Draft legislation on Higher Education sparks a debate among Armenian academicians
Scientific Council members of the Institute of History at the National Academy of Sciences are dismayed by the proposed legislatives changes introduced to the draft law on Armenia’s Higher Education, suggesting transition from the two-degree postgraduate system to one.
The scientific council has discussed the initiative and submitted a written conclusion with negative feedback to the Ministry of Education and Science that had initiated the amendments.
To note, under the current legislation, the Candidate of Sciences (equivalent to PhD) is a first post-graduate scientific degree which is awarded for original research that constitutes a significant contribution to a scientific field, while one level higher than the Candidate of Sciences is the Doctor of Sciences - the highest attainable degree in Armenia’s postgraduate education system.
The Council members’ disagreement is explained by “the successful practice of the two-tier system of doctoral degrees both locally and internationally and its decades-long efficiency”. They also warn against the irreparable damage to the science the legislative changes may bring.
The scientists have referred to the fact that the two-tier system of doctoral degrees is granted in number of European countries, such as France, Germany, Sweden as well as in EEU states, while the transition may cause hardships in the process of mutual acknowledgment of the diplomas with Armenia.
Ashot Melkonyan, head of the State Non-Profit Organization at the Institute of History says one of the negative effects of the legislative innovation is that many holders of Candidate degrees may automatically turn to Doctors of Sciences, while the mechanisms to ensure the degree obtaining requirements are not properly regulated by the legislative provisions.
Mr. Melkoyan rejects references to the American model, reminding of the prerequisites such as number of published scholarly works, monographs, participation in scientific conferences, etc. to obtain the degree in the United States.
In his words there are currently 6,000-10,000 Candidates of Sciences and Doctors 480-500 in Armenia, while the adoption of the legislation will result in having a country with ten thousand Doctors of Sciences.
“The Doctor of Sciences should be the founder of an entire sphere with significant contribution to the science,” Melkonyan said.
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