To defend a dissertation in Azerbaijan, an article must appear in a journal from a HAC list – either the national one or that of a CIS country. Since the path from submission to publication rarely takes less than a few months, academics planning to finish their dissertation business this year should submit their article now.
Why not leave publication until December?
The path of a scientific article from submission to publication takes time: peer review usually lasts from a few weeks to a few months, and in journals indexed by Scopus or Web of Science, the process often takes more than six months. An added complication is that many journals on HAC lists publish a limited number of issues a year – often just two – and once an issue's line-up is finalised, a submitted article is automatically pushed to the following year.
If publication is needed to finish dissertation business within the current year, it is sensible to submit the article no later than early autumn, leaving room for peer review and any revisions.
HAC journals in Azerbaijan and HAC journals in the CIS
Academics preparing a dissertation for defence in Azerbaijan can publish in two categories of journal. The first is the list compiled by the Higher Attestation Commission under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan (the HAC); its official name is “Periodicals recommended for the publication of articles in the Republic of Azerbaijan”. The second is journals from the HAC lists of other CIS countries, publications in which are traditionally accepted as foreign publications at defence.
The scope for this kind of recognition is widening: in 2024, Azerbaijan's HAC and Kazakhstan's Ministry of Science and Higher Education signed a memorandum on aligning the two countries' requirements for scientific journals. For academics, this means a wider choice of journals when planning a publication strategy.
How many articles does Azerbaijan's HAC require for a defence?
The current Regulation on the Procedure for Awarding Academic Degrees sets the following minimum: for a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree – five scientific articles on the dissertation topic, at least one of which must appear in an internationally recognised journal; for a Doctor of Sciences degree – fifteen articles, at least three of which must appear in such journals.
Before submitting material to a journal, it is worth checking a few things about it:
- whether the journal is on a HAC list or in a recognised international database as of the publication date
- whether the journal's subject area matches the dissertation specialism
- the frequency of issues and open submission windows for the current year
- whether it has a correct ISSN and published information on its review process
Dozens of journals are removed from international databases every year, and an article published in a journal that has lost its indexing will not be accepted for a defence.
What to do before the end of the year
To meet the deadline, it is worth following a few steps:
- Determine which list suits your specialism – Azerbaijan's HAC or that of a CIS country.
- Check the current status of your chosen journal on the HAC's official website or in an international database.
- Confirm the issue schedule and the submission deadline for this year.
- Prepare the article and accompanying documents in advance, rather than leaving revisions until the last moment.
- Submit the material to the journal no later than September–October, leaving room for peer review.
The list of journals and the criteria for publications continue to change – in 2026, for instance, the requirements for awarding academic titles were revised, and the HAC's cooperation with counterparts in other CIS countries is expanding. When planning a publication for the end of the year, it is therefore worth checking the current list on the HAC's website rather than relying on journals used previously.
Need help publishing an article in HAC CIS journals? The specialists at Scientific Publications will confirm the journal's status, select a suitable title in line with its issue schedule, and support you at every stage of the publication process. To get a free consultation, fill in the form below, and our manager will contact you shortly.
