PhD Program in Kazakhstan: Prolonged Transit or a Catching up Development? “Kazakhstan, having based its quality assessment of scientific work on Western standards of assessment (Indexes), did not take into account the fact that its science finds itself on the periphery of contemporary Big Science. This situation severely limits, for example, the possibilities for Kazakh researchers being published in Western journals”, – Irina Chernykh, specially for cabar.asia, identifies problems and specificities of implementation of PhD programs in Kazakhstan. Follow us on LinkedIn! Higher and postgraduate education system in Kazakhstan has undergone systemic reforming over the years of independence, which was shaped by a dynamic socio-economic development of the country and its entry into the global market, and thus by the need to improve competitiveness of its human capital. For a period of more than twenty years, new conceptual approaches have been formulated and are being promoted (life-long education), pursuant to which a drastic change of educational model of the higher education has been made. Republic of Kazakhstan is one of the first countries in the former Soviet Union to have introduced a credit system of education (according to the Bologna Convention) and adopted a three-cycle academic system (higher basic education (Bachelor’s degree), higher specialized / academic and pedagogical education (Master’s degree) and Doctorate – PhD). A key element in the framework of a three-cycle higher education system is a program for preparing PhDs, as it is they, who are expected in accordance with their status to set a general benchmark in scientific and academic development, promote innovative projects and, on the whole, work towards qualitative modernization of the country in all spheres. This analytical review is devoted to topical issues of preparing Doctors of Philosophy (PhDs) in the field of social sciences and the humanities in Kazakhstan, and identifying ways to improve the program. Factors of adoption of PhD programs of study In accordance with the official position, the academic program for higher scientific personnel in the PhD format was introduced in Kazakhstan with the aim of the country’s PhD Program in Kazakhstan: Prolonged Transit or a Catching up Development? entry into the world educational space within the framework of the principles of the Bologna Process – namely, the adoption of a system of comparable academic degrees. This doctorate is seen as a logical continuation of the preparation of specialists in the framework of undergraduate and graduate programs. Also, as a motivation for the introduction of the PhD degree, a requirement was put forward to improve the academic quality of higher scientific personnel through the inclusion of a mandatory educational component in the framework of full-time study. Currently, the duration of a doctoral thesis is of at least three years with a mandatory attainment of no less than 75 credits.[1] The question of the quality of the PhD program was determined by at least three factors: Kazakhstan lost its symbolic capital of scientists; to study science became undervalued; a growing outflow of specialists from the sciences was ongoing; scientific degrees were awarded to people who are not involved in the actual research process, that is the officials and businessmen; in Kazakhstan, no academic schools were established in the social sciences and the humanities, based on an internal assessment of a scholar’s contribution; the criteria for evaluation of scientific achievements by public bodies were blurred and became a mere formality; research programs were commercialized and the education system came to be regarded primarily as a business. As a whole, this has created a serious potential for corruption in the system of degree awards. The three-cycle structure of higher and postgraduate education in Kazakhstan was introduced in 2004. The PhD program started out in an experimental format for a number of disciplines in 2005. From 2005 to 2011 PhD students who successfully completed their program and defended their thesis, were awarded the academic degree of PhD. The right to assign this degree was granted to institutions of higher learning that carried out relevant educational activities. Since 2011 PhD candidates who have completed their program and thesis defense are being granted the science degree of PhD. That said, the key difference is that the science degree is being awarded by the Committee for Control of Education and Science (CCES) of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, based on the decree of dissertation councils on thesis defense for the award of the PhD degree, Doctor in the respective field. Diagram 1. PhD defenses in Kazakhstan according to specializations. PhD Program in Kazakhstan: Prolonged Transit or a Catching up Development? Engineering Sciences and Technology 29%, Social Sciences and Economics 19%, Humanities 13%, Natural Sciences 12%, Law 7%, Medicine 7%, Education 6%, Agriculture 3%, Veterinary 2%, Services 2% As indicated in the National Report on Science[2], in Kazakhstan by the end of 2014, 1116 persons had the science degree of PhD. The Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan was planning for the 2010-2014 period to increase the number of PhD holders up to 2220, while, in fact, by 2014, 878 persons defended their thesis. In terms of specializations, in 2014 dominant were thesis defenses in Engineering Sciences and Technology – 129 (29.1%), Social Sciences and Economics – 85 (19.18%); Humanities – 58 (13.0%), Natural Sciences – 51 (11.51%); Law – 33 (7.44%) and Health and Social Services (Medicine) – 29 (6.54%); Education – 25 (5.7%). The minimum number of dissertations were defended in Agricultural Sciences (15) Veterinary (9) Services (8) and Military Affairs (1).[3] Correlation of preparation systems for specialists of higher qualification As with any innovation, the concept of PhD programs has caused serious discussions at an early stage of its implementation. First and foremost, the discussion touched upon the idea of a three-cycle system of education –Bachelor – Master- PhD: to what extent it is appropriate and more effective than the old Soviet system –Specialist- Candidate of PhD Program in Kazakhstan: Prolonged Transit or a Catching up Development? Sciences- Doctor of Sciences. The discussion concerned the period of study in each cycle, the format of the organization of the program, formulization of correlation systems of the cycles within the different systems. Despite the active deliberation on the issues, the ultimate solution to them is not yet found. Thus, if currently a specialist in the framework of the educational process is actually equated to thebachelor , then the correlation of the degrees of candidate of sciences, doctor of sciences and doctor of philosophy (PhD) remains uncertain. In fact, the doctors of sciences, whose program is no longer being conducted in Kazakhstan, occupy a position above that of a PhD. For example, in accordance with the Law On Education, the teaching staff in public organizations who hold a candidate of sciences and doctor of philosophy degree (PhD) are being remunerated with a fringe benefit in the amount of a month’s minimum wage, while a doctor of sciences is allotted the equivalent of two.[4] Thus there is a formation of a “closed” group within the scientific hierarchy that cannot be replenished and transformed. The lack of a clear correlation system of academic degrees is still causing complications in Kazakhstan in the process of recognizing educational achievements of a scholar or a scientist, credited in foreign universities. Thus, a person who has received a degree abroad (mainly in the countries of the former Soviet Union), in order for it to be recognized in Kazakhstan is required to publish articles in Kazakhstani journals, recommended by the Committee for Control of Education and Science, Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union, signed in Astana on May 29, 2014[5] de jure guarantees the citizens of the EAEU Member States direct recognition of documents on education, but in practice does not solve the issue. It specifically stipulates the procedure for recognition of diplomas of specialists applying for work, for example, in pedagogical, legal and medical sectors. In order to be admitted to these activities in another member state, it is necessary to undergo a procedure of recognition of documents on education, established by the national legislation. The same practice applies to the acknowledgment of academic degrees and academic titles.[6] The transit nature of the PhD program and the complexity of its development Today, the PhD program in Kazakhstan has become a given. At the moment, the key issue remains the quality of instruction and development of adequate criteria for effectiveness assessment of the PhD program. Despite the fact that Kazakhstan accepted the contemporary Western model of preparation of PhDs, both the quality of instruction for the specialists and their final product – the theses – raises serious criticism. The analysis of Kazakhstan’s model of PhD is based on its comparison and contrast with two “external” approaches, which one way or another exert influence on it: PhD Program in Kazakhstan: Prolonged Transit or a Catching up Development? the Soviet, implying an academic career with two theses defenses – a candidate and a doctorate, as well as strong governmental regulation; Conventionally Western, with certain nuances as existing in the United States and Europe, as well as in most of other countries. Moreover, the critics of the system and its supporters alike, rely solely on their own intuitive, essentially – subjective assessments. The reason for this is that, there is no serious independent analysis to date, based on quantitative and qualitative indicators of efficiency and quality of the Kazakh PhD program and its theses (the author, at any rate, was not able to find relevant information in the public domain).