Approbation of a dissertation's results is a mandatory step in which the professional community reviews the research. Without it, the dissertation council will not admit the candidate to the defence.
What is approbation of research results in a dissertation?
The term “approbation” comes from the Latin approbatio, meaning approval or confirmation. In dissertation research, approbation means the public review of results obtained. The work is assessed by the supervisor, colleagues at the department, conference participants and journal reviewers.
Approbation applies not only to final conclusions. Interim results obtained at different stages of the research also need this kind of review. It helps the candidate spot weaknesses in the work in good time and take feedback into account before the defence.
Approbation is a mandatory condition for admission to the defence
Requirements for dissertations in the Kyrgyz Republic are set by the Higher Attestation Commission at the Ministry of Science, Higher Education and Innovation of the Kyrgyz Republic (HAC). Since October 2025, these functions have passed to the HAC from the former National Attestation Commission under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, as part of a reorganisation of the attestation system.
It is standard practice to give details of approbation of results in the dissertation's introduction and in the avtoreferat (the dissertation's official summary). These indicate which congresses, conferences and symposia were used to present the results included in the dissertation. Each presentation is confirmed by a participant's certificate or the event programme.
How does approbation of the document differ from approbation of the results?
Approbation is also often used to refer to another procedure – the preliminary defence of the dissertation, or pre-defence. Here, it is not individual results that are assessed, but the entire text of the work.
Two stages precede the pre-defence. First, the dissertation goes through public discussion on the VAK website – for 30 calendar days, anyone can read the text. It is then discussed at the organisation where the dissertation topic was approved, with the involvement of experts appointed by the VAK.
The dissertation council admits the candidate to the pre-defence only after a positive recommendation from this discussion. Following the pre-defence itself, the council reaches one of three decisions: to admit the dissertation to the defence, to send it for revision with a repeat pre-defence, or to refuse admission. A repeat pre-defence may be held no more than once.
Forms of approbation of research results
The choice of form depends on the specialism, the branch of science and the practical orientation of the dissertation. Common forms include:
- publishing articles in peer-reviewed academic journals
- presenting papers at international and national conferences
- taking part in seminars and round tables on the research topic
- discussing interim results at a department meeting
- putting results into practice, confirmed by an implementation act
The specific set of forms is agreed with the supervisor at an early stage of the work.
How to organise approbation of a dissertation's results correctly?
It is more convenient to carry out approbation gradually, as new results are obtained. A single round of approbation just before the defence is not the best option. The optimal sequence of actions is as follows:
- Identify interim results ready for presentation to the academic community.
- Choose a conference, seminar or journal suited to the research topic.
- Prepare the text of a paper or article to the requirements of the chosen venue.
- Obtain a participant's certificate, the event programme, or other confirmation.
- Add the approbation details to the introduction and the avtoreferat.
- Complete public discussion and the pre-defence of the dissertation at the dissertation council.
Following this sequence makes it possible to take feedback into account gradually. There is then no need to redo the entire work in the final month before the defence.
Common mistakes in approbation of results and the dissertation
One frequent mistake is a formal approach. A paper is prepared purely for the record, without substantive discussion with colleagues. Approbation is often left until the final months, leaving no time to revise the dissertation.
There is also confusion between the two types of approbation. Details of the public discussion and pre-defence are sometimes included in the section on approbation of results, even though these are separate points in the introduction. Another problem is the absence of certificates or event programmes, without which approbation is difficult to confirm on paper.
Approbation of a dissertation's results and approbation of the document itself are two related but separate stages of preparing for the defence. The first confirms the value of individual results, the second the readiness of the whole work. Completing both procedures in good time reduces the risk of serious objections from the dissertation council.
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