Granting a medical organisation scientific status is a significant change to its legal standing, not merely a formality. For doctors working at such an organisation, it brings new requirements and new opportunities in scientific publishing.
What does scientific organisation status mean for a medical organisation?
Scientific organisation status is granted through accreditation of entities engaged in scientific and/or technical activity, as set out in the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Science and Technology Policy”. For a medical institution – a clinic, a research institute, or a national centre – this status confirms that the organisation is officially recognised as an entity engaged in scientific activity, rather than solely as a provider of medical care.
This recognition extends not only to the large research institutes and national centres that have long held this status, but also to other medical organisations that undergo accreditation and confirm they meet the established criteria.
Accreditation as the basis for obtaining scientific status
Accreditation is granted under Article 27 of the Law referred to above and is issued for a period of five years. Among the conditions a medical organisation must confirm to obtain scientific status:
- staff holding an academic degree (PhD, candidate of sciences, or doctor of sciences) or the academic title of associate professor or professor
- formal employment of such staff at the organisation as their principal place of work
- publication of at least three articles in journals recommended by the Committee for Quality Assurance in Science and Higher Education (KOKSNVO)
- a laboratory on site, or justification that a laboratory is not required for the scientific activity carried out
The organisation confirms it meets these conditions through a package of supporting documents submitted when applying for accreditation.
What changes does the law adopted in 2026 introduce?
In June 2026, the Law on Amendments and Additions to Certain Legislative Acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Science, Science-Intensive Territories, Social Security, Education, Healthcare and Military Service was signed. The law extends rights and social protection measures for staff of scientific organisations, including a 56-day annual leave entitlement for employees of all organisations holding this status.
A separate provision concerns the creation of reference centres on the basis of state medical organisations holding the status of a scientific centre or research institute. These centres are aimed at improving the quality of medical care and at forging a closer link between clinical and scientific work.
Practical opportunities offered by scientific organisation status
Obtaining the status gives a medical organisation a number of practical advantages:
- The right to compete for state funding of scientific and technical projects.
- The opportunity to serve as a residency training base alongside university hospitals, national centres, and scientific centres.
- Access to cooperation with government bodies and national companies on scientific projects.
- Official confirmation of the organisation’s scientific status when dealing with partners and clients.
The rules for forming the list of supplementary medical education providers, approved in February 2026, also treat scientific organisation status as one of the grounds for a medical institution’s inclusion on that list – alongside holding an educational licence.
How does scientific organisation status affect doctors’ publications?
For a doctor working at an accredited medical organisation, the change in the institution’s status has a direct bearing on publication activity. Affiliation with a scientific organisation is taken into account when academic degrees are awarded and when the academic titles of associate professor or professor are conferred, since part of the requirements assumes that the applicant’s principal place of work is a scientific or educational organisation.
Maintaining accreditation also requires the organisation to demonstrate the scientific activity of its staff, including regular publications in journals recommended by the relevant committee. This gives doctors an added reason to prepare and publish scientific articles based on their clinical work, rather than focusing solely on treatment.
Publication requirements under scientific organisation status
When preparing a scientific publication, a member of staff at a medical organisation holding scientific status should take into account the journal’s profile and whether it meets the criteria applied during accreditation – in particular, the recommendations of the relevant committee on journals. The affiliation stated in the article must precisely match the organisation’s official name, since staff publication data is used when confirming and renewing accreditation.
For doctors who are only beginning their scientific activity, this is an added reason to look into journal requirements and affiliation formatting in advance – doing so reduces the risk that a publication will not be counted towards confirming the organisation’s status.
Granting a medical organisation scientific status is official recognition of its scientific activity, bringing new rights alongside new obligations. For doctors, this means a closer link between clinical practice and publication activity, along with new opportunities for professional growth – through qualification requirements, participation in scientific projects, and serving as a residency training base.
Do you need help with publishing a scientific article? The specialists at Scientific Publications will help you select a suitable journal, check compliance with the publication’s requirements, 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!
