Graduate students will be able not to write a dissertation, but to defend a report

In the Russian Federation, scientists were missing and accelerated Ph.D.

Graduate students were both lucky and not so lucky. They will no longer be able to pore over their thesis – such a reform was launched by the Ministry of Education and Science. In the field of physical, mathematical and natural sciences (biology, geology, mineralogy, geography and architecture as well) it will be possible to defend on the basis of published works and a report. But the profit here is relative. After all, graduate students were given a respite from partial mobilization by a presidential decree the day before. But for candidates of sciences and doctors – not yet …

How not to remember the words of the character of the famous New Year’s film “Magicians”: “I will help you too, young man, you will become a doctor without any protection.” This slanderous phrase turned into reality a year ago. Then the Russian Academy of Sciences spoke loudly about the reduction in the number of young scientists in the country. Like, the situation is awful: for 10 years, the number of holders of scientific degrees in the country has decreased by 10 thousand people. “75,000 Candidates of Sciences, 25,000 Doctors,” listed the former head of the Academy of Sciences, Alexander Sergeev. As a result, the nix of protection in 2021 was simplified.

A new postgraduate reform has been under preparation at the Ministry of Education since the summer. The head of the department, Valery Falkov, considers the initiative “rather bold”, but necessary. He is in solidarity with the Higher Attestation Commission (Higher Attestation Commission) under the Ministry of Education and Science. “The message is to facilitate the work of a graduate student, not bureaucrats, not members of dissent councils, not professors,” explains VAK chairman Vladimir Filippov. Changes in the procedure for defending dissertations will be prepared by the end of December 2022.

Time is needed, because the new defense procedure requires changes in the Regulations on the awarding of scientific degrees, which the government approves. Discussion councils will also be reformed – there will be one-time commissions of 5 to 9 people.

Reformers estimate that “the experiment could affect up to 25% of graduate students.” A “simplified” graduate student must have published at least five scientific papers on the research topic in scientific journals of the “HAC list”, and summed up the results in the form of a report. This form of presentation, according to the ministry, will reduce the “finish line” of scientific research to 2-4 months. Against a year or two or more, during which they used to “torment” dissertations. However, would anyone want to rush today, if graduate students, residents, interns and dissertators have a deferment from partial mobilization, while candidates and doctors of science are not entitled to it?..

The opinion of the scientific community about such a reduction in “professional bureaucracy” was slightly divided. Honored historian, academician Alexander Chubaryan believes that there is a certain risk, but the benefit is still greater. The innovation “will increase the number of degrees awarded after graduate school and increase the motivation of people who are preparing to enter graduate school.” Mathematician, professor of RUDN University Alexander Skubachevsky is not entirely clear about the idea of ​​“defending the report”. Scientific director of the Institute of Linguistic Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician Nikolai Kazansky, considered that “defenses on the report should be absolutely in an exceptional case.”

– I have been preparing my work for 4 years, from the beginning of the research to the defense, – says a candidate in the recent past, and now a doctor of sciences Roman. – I am an economist, I defended myself in 2017. For admission to work, I passed exams and tests, the notorious candidate minimum.

When I prepared and published articles on my topic in journals, some publications were paid, because this was the only way to meet the deadlines for publication in publications from the VAK list. And here it turns out, in general, all publications will be for money, otherwise there will simply be no time.

But I also did internships, including teaching, I gave lectures to students. Participated in scientific conferences. And it gave me a lot in terms of the ability to speak to colleagues, to convey my thoughts to the public. There was still protection…

You know, when you are “thrown with stones” and you fight back, this is also a necessary experience for a scientist. Protect your ideas. In general, this final stage of preparing the dissertation took me 2 years. I think that it is necessary, what 2 months? The candidate needs to be able to defend himself, discuss, explain. I am at a loss, I do not share the joy of protection in the “fall-wrung out” mode. Not because we supposedly defended ourselves for a long time, and let’s go. I sincerely believe that the scientific work has been in preparation for several years. And at least a year is needed for its final refinement, worthy protection and presentation.