Preparing and defending a dissertation in Kazakhstan is an important stage in the academic career of researchers who wish to obtain an academic degree. It requires strict compliance with established norms and standards. One of the key aspects of a successful defence is the publication of scientific articles that confirm the originality and significance of the research. Today, we will talk about the role of publications in the dissertation defence process and consider the main requirements for them.
Why are publications so important for defending a dissertation?
Publications in scientific journals are not just a formality, but a mandatory requirement for applicants for scientific degrees, which is clearly stated in the Order of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On the Approval of the Rules for Awarding Degrees”.
According to these rules, a dissertation can only be defended if the applicant has a certain number of publications in scientific journals that meet the established requirements.
Without fulfilling this condition, the dissertation council has no right to admit the scientist to the defence, since publications confirm the relevance and scientific novelty of the dissertation and are considered to be an approval of the results of the dissertation research in the scientific community. Thus, the presence of publications is an important criterion for the readiness of a dissertation for public defence.
What academic degrees exist in Kazakhstan?
In accordance with the Law “On Education”, two main academic degrees are awarded in the Republic of Kazakhstan: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Doctor on a profile. Both degrees are awarded to persons who have completed a doctoral programme and defended their dissertation, but they differ in their focus and the purpose of training specialists.
- Doctor on a profile degree is an academic degree awarded to individuals who have completed a doctoral programme focused on a specific field of professional activity. The dissertation defence may take place either in Kazakhstan or abroad, provided that the degree is recognised in accordance with Kazakhstani legislation.
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is a degree awarded after completing a doctoral programme in a scientific and pedagogical field. As in the case of a Doctor on a profile, a PhD degree may be awarded abroad if the dissertation is recognised in accordance with the established procedure.
What publications are required to defend a dissertation in Kazakhstan?
It should be noted that in order to obtain an academic degree, a candidate must meet a number of requirements. This is especially important because the dissertation council counts a specific number of publications in certain scientific journals. Below, we will consider the aspects that should be taken into account.
1. At least one article or review in an international peer-reviewed scientific journal that:
- has an impact factor according to Journal Citation Reports (JCR)
- and/or is indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection database (Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI), Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) sections)
- or has a CiteScore percentile of at least 25 in the Scopus database
- additionally, publications in journals included in the List of journals recommended by Committee for Quality Assurance of Education and Science of the MES RK (further – List of journals) are required (the number depends on the publication category)
2. Alternatively, two articles or one article and one review in international peer-reviewed journals may be accepted, provided that they:
- are indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection (AHCI)
- and/or are included in the first three quartiles of the JCR impact factor
- or have a CiteScore of at least 35 in the Scopus database
3. As a substitute for publications, one chapter in a monograph is allowed, provided that:
- the chapter is at least one printed sheet in length
- the monograph is published by one of the international scientific publishers, such as Elsevier, Springer, Wiley, Routledge, Taylor and Francis, etc.
- or by a university press included in the top 100 world rankings: US News Best Global Universities, Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), Times Higher Education (THE)
4. The following option is also acceptable:
- one article in an international journal that is included in the first or second quartile of JCR or has a CiteScore of at least 35 (Scopus)
- and at the same time, one article in the proceedings of an international scientific conference that has a JCR impact factor and is indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection
Special requirements for specialities
For applicants studying the following educational programmes, there are special conditions for admission to the dissertation defence:
- 8D017 – Training of teachers of Kazakh language and literature.
- 8D060 – Philology.
- D050 – Philosophy and Ethics.
- D053 – History.
In addition, this list includes fields in the areas of pedagogical and humanities sciences.
One of two options is acceptable:
- One article or review in an international peer-reviewed journal indexed in Web of Science (AHCI) or with a CiteScore percentile of at least 25 in Scopus, plus articles in journals from the List of journals (the number depends on the journal category).
- Articles in journals from List 1 and List 2 of the List of journals (one of them in English) and two oral presentations at international scientific conferences.
How are publications taken into account for the defence of a dissertation?
- The journal quartile or percentile is taken into account for the year of publication, the previous year or at the time of the dissertation defence.
- Publications must be of the following types: article, review, article in press, conference report or conference materials.
- Publications in interdisciplinary journals (e.g., Multidisciplinary, Interdisciplinary and similar) are permitted.
- Articles published in foreign scientific journals may be equated to publications from the List of journals if they meet the established requirements.
How many articles in journals from the List of journals are required to defend a dissertation?
- List 1: one article is sufficient
- List 2: two articles are required
- List 3: three articles are required
Preparing to defend a dissertation requires a lot of time and resources. In addition to conducting dissertation research, applicants for a degree must prepare a package of necessary publications in advance.
If you are having difficulty publication for the defence of a dissertation, Scientific Publications is ready to help. Our specialists will select a journal for publishing your article in accordance with the above requirements and will accompany you until the article is indexed. Would you like to receive a free consultation? Then leave your contact details in the form below, and our manager will contact you shortly. Together to new scientific achievements!
