting year. For most projects concluding this year, 1 November is therefore the date to work towards: an article that has been prepared, or already accepted for publication, needs to be reflected in the report, which means the manuscript must be submitted to the journal well before that date.
When planning reporting, it is worth keeping several dates in view:
- The date on which the grant funding agreement ends.
- The deadline for the final report on completed projects – no later than 1 November.
- The deadline for brief information on projects carrying over into the next year – no later than 15 November.
- The publication requirements, in terms of number and level, set out in the calendar plan.
How long does it take to publish an article?
The time between submitting a manuscript and the article being published varies considerably from journal to journal. For publications on the KOKSNVO list, where only a limited number of titles operate nationwide, the wait is often extended by a queue for an issue. For journals indexed in Scopus or Web of Science, peer review at Q3 publications takes an average of 2 to 6 months, and at Q4 publications – 1 to 4 months, though the final timeframe depends on the policy of the particular editorial board and the number of revision rounds. Further time should be allowed for typesetting the issue and for the article’s subsequent indexing in the database.
Planning your submission before the end of 2026
For an article to be published in time and included in the grant report, it is worth starting preparations early:
- put together the manuscript and supporting documents, including co-author consent, funding details and ORCID data
- choose a journal with a review timeframe that is realistic given the time remaining
- check with the editorial office on its current workload and the likely issue in which the article would appear
- allow time for revising the manuscript in response to reviewers’ comments
When choosing between several suitable journals, preference should go to the one whose editorial policy sets out its review and publication timeframes transparently.
Grant-related publication obligations become manageable with advance planning and a realistic view of review timeframes. The earlier a manuscript is submitted to a journal, the greater the likelihood of publishing in time and reflecting it correctly in the final report before the end of 2026.
Need help preparing a scientific publication before the end of the year? The specialists at Scientific Publications will help you choose a journal with a suitable review timeframe, prepare your article for submission, and support you throughout the publication process. To receive a free consultation, fill in the form below and our manager will get in touch with you shortly. Onwards to new scientific achievements!
