Why do they require publications in journals with high percentiles to defend dissertations in the Republic of Kazakhstan?
Reform of scientific publications in Kazakhstan: from chaos to quality
Many of you were interested in why Kazakhstan has such strict requirements for publications.
In the early 2010s, Kazakhstan carried out a major reform in the field of scientific publishing, introducing a mandatory requirement for applicants for academic degrees to publish in the international databases Scopus and Web of Science. The initial goal was to improve the scientific level of research and its integration into the global academic environment. However, an unexpected consequence was a sharp increase in publications in so-called “predatory journals” - publications that do not comply with scientific peer-review standards and effectively serve as commercial platforms for posting articles.
The scale of the problem: Kazakhstan against the backdrop of global trends
According to analysts, between 2013 and 2015, almost 50% publications by Kazakh authors in the Scopus database were in predatory journals. This is a shocking figure, especially when compared with global statistics, where the average share of such publications was about 10%.
The main reasons for this situation were related to:
- Insufficient awareness of Kazakhstani scientists about the quality criteria of scientific journals.
- High costs of publication in reputable peer-reviewed journals.
- The desire to quickly and easily fulfill the formal requirements for defending a dissertation.
This caused a major scandal at the national level, as the government and academic community faced criticism regarding the effectiveness of the reforms and the threat of devaluation of academic degrees. As a result, instead of improving the quality of scientific research, the reform led to an increase in the number of low-quality publications and a deterioration in the international image of Kazakhstani science.
Dynamics of publications in predatory journals
The trend of increasing share of publications in predatory journals in Kazakhstan is illustrated by the data in the table. From 2010 to 2016, there was a rapid increase in the share of publications in dubious publications, reaching a peak in 2013 (49,02%). Despite the subsequent decline, the level remains high.
Dynamics of the share of publications (%) in predatory journals for Kazakhstan from 2010 to 2018:
Year | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
PPJ Share (%) | 2.22 | 6.35 | 17.43 | 49.02 | 47.39 | 35.97 | 41.61 | 18.66 | — |
New criteria: percentile bet
To solve the problem of publications in dubious publications, new rules have been introduced in Kazakhstan that focus not only on the fact of publication, but also on the quality of the journal. Now, a candidate for an academic degree is obliged to publish in a publication that has a percentile of at least 25 or 35 according to the Scopus database (depending on the year of the dissertation defense and the field of research). This means that the journal must be at least in the top 75% or top 65% best publications in its field.
In addition, at the time of the dissertation defense, the journal must be active and indexed in Scopus. This prevents the use of outdated or excluded publications from the databases.
How does this affect the scientific community?
These changes resulted in:
- Reduction in the number of publications in predatory journalsScientists are forced to select publications more carefully, which improves the quality of publication activity.
- Increasing demands on scientific researchNow Kazakhstani researchers need to create truly competitive work that can pass the rigorous peer-review process in prestigious publications.
- Improving the international ranking of Kazakhstani sciencePublications in high-ranking journals increase the visibility and recognition of a country's scientific achievements on the world stage.
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Conclusion
The requirement for publication in high-percentile journals in Kazakhstan has become a necessary measure aimed at combating unfair scientific practices. Although this creates additional challenges for Kazakhstani researchers, the long-term prospects promise a significant improvement in the quality of science in the country. In the context of global competition for scientific knowledge, Kazakhstan is taking a step towards a more transparent and honest academic environment, where publications are not just a formal requirement, but a confirmation of the real value of research.
