Deputy Minister of the Ministry Grigory Trubnikov noted that in the 2-stage model only the first stage can by financed by the state budget.

The Ministry of Education and Science is going to extend time of studying at postgraduate stage of education to 6 years and divide it into 2 parts. This decision was announced by Deputy Minister of the RF Ministry of Education and Science Grigory Trubnikov. “There are several possible ways of further development for postgraduate education. Scientific and educational communities must choose the most reasonable and modern model. We also discuss the model due to which postgraduate education will be 5–6 years long,” – Trubnikov said.

Deputy Minister of Education and Science of the RF Grigory Trubnikov © Stanislav Krasilnikov/TASS

He highlighted that postgraduate education must be finished by defense of a candidate’s thesis.

“Postgraduate education should consist of 2 stages or levels. First 2–3 years will be finished by three traditional exams – specialty exam, foreign language exam, and may be an exam on philosophy – and a qualifying exam. This first level will be financially supported by the state. The next 2–3 years will be dedicated to specialization in the particular area in which a postgraduate will defend his thesis. This level may be financed either by the state budget or by grants,” – said Trubnikov.

He pointed out that at the end of the first level, postgraduates will have to defend a qualifying paper. “It is a prototype of our candidate’s thesis, but in the Western countries there are fewer demands to PhD than to a candidate’s thesis in Russia. That is why a qualifying paper of the first level may be equal to PhD. Thus, we will be able to discuss acknowledgement of foreign PhD in our country and our first-level postgraduates in other countries. A Russian qualifying diploma will be absolutely similar to the foreign PhD. After 6 years of such postgraduate education, the Candidate’s Diploma of the Russian standard will be received,” – noted the Deputy Minister.

The new model of postgraduate education is under discussion in the frames of the Law of RF “On Science and Scientific Activity” which is being elaborated. It is planned that all standards in this field will be settled in this document.

Source: TASS