Number of dissertations published in Russia decreased by 22 percent in 2023

In 2023, the number of dissertations and abstracts published in Russia significantly decreased, reports RBC, referencing data from the Russian Book Chamber, which keeps records of all works published in the country based on an inventory of the Russian State Library’s mandatory copies.

The Russian State Library added fewer than 8,000 dissertation abstracts in 2023, compared to 10,200 in the previous year: about a 22 percent decrease.

At a conference in February, Elena Nogina, the Russian Book Chamber’s director, said the decline in dissertations published was persistent.

College representatives told RBC that the decrease was linked to the fact that even those in postgraduate research programs often lack the motivation to write dissertations. However, some said there has been no change in the number of dissertations written in their educational institutions.

After the start of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine and the subsequent sanctions, the Russian government imposed a moratorium on publications by Russian scientists in international databases.