Epress.am News from Armenia
Chairperson of the Higher Qualification Committee, mathematician Smbat Gogyan has resigned. “After the Minister of Education announced in the Parliament that the Higher Qualification Committee will be closed down, my work became meaningless. I could no longer bring my ideas to life. My ideas about reforming the education and science sectors did not match the strategy of the Ministry,” writes Gogyan on his Facebook page.
The Higher Qualification Committee is entitled to grant scientific degrees of a candidate of science (equivalent of PhD) and doctor of science, as well as scientific titles of a docent (equivalent of associate professor) and professor. The committee certifies the scientific ranks and titles through a specialist council and scientific council. Gogyan was appointed Chairperson of the Committee on June 12, 2018. This Committee was notorious for violating scientific criteria of research and academic integrity by granting ranks and titles to people whose works were questioned for being based on plagiarism.
“Plagiarists are awaiting for this Committee to close down,” laments Gogyan.
He also points out to the scandal involving former and current rectors of the Economic University. “In an interview in 2019, I said that if Ruben Hayrapetyan was not to resign, I would resign. The point is not the person Ruben Hayrapetyan, the point is the phenomenon. The acting rector appointed after him has a doctoral dissertation with blatant copy-pastes and translations, but given her networks and cronyism, she sits in her position up until now. That she continues holding the position is a choice of values between those of mine and those of hers.”
“The third reason for my resignation is that I started not enjoying my work. I clearly realize that the effectiveness of my work has sharply dropped.”