The Effects of Institutional Transformations on the Russian Doctoral Education Performance

Currently, enhancement of doctoral education performance is becoming one of the central tasks for state policy in the field of science and education. In 2013–2015 Russian doctoral education experienced radical transformations aimed to increase the performance of doctoral programs and enhance the quality of dissertations. First, doctoral education moved towards the structured (educational) model. Second, norms and rules of the work of dissertation boards changed significantly. The purpose of this study is to explore how these reforms affected the performance of doctoral education. The empirical base for the study comprises the data on dissertations defense of graduates of 2018 at 12 Russian universities (N=1022), which were collected by the authors using the web scraping technique. The main findings obtained from the analysis of these data are threefold. First, time-to-degree has increased with most of the dissertations now being defended only after the completion of the programs. Second, in social sciences, this delay of defense has intensified abnormally (80% of dissertation in this field are defended after the program completion). Third, the actual performance, i.e., one that takes into account dissertations defended after the program completion, has decreased significantly in social sciences and humanities. These results show that the traditional practice to evaluate performance based on the proportion of graduates who defend their dissertations during the normative period of time does not reflect the reality. To made adequate managerial decisions regarding doctoral education, it is necessary to arrange the monitoring of dynamics of dissertations that are defended after the program completion both on institution and state levels

Professional Doctorates: International Experience and Russian Context

The diversification of forms and types of doctoral programs is currently a global trend. Universities across the globe offer programs that differ in the modes of training, characteristics of the target audience, and possible labor markets after graduation. In Russia, doctoral education exists in a unified format, focusing primarily on the academic labor market. Recently, there have been discussions about the need to expand the range of programs and the types of academic degrees in Russia. In this article, we present the analysis of professional doctoral programs: in response to what challenges and needs they appeared, how they are implemented, in what forms they exist. In addition, we consider the Russian experience of implementing professional doctoral programs; analyze the existing opportunities and barriers for their development. Based on the analysis, we came to a conclusion about the relevance of the professional doctoral programs’ development in Russia, the expediency of simplifying the conditions for their implementation and legitimizing special requirements for the design of dissertations with an applied orientation

Practice-based doctoral programs and professional degrees: analysis of foreign experience

Practical-oriented postgraduate programs aimed at developing graduates’ professional career outside the academic labor market have become widespread in leading foreign universities. There is a statutory unified format of postgraduate studies in Russia, aimed at training of personnel for science and higher education. At the same time, the need of adaptation of postgraduate training programs to the demands of the real economy sector is becoming more evident. The purpose of this review is to analyze scientific publications and case studies of foreign universities implementing practical-oriented postgraduate programs with professional degrees, which are equivalent to PhD in social status. Drawing on the analysis of international experience, the prospects of the establishment and development of such programs in Russian postgraduate studies are discussed. The study identified the most common characteristics of practical-oriented programs and their differences from academic postgraduate programs: 1) students’ involvement in applied research, which is relevant for the real economy sector; 2) an individual approach for postgraduate education considering professional interests of the students and employers’ demands; 3) a clearly structured system of education and scientific management, based on cooperation of universities and enterprises; 4) using innovative forms of final academic assessment. Based on the analysis of Russian experience it is concluded that practical-oriented training for postgraduate students is in demand and in fact already exists, but is not provided with necessary statutory regulation. It is pointed out that, owing to a lack of data, the extent of this arrangement and key barriers on the way to a degree among Russian practical-oriented postgraduate students have not been studied. The main directions of empirical research, which are necessary for making adequate management decisions on institutionalizing practical-oriented postgraduate programs in Russia, have been formulated. The article is of interest to researchers of higher education, scientific, pedagogical and administrative employees of higher education institutions, as well as for the state authorities responsible for implementing the policy of education and certification of highly trained personnel.В ведущих зарубежных университетах широкое распространение получили практико-ориентированные аспирантские программы, нацеленные на развитие профессиональной карьеры выпускников за пределами академического рынка труда. В России нормативно закреплен унифицированный формат аспирантуры, ориентированный на подготовку кадров для науки и высшей школы. При этом все более очевидной становится потребность в адаптации института аспирантуры к запросам реального сектора экономики. Целью данного обзора является анализ научных публикаций и кейсов зарубежных университетов, реализующих практико-ориентированные аспирантские программы с присуждением профессиональных степеней, эквивалентных по своему общественному статусу академической степени Ph D. На основе анализа международного опыта обсуждаются перспективы становления и развития подобных программ в российской аспирантуре. В результате исследования выявлены наиболее общие характеристики практико-ориентированных программ и их отличия от программ академической аспирантуры: 1) вовлеченность обучающихся в прикладные исследования, представляющие интерес для реального сектора экономики; 2) индивидуальный подход к образовательной подготовке аспирантов, учитывающий их профессиональные интересы и запросы работодателей; 3) четко структурированная система обучения и руководства диссертационными работами, основанная на сотрудничестве университетов и предприятий; 4) применение инновационных форм итоговой аттестации выпускников. На основе анализа российского опыта делается вывод о том, что практико-ориентированная подготовка аспирантов востребована и де-факто уже существует, но не обеспечена необходимым нормативно-правовым регулированием. Отмечается, что вследствие дефицита данных масштабы такой подготовки и ключевые барьеры на пути к ученой степени у российских аспирантов-практиков практически не изучены. Сформулированы основные направления эмпирических исследований, необходимых для принятия адекватных управленческих решений по институционализации практико-ориентированных аспирантских программ в России. Статья представляет интерес для исследователей высшего образования, научно-педагогических и административных работников вузов, а также для органов государственной власти, ответственных за реализацию политики в области подготовки и аттестации кадров высшей квалификации

FACTORS OF EFFICIENCY AND QUALITY OF TRAINING IN PH.D. PROGRAMS (SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS)

В работе обсуждаются результаты опроса экспертов - докторов наук, профессоров, имеющих практический опыт подготовки и аттестации научных кадров - по проблемам совершенствования аспирантских программ, выявлению ключевых факторов и критериев эффективности и качества подготовки аспирантов. Значительное внимание уделено изучению точек зрения респондентов, представляющих различные научные дисциплины.The results of a survey carried out among experts having practical experience in the training and attestation of academic personnel are discussed. The survey concerned the problems of improvement of Ph.D. programs, revealing the key factors and the criteria of their efficiency and quality. The respondents in the survey represent many different areas of studies

Barriers to Doctoral Degree Attainment: Problems of the Period after Postgraduate Studies

Повышение результативности аспирантских программ становится сегодня одним из важнейших вопросов в обеспечении экономического развития государства. Российским аспирантам, нацеленным на получение ученой степени, как правило, не удается защитить диссертацию в период обучения в аспирантуре, и они нуждаются в дополнительном времени для завершения своих работ. Цель данной исследовательской статьи – выявление и анализ ключевых проблем, с которыми сталкиваются выпускники российских аспирантур, стремящиеся представить свои диссертации к защите. Новизна предлагаемой работы определяется двумя обстоятельствами. Во-первых, в отличие от других эмпирических исследований аспирантуры внимание авторов сфокусировано на барьерах на пути к ученой степени, возникающих не в процессе обучения, а после его окончания. Во-вторых, анализ основан на результатах опроса выпускников, успешно преодолевших эти барьеры и защитивших кандидатские диссертации. Эмпирическая база исследования – анкетные онлайнопросы кандидатов наук из числа недавних выпускников аспирантуры, а также административно-управленческих работников, ответственных за подготовку и аттестацию аспирантов. Полученные в исследовании количественные данные свидетельствуют о том, что наличие либо отсутствие диссертационного совета в организации, осуществляющей подготовку аспирантов, – один из ключевых факторов, определяющих темпы и эффективность продвижения выпускников аспирантуры к ученой степени. В целом результаты исследования позволяют заключить, что сложности, возникающие на завершающем этапе подготовки диссертации к защите, в значительной мере обусловлены несовершенством механизма сопряжения систем государственной научной аттестации и подготовки научно-педагогических кадров в аспирантуре, и авторами статьи обсуждаются возможные организационно-управленческие решения, направленные на сближение этих систем и повышение результативности аспирантуры. Данная статья представляет интерес для исследователей высшего образования, а также для научно-педагогических и административных работников, вовлеченных в процесс управления подготовкой и аттестацией кадров высшей научной квалификации.Increasing the effectiveness of postgraduate programs is now becoming one of the most important issues in ensuring the economic development of the state. As a rule, Russian postgraduate students, who are aimed at getting an academic degree, fail to defend their theses during their postgraduate studies, and they need additional time to complete their work. The purpose of this research article is to identify and analyze the key problems faced by Russian postgraduates seeking to submit their dissertations for defense. Our investigation comes to be original in two aspects. First, in contrast to other empirical studies of postgraduate school, the authors’ attention is focused on the barriers to attaining a degree, which arise not in the course of study, but after graduation. Second, the analysis is based on interviewing those graduates who have successfully overcome these barriers and defended their PhD theses. The empirical base of the study is online questionnaire surveys of Russian PhDs (Candidates of Science) who have recently completed their postgraduate studies, as well as administrative and managerial workers responsible for postgraduate students’ training and certification. The quantitative data obtained indicate that the presence or absence of a dissertation council in an organization wherein postgraduate students are trained is one of the key factors determining the pace and effectiveness of the postgraduates’ proceeding to an academic degree. In general, the results of the study make it possible to conclude that the difficulties at the final stage of preparing a dissertation are largely due to the imperfection of the mechanism for pairing the systems of state scientific certification and scientific and pedagogical personnel postgraduate training. Thus, we discuss possible organizational and managerial decisions of how to bring these systems closer and improve the performance of postgraduate studies. This paper might be of interest for higher education researchers, as well as for scientific, pedagogical and administrative workers involved in the management of personnel training and higher scientific qualifications certification.Работа выполнена при поддержке Министерства науки и высшего образования Российской Федерации (госзадание, проект № 730000Ф.99.1.БВ16АА02001).This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (project nr 730000F.99.1.BV16AA02001)

ABOUT THE "INDUSTRIAL" POSTGRADUATE STUDIES (APPLIED RESEARCH)

The paper is a response to the article "Candidate Engineering - Academic Degree Required Now". The author focuses on the urgency of interaction between universities and enterprises in training highly qualified engineering personnel. The paper discusses the possible forms of such cooperation, the principles of organization of applied, industry-oriented targeted postgraduate programs

A NEW POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MODEL: PRO ET CONTRA

This article analyzes and summarizes the opinions and assessments of experts in the field of higher education regarding the new model of training and certification of academic staff in the postgraduate school. Particular attention is given to the target functions of postgraduate school and to the improving its efficiency. We substantiate the approach to implementation of the postgraduate school’s main functions, which is focused on the market of highly intellectual labor, including its academic segment. It is shown that due to the expansion of the range of graduates’ professional trajectories, it is necessary to create dedicated postgraduate programs whose contents should be coordinated with specific employers. While an academic degree is an appropriate evidence of professional qualification for postgraduate students who are planning to pursue a career in the field of science and higher education, for those outside the academic market it is advisable to use a system for assessment of professional competencies and achievements that involves the award of professional degrees (e.g., in the field of public administration, management and business, education). The reasons are considered for the relatively low efficiency of postgraduate education as an institution with regard to reproduction of HR potential of science and higher education, which is its main function. Some measures aimed at improving the efficiency of academic postgraduate programs are also discussed

Problems and Prospects for the Development of Doctoral Education in Russia: The View of Regional Universities

The concentration of state resources in the leading universities poses the problem of reproduction of the scientific and pedagogical personnel in regional universities that do not participate in state-funded academic excellence programs. Based on the data from three focus group interviews with heads of doctoral studies offices at regional universities, the article analyzes problems arising in the implementation of the current model of training and certification of doctoral students. Four following groups of problems are identified: 1) the rigidity of requirements for the structure and content of the educational programs, 2) the imperfection of the system of attestation, gaps between attestation activities, 3) the problem of “retention” of doctoral students after the completion of the educational program, 4) the problems of conjugation of the processes of preparing a dissertation and its defense. The authors discuss possible ways to overcome the identified problems through providing universities with greater autonomy in designing the structure and content of the educational programs; synchronization of the procedures of the final state attestation and dissertation defense; creation of mechanisms for supporting successful doctoral graduates at the final stage of their preparation for the defense of a dissertation; development of network forms for implementation of doctoral programs with leading universities and research institutes

A New Model of Russian Doctoral Education: Problems and Prospects

On November 16, 2018, as a part of its Advanced Training Program, the National Research Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod (UNN) hosted a round table organized by the UNN Institute of Postgraduate and Doctoral Studies jointly with the editorial board of the journal “Higher Education in Russia”. The topic of the round table discussion was “A New Model of Russian Doctoral Education: Problems and Prospects for Development”. The Program is being implemented in accordance with the UNN’s “Roadmap” for 2018 within the framework of the Russian Academic Excellence Project (the “5-100” Project). The event was attended by 48 administrative, managerial and academic staff members from 24 cities, representing 37 universities and research organizations of the Russian Federation (including NUST MISIS, National Research University Higher School of Economics, UNN, Tomsk Polytechnic University, Samara National Research University, Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Belgorod National Research University, Ogarev Mordovia State University, Tyumen National Research University, etc.).Moderators of the round table: Director of the UNN Institute of Postgraduate and Doctoral Studies Prof. B.I. Bednyi and the Сhief Editor of the journal «Higher Education in Russia» Prof. M.B. Sapunov