On March 12 of this year, a training and methodological seminar entitled “On Adapting the Country’s Peer-Reviewed Scientific Journals to the Requirements of the International Scopus Database” was held in the conference hall of the Higher Attestation Commission under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan.
The seminar was attended by the Deputy Chairman of the Commission Mumin Mashokir Sharifzoda, the Scientific Solutions Consultant of the international company Elsevier for Central Asia Dmitry Viktorovich Sultanov, relevant departments and divisions of the Commission, as well as representatives of research institutions, higher professional education institutions, editorial boards of scientific journals, and specialists in the field of scientific publishing.
The purpose of the seminar was to discuss issues related to improving the quality of the country’s peer-reviewed scientific journals, aligning their activities with international standards, and creating the necessary conditions for their inclusion in reputable global scientific databases, including Scopus.
The event began with an opening speech by the Deputy Chairman of the Higher Attestation Commission under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Doctor of Economic Sciences, Professor Mumin Mashokir Sharifzoda. In his remarks, he noted that in the context of the rapid development of science and technology, adapting national scientific journals to international requirements is one of the important priorities of the country’s scientific policy.
It was also emphasized that today particular attention must be paid to improving the quality of scientific articles, adhering to editorial standards, and developing an effective peer-review system.
It was noted that the inclusion of Tajik scientific journals in international scientific databases will provide an opportunity to present the achievements of the country’s scientists and researchers at the global level, expand international scientific cooperation, and enhance the scientific reputation of Tajikistan within the global academic community. In this regard, the Higher Attestation Commission continuously implements necessary measures to improve the activities of scientific journals and adapt them to international standards.
During the seminar, a presentation was delivered by the Scientific Solutions Consultant of the international company Elsevier for Central Asia Dmitry Viktorovich Sultanov. He delivered a speech on the topic “Selection Criteria in Scopus and Journal Development Based on Scientific Principles,” providing detailed information about the main criteria used for selecting and evaluating scientific journals for inclusion in the Scopus database.
It was noted that when journals are considered for inclusion in the Scopus database, several important criteria are taken into account. These include the quality of scientific content, the scholarly significance of articles, transparent editorial board activities, the existence of an effective peer-review system, adherence to publication ethics, international accessibility, regular publication, and the citation rate of articles.
It was also emphasized that for the development of scientific journals it is necessary to improve editorial policies and comply with international standards for the preparation and publication of scientific articles. Involving foreign scholars and researchers in editorial boards, expanding international cooperation, publishing articles in international languages, and improving the quality of scientific research can contribute to increasing the prestige and competitiveness of national journals.
The seminar continued with discussions, during which representatives of scientific institutions and journal staff shared their views on improving the activities of the country’s scientific journals, implementing international experience in scientific publishing, increasing the citation rate of articles, and attracting foreign authors.
Participants also raised questions about existing challenges related to preparing journals for inclusion in international databases and received detailed responses from field experts.
At the conclusion of the seminar, participants expressed their readiness to implement the recommendations and proposals presented, emphasizing that close cooperation between scientific institutions, journal editorial boards, and international organizations can contribute to improving the quality of Tajik scientific journals and facilitating their inclusion in prestigious international databases.