The end of the year brings a heavier workload for scientists: project stages need to be closed and publication details updated. Reporting can be external, to the authorised body, or internal, to the university. The deadlines differ, and missing them may affect the terms of the agreement. It is therefore advisable to prepare materials in advance.
What are the year-end reporting deadlines for research projects?
The procedure for funding research projects and reporting on them is set out in Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan No. 103-VIII of 1 July 2024 “On Science and Technology Policy” and in Order No. 563 of the Acting Minister of Science and Higher Education of 6 November 2023 “On approval of the Rules for base and program-targeted financing of scientific and (or) scientific and technical activities”.
According to these Rules, grant recipients submit final reports on completion of a project no later than 1 November of the current reporting year. For programme-targeted funding, the same deadline applies to both interim and final reports.
As stated in the announcements of the Science Committee of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, if a project continues into the following year, brief information on its implementation is submitted no later than 15 November.
Materials are submitted electronically through the information system of the National Centre for State Scientific and Technical Expertise (NCSTE) and certified with the electronic digital signature of the scientific supervisor and the head of the organisation. The announcements also state that, under the terms of the agreement, a penalty of 0.03% of the total project amount applies for each calendar day of delay.
These deadlines have appeared in the announcements year after year; however, they should be checked against the documents for the current year and the terms of your own agreement.
Documents for completing year-end reporting
The announcements on the acceptance of reports set out requirements for their content and format:
- formatting of the report in accordance with GOST 7.32-2017
- submission of the report in the state language or Russian, and also in English
- copies of calendar plans in accordance with the agreement
- a list of published works indicating the Web of Science quartile and/or Scopus percentile
- a description of the most important results for all years of project implementation (for the final report)
In the English version, the list of sources and published works is translated into English, with the original language indicated in brackets.
How are publications taken into account in year-end reporting?
In reporting materials, publications are listed together with the scientometric data of the journal. For international journals, the Web of Science quartile and/or Scopus percentile is given – for the year of publication or at the time the report is submitted.
It is important to allow for the time needed for an article to be published. Peer review can take from several weeks to several months, so submitting a manuscript at the end of the year does not guarantee publication before the reporting date.
After an article is published, it may also take several weeks for it to appear in Scopus or Web of Science.
In addition, it is worth checking that the data are consistent: the spelling of the surname, affiliation, ORCID iD and DOI. Discrepancies may make it harder to match publications with a scientist’s profile.
Step-by-step plan for completing year-end reporting
To reduce the risk of delays, the following sequence of actions can be used:
- Identify the type of funding for the project and check the deadlines against the current announcement.
- Clarify the internal deadlines for submitting materials at the department or research office of the organisation.
- Check profiles in Scopus, Web of Science and ORCID and update affiliation details.
- Compile a list of publications indicating the DOI, journal title, and quartile or percentile.
- Prepare versions of the report in the required languages and agree them with the scientific supervisor.
- Allow time for signing documents with an electronic digital signature and uploading them to the system.
Completing reporting before the end of the year requires an understanding of the types of reports, deadlines and the required set of materials. Deadlines for submitting reports on research projects usually fall in the autumn, so it is advisable to plan the work in advance. Checking the current year’s requirements, keeping publication data up to date and leaving time for approvals reduce the likelihood of delays.
Need help with publishing a scientific article? The specialists at Scientific Publications will help you select a suitable journal, check its status and support you at every stage of the publication process. To receive a free consultation, fill in the form below and our manager will contact you shortly. Onward to new scientific achievements!
