Obtaining an academic title is one of the key stages in a scholar’s career. To achieve this, a researcher needs to invest considerable effort, resources, and time, as well as fulfil a number of requirements in order to pass the assessment of the Higher Attestation Commission under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. To avoid misunderstandings and ensure that the process of obtaining an academic title proceeds successfully, a researcher must be familiar with the official requirements. In our article, we will discuss the current requirements for obtaining an academic title in Azerbaijan, as well as the trends in 2026.
In Azerbaijan, there are two main academic titles – Associate Professor and Professor. The Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On Science” forms the general regulatory basis, while the procedure for awarding academic titles is determined by Presidential Decree No. 728 dated 11 June 2019, which approved the “Regulations on the Procedure for Awarding Academic Titles”. These rules apply subject to the amendments introduced by Decree No. 1888 dated 26 November 2022.
Requirements for obtaining the academic title of Associate Professor
Under the current requirements, the title of Associate Professor is awarded for scientific or scientific-pedagogical activity. The applicant must hold an academic degree, work in a relevant position at a scientific institution or higher education institution, and have the required length of service. The Regulations state that the applicant must have the relevant length of scientific or scientific-pedagogical service, as well as experience working in the specified position. In particular, this means at least 3 years of relevant service and at least 1 year of work in the current position.
In addition to length of service, scientific publications are important for an Associate Professor. The applicant must prepare either a monograph or a teaching and methodological work, as well as articles and conference materials. At the same time, the exact number of scientific articles in international publications depends on the field of science.
It is also important to note that the HAC does not simply impose requirements regarding the number of scientific publications, but also checks in which databases the publication is indexed. The Commission has approved a list of international databases for publications, as well as the required publications by field, and it is precisely these lists that should be used as a guide when preparing work for obtaining the title of Associate Professor.
To summarise, in order to obtain the title of Associate Professor, it is not enough simply to have an article in an international publication. It is important that it is recognised within the official HAC list for the specific field. Below, we have prepared a table in accordance with the current requirements for obtaining the academic title of Associate Professor, which may vary depending on the field of science.
| By scientific activity | By scientific and pedagogical activity | |
| Who may apply | Persons holding the academic degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or Doctor of Sciences. | Persons holding the academic degree of PhD or Doctor of Sciences. |
| Minimum length of service | At least 3 years of scientific activity. | At least 3 years of scientific and pedagogical activity. |
| Additional requirement after obtaining the PhD degree | Either a monograph in the speciality with a volume of at least 200,000 characters, or the supervision of at least 2 applicants for an academic degree. | Educational and methodological work / works in the speciality with a total volume of at least 200,000 characters. |
| Scientific articles | At least 3 scientific articles in the speciality. The number of articles may vary depending on the field. | At least 3 scientific articles in the speciality. The number of articles may vary depending on the field. |
| Of these, indexed in international journals | For the humanities and social sciences – a minimum of 1; for the exact and natural sciences – a minimum of 2. | For the humanities and social sciences – a minimum of 1; for the exact and natural sciences – a minimum of 2. |
| Conferences / abstracts | At least 2; of these, a minimum of 1 must be based on the results of an international event held abroad. | At least 2; of these, a minimum of 1 must be based on the results of an international event held abroad. |
What is required to obtain the academic title of Professor?
Under the current Regulations, the title of Professor is awarded for scientific or scientific-pedagogical activity. The applicant must already have obtained an academic degree and the title of Associate Professor, while special rules may apply in certain fields – culture, art, architecture, military affairs, physical education, and sport. The requirements for the applicant are higher, taking into account length of service, scientific publications, methodological work, results of academic supervision, as well as international activity.
The number of publications may vary depending on the field. Following the 2022 amendments, for some applicants an alternative option was introduced for fulfilling part of the requirements through the h-index. The applicant’s list of publications must have an h-index of at least 5 for the humanities and social sciences, and at least 10 for the exact and natural sciences (excluding self-citations) in the international databases determined by the Commission.
Below is a summary table of the current requirements for obtaining the academic title of Professor. However, please note that the requirements regarding the number of publications depend on the specific field of science.
| For persons holding the academic degree of Doctor of Sciences | For persons holding the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and the title of Associate Professor | |
| Minimum length of service | At least 5 years of scientific and pedagogical service. | At least 10 years of scientific and pedagogical service. |
| Monograph | A monograph in the speciality with a volume of at least 400,000 characters. | A sole-authored monograph published abroad by a publishing house included in the Commission’s list. The volume of the work must be at least 400,000 characters and must not duplicate the PhD dissertation. |
| Educational and methodological work | In the relevant HAC blocks for professor, educational and methodological works / textbooks are also taken into account. | After obtaining the title of Associate Professor, a sole-authored educational and methodological work / works with a total volume of at least 400,000 characters is required. |
| Conferences / abstracts | At least 3, of which a minimum of 1 must be published in a foreign publication. | At least 5, of which a minimum of 2 must be published in a foreign publication. |
| Scientific articles | The number of articles depends on the field of science. The specific requirements can be found in the Commission’s consolidated table. | After obtaining the title of Associate Professor, the number of required articles is determined according to the HAC sectoral tables. These indicators differ for each speciality. |
| h-index | For obtaining the title of Professor, it is used as one of the options for fulfilling the requirements in the relevant blocks. | The h-index for the humanities and social sciences is at least 5, and for the exact and natural sciences at least 10, excluding self-citations. |
To summarise, an academic title in Azerbaijan is not merely a formality after defending a dissertation. For both Associate Professor and Professor, it is necessary to demonstrate several aspects at once: position, length of service, the presence of scientific publications, and so on. The state evaluation system focuses not only on the fact of holding an academic degree, but also on how active and visible the researcher is within the professional environment.
Trends in the requirements for obtaining an academic title in 2026
At present, the official documents defining the procedure and requirements for obtaining the academic titles of Professor and Associate Professor are the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On Science” and Presidential Decree No. 728 dated 11 June 2019 (including the 2022 update). As of the time of preparing this article, we have not identified any new regulatory acts that would repeal or replace the 2019 Regulations as amended in 2022.
Below, we highlight the requirements that are likely to become increasingly significant in 2026.
The growing role of scientific publications
The strengthening role of scientific publications in influential international publications is the most likely trend. The HAC has stated that the requirements for articles in Web of Science and Scopus have been tightened, and the list of international databases for different fields has already been determined by the Commission. This indicates that in 2026 the role of high-quality scientific articles indexed in prestigious international publications is highly likely to continue increasing.
Greater attention to the h-index
Another equally important aspect is the shift in emphasis from the quantity of publications to their quality, as reflected in citations and the h-index respectively. This can be seen in the 2022 changes, when the h-index was included in the rules for obtaining the title of Professor as an alternative means of fulfilling the requirements. In 2026, it is reasonable to expect continued attention not only to the quantity of scientific publications, but also to their quality.
Quality control of scientific journals and academic integrity
In 2025, the Commission directly indicated that some of the submitted materials revealed methodological weaknesses, violations of citation rules, plagiarism, and problems with academic ethics. The Commission also specifically emphasised control over publications in “predatory” journals. In addition, the HAC noted that around 30% of submitted dissertation and attestation materials result in refusal to award an academic degree or academic title. This suggests that in 2026 the requirements for submitted materials may become even stricter, and the selection procedure more rigorous.
As we can see, it is important for every scholar, before beginning preparation for obtaining an academic title, to familiarise themselves with the current requirements established by official Laws, Regulations, or statements of the Higher Attestation Commission. In 2026, the requirements for applicants and materials may become stricter, as indicated by certain statements made by members of the Commission.
Need a publication for your dissertation defence? Contact the Scientific Publications company. Our specialists will audit your work and check it for compliance with the stated requirements. We will also help you choose a high-quality journal that matches your goals. Still have questions? Fill in the form below, and our manager will contact you shortly. Together towards new scientific achievements!
