Belarus to streamline procedure of awarding titles and degrees to scientists

Maximum openness is essential in awarding candidate of sciences and doctor degrees as well as assistant professor and professor titles in Belarus. This proposal and other proposals regarding the development of the national system of attestation of scientists were on the agenda of the meeting between Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and Chairman of the Higher Attestation Commission Gennady Palchik on 9 December, BelTA has learned.

“I do not know more difficult work than scientists do. This is my strong conviction. That is why we impose the strictest requirements to the quality of scientists’ training. I do not want people to say that one can buy a thesis in Belarus, that the authorized bodies can help someone get a scientific degree,” the head of state said.

Gennady Palchik was appointed chairman of the Higher Attestation Commission in June 2014. “You are a new person at the Higher Attestation Commission. I did not hide and do not hide that I appointed you because you are a young scientist in comparison with our big heads in science who can cast a fresh eye over the Higher Attestation Commission and put forward proposals regarding the optimization and modernization of its structure. You can share your ideas about the improvement of the Higher Attestation Commission,” the President remarked. He added that the Higher Attestation Commission needs such transformations as it will get extended authorities in the conferment of scientific degrees and titles. The President remarked that he would like to listen to Gennady Palchik’s proposals on the matter.

Education problems and ways to solve them which have to be voiced by the working group led by Gennady Palchik were also on the agenda of the meeting on 9 December. The chairman of the Higher Attestation Commission knows this field very well, the head of state remarked. “I hope that you will be objective. We must avoid the repetition of the situation when the first commission revealed serious drawbacks, however, officials in the Presidential Administration and the government downplayed these problems. We do not need it. I want you to promptly respond to the issues in education which can degrade its quality. I strongly hope that your group will put forward good proposals,” Alexander Lukashenko stressed.

The head of state was informed that the commission has prepared proposals on two aspects. One of them pertains to the conferment of candidate of sciences and doctor degrees, awarding of associate professor and professor titles. There are plans to raise the openness of this procedure and to make it accessible for the general public. Apart from that, the commission deems it necessary to delegate certain authorities in the conferment of associate professor and professor titles to the institutions of higher learning.

The President was also informed about the performance of the Higher Attestation Commission since the appointment of Gennady Palchik as its chairman.