Administrative Support for Interdisciplinary Research Teams
Our university provides comprehensive administrative support to ensure that faculty and researchers engaged in interdisciplinary research can effectively carry out their work. The support system includes:
1)Flexible Work Schedules – Researchers involved in interdisciplinary projects are granted flexible working hours to allow greater focus on their studies and collaborations.
2)Reduced Workload – Faculty and researchers actively engaged in interdisciplinary research are exempt from extra administrative and teaching responsibilities, ensuring they have sufficient time for research.
3)Additional Leave and Holidays – Scholars working on significant interdisciplinary projects receive extra holidays or research leave to dedicate time to their academic work without disruptions.
These measures enhance research productivity, encourage collaboration across disciplines, and foster innovation within the university.
Navoi State University provides dedicated and structured administrative support for interdisciplinary science research teams through specialized institutional units, performance management systems, financial incentives, and nationally aligned digital infrastructure.
At the institutional level, interdisciplinary research is coordinated through several specialized administrative bodies, including the Scientific Research Department, the Scientific Research Center, and the Department for Working with Scientific Journals. These units play a central role in facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration by supporting research planning, publication processes, project coordination, and dissemination of scientific outputs across faculties and disciplines.
The Scientific Research Department ensures the strategic coordination and administrative management of research activities, including interdisciplinary projects involving multiple departments. The Scientific Research Center provides an enabling environment for innovation, collaborative research, and integration of scientific disciplines, while the Department for Working with Scientific Journals supports researchers in publication processes, journal selection, indexing requirements, and quality assurance, which is particularly important for interdisciplinary outputs.
Administrative support is further strengthened through the implementation of a comprehensive Key Performance Indicator (KPI) system, which evaluates academic staff, researchers, and administrators based on measurable research outputs and contributions, including interdisciplinary collaboration, publication in internationally indexed journals, grant activity, and innovation outcomes. This system is administered on a biannual basis, with oversight from the Human Resources Department and institutional evaluation commissions, ensuring transparency, accountability, and continuous monitoring of research performance.
In addition, the University provides structured financial and administrative incentives from extrabudgetary funds to encourage high-quality research and interdisciplinary engagement. These include:
Financial rewards for publications in internationally recognized databases (e.g., Scopus, Web of Science)
Incentives for obtaining academic degrees (PhD, DSc) and academic titles
Support for supervising research students, including those involved in interdisciplinary projects
Rewards for innovation, research commercialization, and integration of research into teaching
Administrative processes are formalized through institutional regulations governing performance evaluation, reporting, and documentation, ensuring that interdisciplinary research teams receive consistent support in planning, implementation, and reporting stages. Dedicated administrative personnel are responsible for data collection, verification, and archiving of research outputs, facilitating coordination across departments.
At the national level, the University operates in alignment with the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan (No. 696, 2020), (https://lex.uz/docs/-5084654) which introduced a Unified Electronic System for postgraduate education management. This system provides a digital administrative framework for:
Registration and monitoring of doctoral candidates and researchers
Tracking individual research plans and interdisciplinary progress
Coordination of supervisors, consultants, and research activities
Generation of analytical reports and performance monitoring
This digital infrastructure enhances transparency, efficiency, and cross-institutional coordination, which directly benefits interdisciplinary research teams.
Furthermore, the University’s administrative support is aligned with national legislation, including the Laws “On Science and Scientific Activity” and “On Education,” as well as relevant presidential decrees on higher education development. These frameworks ensure that interdisciplinary research is strategically supported, institutionally embedded, and continuously developed.
In accordance with procedures established by the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, academic and research staff engaged in scientific and pedagogical activities are granted paid creative leave (research leave) while retaining their primary position and salary. This policy directly supports researchers involved in interdisciplinary projects by providing uninterrupted time for research and knowledge production.
Specifically:
Academic staff preparing a PhD dissertation or authoring textbooks and teaching materials are eligible for up to 3 months of paid creative leave;
Researchers working on a Doctor of Science (DSc) dissertation may receive up to 6 months of paid creative leave;
In cases of collaborative or interdisciplinary work, members of author teams may apply individually for creative leave, and the leave period may be distributed among team members, ensuring flexibility and support for joint research activities.
Importantly, eligibility for creative leave does not affect the entitlement to annual paid leave, which is granted regardless of whether creative leave has been utilized. This ensures that researchers engaged in intensive interdisciplinary work are not disadvantaged in terms of employment benefits.
Overall, Navoi State University has established a comprehensive administrative ecosystem that supports interdisciplinary science research through dedicated organizational units, performance-based management systems, financial incentives, and digital governance tools, thereby enhancing the quality, impact, and sustainability of interdisciplinary research across applicable disciplines.
