Dissertation Councils’ Indicators Dynamics in the Road Map Implementation

The research article analyzes the gradual achievement of target scientific activity indicators by members of dissertation councils and by the organizations wherein dissertation councils are based. The purpose of the article is to analyse the compliance of dissertation councils with the criterion requirements imposed by the Higher Attestation Commission under the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia both to the indicators of members of dissertation councils’ scientific and publishing activities effectiveness and to the indicators of universities and scientific organizations which are the basis for dissertation councils’ work. To achieve this goal, there were analysed performance indicators obtained within monitoring the dissertation councils’ network activities during 2015–2018. The target performance indicators of the state system of scientific certification were determined by the Roadmap Plan approved by the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia on 23rd August 2016. The results of the analysis showed that the 4-year period of the «roadmap» measures implementation had seen a steady tendency to improving the indicators of the members of dissertation councils’ publication activity compliance with the criteria of the Higher Attestation Commission. However, the overall level of the entire network of councils’ compliance with these criteria in 2018 reached only 82.7 %, and the demanded 90 % benchmark was not achieved. As a result, the analysis showed that administrative measures aimed at achieving the benchmark are not enough, and it is necessary to amend the regulatory framework governing the activities of the state certification system. When preparing proposals for changing the regulatory framework, it is necessary to study the experience of the work of the dissertation councils created on the basis of the organizations, which have received the right to independently award academic degrees. The presented analysis of the indicators of the members of dissertation councils’ publication activity compliance with the criterion requirements presented in the road map is a basic guideline for the practice of university management in forming dissertation councils. The article is completely original and presents quantitative information on the dynamics of the performance indicators of the members of dissertation councils’ scientific and publication activities, as well as those of universities and scientific organizations which are the basis for dissertation councils’ work.