OREANDA-NEWS. January 21, 2007. The special Resolution aimed at training highly qualified specialists and scientific workers and providing the state support of research activity in Turkmenistan is the consistent continuation of the comprehensive reforms initiated by President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov in the national science.

The document contains the important provisions regulating training of scientific workers and the procedure of competitive financing of research activity. The document regulates the quotas, rules and procedure for admitting to postgraduate schools and doctorate institutions, the amounts of the scholarships. Basing on the tendencies of development of world science and the priorities of development of nation science the Resolution approves the unified register of the scientific degrees and specialties. The provisions on postgraduate medical studies aimed at improving the qualification of healthcare workers is of particular importance. The document vividly evidences the Turkmen leader’s concern for training well-educated professionals and increase of the qualification of specialists in all sectors of national economy that is an important aspect of the strategy of bringing up a new generation of Turkmen scientists.

In accordance with the document this year 78 candidates will be admitted to the postgraduate schools, 33 candidates – to the postgraduate medical schools, and the doctoral candidates will number 27. Those working for the scientific degrees in various branches of science number 80. The numbers are based on the claims submitted to the Supreme Council for Science and Technology under President of Turkmenistan and the assessment of the national scientific manpower resources and the scientific and technical basis of the national research institutions and higher educational establishments conducted by the Supreme Council that enabled to define the centres for postgraduate studies and doctoral research.

Citizens of any age can be admitted to the postgraduate schools and doctorate institutions. Healthcare workers at the age of under 35 having the three-year professional experience can be admitted to the postgraduate medical schools. The main requirements to the candidates for a postgraduate diploma include having the five-year professional experience in the corresponding field, the published research articles and papers, the developments and references of the research institutions proving a candidate’s research abilities and deep interest in research activity. The main requirement set to a doctoral candidate is the accomplishment of two thirds of the research work by the moment of admittance. In accordance with the document the rates of scholarship of postgraduate students and postgraduate residents is an official monthly salary of a junior research fellow, doctoral candidates – an official salary of a senior researcher, candidate of science.

To be admitted to the postgraduate school a candidate is to pass two examinations – the proficiency test and foreign language exam and to submit than essay on a research issue. During the studies a candidate is to pass three comprehensive examinations for the Candidate's degree and the final test.

An important factor or intensifying the research activity in the country is the provision of competitive (grant) financing of research activity that will enable the Supreme Council for Science and Technology under President of Turkmenistan to allocate the funds in accordance with the claims of the national ministries and departments to develop applied scientific research promoting modernization of the in industries, prompt application of advanced technologies, techniques to production, etc.

The Resolution approves the unified register of the scientific degrees and specialties composed in compliance with the best international practices to protect the rights of scientists. For example, those awarded the rank of Professor retain the privileges at any research institutions.

The Supreme Council for Science and Technology under President of Turkmenistan, the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan and the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan are responsible for executing the Resolution. They are authorized to conduct the activity to open postgraduate schools, doctorate institutions and postgraduate medical schools, to design the curricular of comprehensive examinations for the Candidate's degree and the regulatory documents within the one-month period.