The title of professor in Kazakhstan is highly respected and prestigious. It not only underscores a scientist's high level of professional qualifications but also opens up numerous opportunities for career growth and development. Professors enjoy various privileges, including increased salaries, access to grants, the opportunity to supervise research projects, and receive additional bonuses for research activity. Obtaining the title of professor requires meeting strict requirements, including those related to scientific publications. These requirements are constantly updated and adapted to international standards, necessitating a detailed understanding of the current criteria. In 2025, publication requirements will become even more specific, emphasizing the quality and quantity of scientific papers. This article aims to examine in detail the key publication requirements for attaining the title of professor, highlighting the importance of scientific activity, and providing recommendations for those aspiring to achieve this goal.
Basic requirements
- Possession of the academic title of Associate Professor (Associate Professor) or Senior Research Fellow.
- Continuous experience in research or research and teaching for at least five years after receiving the academic title of Associate Professor. Of these:
- two years - in a position not lower
— professors in higher education
— institution of Kazakhstan (OVPO) or in corresponding positions in a scientific organization. Positions:
Heads of departments.
Deputy Heads.
Head of a higher education institution or scientific organization.
- 28 scientific articles in scientific periodicals.
Requirements for scientific articles
In this section, we will take a detailed look at the requirements for publishing scientific articles to obtain the title of professor:
28 scientific articles in scientific periodicals
- 20 articles in periodicals of the KOKS MNVO RK (KKSON).
- 3 scientific articles in international Scopus journals.
- 5 scientific conferences - 3 international, 2 internal RK.
Clarification on publications in international Scopus journals
Let's talk in more detail about publications in international Scopus journals with a percentile of at least 50 or in Web of Science journals in the 1st and 2nd quartiles according to Journal Citation Reports, which must necessarily correspond to the applicant's field of study or complementary fields, or be in a multidisciplinary field.
So, if you're applying for a professorship in political science, your percentile should be at least in the 50th percentile specifically for political science or social science. Alternatively, if you publish in a multidisciplinary journal with a percentile above 50%, that's also acceptable. The percentile is calculated for the year of publication or the year in which the applicant applies for the professorship.
When indexing of an international peer-reviewed scientific journal in the Scopus and/or Web of Science database ceases, all articles of the applicant in this journal are not taken into account.
From 1 September 2025, the applicant must be the first author or corresponding author of 3 scientific articles published in international journals (Scopus/WoS).
Additionally: If an applicant has more than 3 scientific articles in Scopus journals with a percentile above 50 and Web of Science 1-2 quartiles, each additional article will be counted as 2 articles in the KOKS MNVO RK (KKSON).
Conclusion:
In this article, we examined the requirements for obtaining the title of professor in Kazakhstan, emphasizing their importance for scientists. We analyzed the requirements for scientific publications, length of service, and indexation in international journals. It is particularly noteworthy that the significance of publications in Scopus journals has increased even more, as we noted in the article itself. The title of professor opens new opportunities for career advancement, salary increases, and participation in research projects. A clear understanding of the requirements and their significance is an important step for scientists aspiring to achieve the title of professor and contribute to science and education, as meeting the established requirements contributes to the development of scientific activity and the improvement of the quality of education in the country.
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