TSUE Academic (Scientific) Council for the Award of Doctoral Degrees (PhD, DSc)
Tashkent State University of Economics (TSUE) has an Academic (Scientific) Council that oversees the entire doctoral attestation process, from initial evaluation to public defense and final approval. It strictly follows the laws of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the standards established by the Supreme Attestation Commission (SAC) under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation. The Council acts as the university’s expert panel for assessing the scientific quality, originality, and practical contributions of dissertations leading to the degrees of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Doctor of Science (DSc). Its work is guided by fairness, transparency, academic rigor, and compliance with national regulations. TSUE provides all necessary organizational and financial support, and applicants bear no costs.
At TSUE, an “applicant” is any individual seeking the PhD or DSc degree through a defense conducted under the Council’s auspices. The “dissertation” (or thesis) is the applicant’s primary scientific work, prepared in accordance with SAC requirements and based on a body of published research outputs. A concise “author’s abstract” communicates the dissertation’s aims, novelty, core results, and practical significance. The broader process of “attestation” encompasses a sequence of examinations, preliminary reviews, seminars, the defense itself, and subsequent expert evaluations to determine whether the work meets SAC’s criteria. All documentation compiled for defense and attestation constitutes the “attestation file.” Throughout, examinations (expertise) focus on the accuracy of results, originality, theoretical and practical value, and conformity with SAC norms.
Who We Are and How the Council Is Formed. TSUE establishes an Academic Council in scientific fields where the university demonstrates recognized research capacity, typically shown by having multiple Doctors of Science in each specialty, a consistent record of scholarship and funded projects, and the ability to host scientific seminars and academic events. When forming or reestablishing a Council, TSUE submits a well-justified petition confirming institutional support, available resources, and suggested membership. The SAC approves the leadership and the final composition. Members are mainly Doctors of Science; occasionally, a Candidate of Sciences or PhD may serve as Scientific Secretary. The Council can cover up to four specialties, must have at least eleven members, and each specialty should be able to gather at least five Doctors of Science for defenses. Members are expected to have at least five scholarly outputs, such as articles, monographs, or patents, within the past three years. To maintain balanced commitments and independence, specialists serve in only one specialty within a single field on no more than two Councils; SAC Board members and SAC expert-council members are excluded from this rule. All service is voluntary, reflecting a spirit of academic community responsibility.
Leadership and Terms. The Council is chaired by a senior Doctor of Science (with SAC approval) and may include Vice-Chairs for specialties; the Scientific Secretary is a TSUE-employed specialist in a relevant field. The Council’s composition is approved for three years, with at least 15 percent of members renewing annually. General members typically serve no more than two consecutive terms; officer appointments (Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary) are limited to three years each. Changes to specialties or leadership can be made with SAC approval based on a well-founded petition supported by documentation and written consents from incoming members.
Ad hoc (one-time) Councils. Suppose an existing permanent Council does not cover a dissertation’s specialty. In that case, TSUE may, after the applicant successfully completes the internal preliminary review, request that the SAC establish an ad hoc Council for that single defense. TSUE’s petition confirms the availability of qualified members (typically at least five Doctors of Science in the relevant or related specialty), a dedicated scientific seminar, and proposed official opponents, as well as a leading organization. The SAC reviews the materials and either forms the ad hoc Council or issues a reasoned refusal; reapplication is possible after six months once deficiencies are addressed. Where appropriate, TSUE may also participate in inter-institutional Councils coordinated with relevant ministries or the Academy of Sciences.
How we operate and share information. The Council conducts its activities with complete procedural integrity, posting key details such as schedules, defense notices, and decisions on the TSUE website. Each meeting typically centers on a single dissertation defense or a single “collective review” (an additional conclusion requested by the SAC), with no more than two meetings held per day; hearings based on sessions can be conducted with SAC approval. Dissertations referred by the SAC for additional conclusions are prioritized. The Council uses TSUE’s letterhead and seal, operates in suitable facilities provided by the university, and submits an annual report to the SAC by December 31 (and to any higher governing body). Continued non-compliance, procedural violations, poor-quality defenses, or repeated SAC rejections may result in the termination of the Council’s activities by SAC decision.
From seminar to admission to defense, the pre-defense process at TSUE follows SAC standards. After a successful scientific seminar, the Council appoints a three-member expert committee from among its members to verify the specialty alignment, assess the completeness and quality of the published outputs, recommend a leading organization and official opponents, and suggest additional members if necessary (especially in ad hoc configurations). The Council then votes openly and by a simple majority of members present to decide whether to admit the dissertation to defense, based on the seminar conclusion, the expert committee’s report, and the leading organization’s conclusion. Once admitted, the Council finalizes the leading organization and opponents and submits the required materials to SAC for public posting on the SAC website.
Announcement, abstract, and timelines. Once the SAC posts the defense notice, the Chair authorizes the publication of the author’s abstract (initially as a manuscript, then as a full-text PDF on the Council’s website and through ZiyoNET), with electronic copies sent to major resource institutions. The defense date is set and announced via SAC’s bulletin, with the address, date, and time publicized at least one month in advance, following SAC’s rules and the Council’s additional distribution lists. Members review the abstract and the library copy of the dissertation. The Council will not accept dissertations that clearly do not meet SAC’s publication or quality standards. Any negative external reviews are evaluated for impartiality and substance, and the Council provides a justified explanation for its admission decision.
The defense meeting requires that at least two-thirds of Council members be present, including at least three Doctors of Science in the dissertation’s specialty. The Chair presides, or a Vice-Chair; if both are absent, TSUE appoints a chair for that meeting. A TSUE order may temporarily substitute the Scientific Secretary for up to two months. Still, the meeting cannot proceed if the Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary are all simultaneously absent. The session begins with verification of documentation. The applicant presents their work and answers questions. The consultant (if any), leading organization, and official opponents present their assessments; other written reviews are summarized or read aloud (negative reviews are read in full). A scholarly discussion then follows, after which the applicant provides a final statement.
How the decision is made. A secret ballot decides the degree award. Only members with a decisive vote who are present throughout receive ballots; late arrivals or early leavers are excluded from the quorum and voting. A member defending their own dissertation does not vote and is not counted in the member total for that meeting. Before the ballot, the Council elects a Counting Commission of at least three members to distribute ballots, supervise voting, tally results, and draft the protocol. A positive award requires at least two-thirds “for” among those present and voting. After the ballot, the Council adopts, by open vote and simple majority, the text of its conclusion, which highlights the dissertation’s key results, novelty, scientific significance, and recommended areas of application. Recommendations for practical use (e.g., in economic policy, industry, technology, health, social, and humanitarian fields) are supported by documentary evidence.
Additional conclusions at SAC request. When the SAC refers a dissertation for an additional conclusion, the Council considers it within two months. A three-member commission reviews the dissertation and previous criticisms and drafts a conclusion. The applicant is invited to the hearing; prior opponents and representatives of the leading organization may attend. After presentations and discussion, the Council holds a secret ballot on whether the dissertation meets SAC criteria; approval again requires at least two-thirds “for.” The final text of the additional conclusion is then adopted by open vote, communicated to the applicant, and sent to the SAC along with the meeting transcript and signed ballot results within three weeks.
Deprivation Cases and Appeals. In matters related to the deprivation of an academic degree, the Council forms a commission of at least five members to review the grounds and gather necessary information through the TSUE administration. The case is typically heard within one month, usually in the presence of the concerned individual (with at least ten working days’ notice). If the individual does not appear without a valid reason, the meeting may proceed; if proper notice is given, it is rescheduled. A decision to revoke a degree is made by secret ballot and requires at least two-thirds of votes in favor. The approved decision is sent to the SAC within three weeks. Appeals (complaints) against Council decisions are prepared for hearing by a commission of at least five members and are generally scheduled within one month (an extraordinary meeting may be convened). The appellant, the applicant, and the involved parties are notified at least five working days in advance. Following discussion, the Council adopts its opinion on the appeal by secret ballot (requiring at least two-thirds in favor); the signed opinion and transcript are sent to the SAC within ten working days. If an appeal challenges a favorable award decision, the SAC is notified within one week of receipt.
Records, interpretations, and updates. TSUE maintains transcripts, conclusions, ballots, counting-commission protocols, and attestation files in accordance with university records policy and SAC rules. TSUE’s Academic Council Secretariat provides explanations of procedures following SAC guidance. When national legislation or SAC acts are amended, those provisions take precedence; the Academic Council updates this page and its internal procedures after the TSUE Academic Council publishes them.