PROCEDURE FOR THE RECRUITMENT OF ACADEMIC STAFF AT TASHKENT STATE UNIVERSITY OF ORIENTAL STUDIES

PROCEDURE FOR THE RECRUITMENT OF ACADEMIC STAFF
AT TASHKENT STATE UNIVERSITY OF ORIENTAL STUDIES

1. General Provisions
2. This Procedure establishes the rules and procedures governing the recruitment of academic staff (faculty members) at Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies (hereinafter referred to as the University) in accordance with the Labour Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Presidential Decree No. PD-4680 of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated 16 April 2020, “On Measures to Fundamentally Improve the System of Training Specialists in the Field of Oriental Studies and to Enhance Scientific Capacity,” Presidential Resolution No. PR-60 dated 24 December 2021, “On Additional Measures to Ensure the Academic and Organizational and Managerial Autonomy of State Higher Education Institutions,” and Presidential Resolution No. PR-61 dated 24 December 2021, “On Measures to Grant Financial Autonomy to State Higher Education Institutions.” This Procedure defines the procedure for the recruitment and appointment of academic staff (faculty members) at Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies.
3. The recruitment of academic staff (faculty members) at the University shall be carried out through the following two methods:
4. a) Extending, for the subsequent academic year, the one-year employment contracts of faculty members who have served as full-time academic staff during the preceding academic year, based on an evaluation of their professional performance and the established Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), thereby enabling them to continue their academic and pedagogical activities.

The purpose of extending one-year employment contracts for the subsequent academic year is to provide faculty members with appropriate social protection, create conditions for the systematic planning and organization of their professional activities, and enhance their motivation to achieve the required performance outcomes.

1. b) Recruiting faculty members to vacant academic positions through an open competitive selection process.

The purpose of recruiting academic staff (faculty members) through a competitive selection process is to create and maintain a competitive environment for selecting the most qualified candidates who possess profound professional knowledge, significant scientific achievements, creative and research potential, outstanding intellectual abilities, and high ethical standards, and who are capable of training highly qualified specialists in accordance with modern educational requirements.

1. Qualification Requirements for Academic Staff Recruited Through Competitive Selection
2. The category of academic staff at the University includes employees holding the positions of Head of Department, Professor, Associate Professor, Senior Lecturer, Lecturer, and Lecturer-Trainee.
3. A Head of Department, Professor, Associate Professor, Senior Lecturer, Lecturer, or Lecturer-Trainee who has served as a full-time member of the academic staff at the University during the preceding academic year may, upon completion of the academic year and based on the conclusion issued in accordance with the Procedure for Evaluating the Performance of Administrative and Academic Staff of Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies and Determining Their Performance Effectiveness Based on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), be granted the opportunity to continue his or her academic and pedagogical activities in the current position, or in a position one level higher or one level lower.
4. New academic staff members shall be recruited to vacant academic positions at the University through a competitive selection process.
5. A person holding the academic title of Professor or Associate Professor, the academic degree of Candidate of Sciences, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Doctor of Sciences (DSc), or an equivalent academic degree awarded by a foreign higher education or research institution in the relevant field of specialization, may participate in the competitive selection process for the position of Head of Department.

Where necessary, a person who does not hold the academic title of Associate Professor or the academic degree of Candidate of Sciences, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), or an equivalent academic degree awarded by a foreign higher education or research institution in the relevant field of specialization may be appointed to the position of Head of Department, provided that he or she has at least five years of experience in methodological, academic, pedagogical, creative, and organizational activities.

7. A person holding the academic title of Professor, the academic degree of Doctor of Sciences (DSc), or an equivalent academic degree awarded by a foreign higher education or research institution in the relevant field of specialization may participate in the competitive selection process for the position of Professor. A person who has served as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan to a foreign state may also participate in the competitive selection process.

A person holding the academic degree of Candidate of Sciences, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), or an equivalent academic degree awarded by a foreign higher education or research institution in the relevant field of specialization, as well as the academic title of Associate Professor, may apply for the position of Acting Professor, provided that he or she has at least ten years of academic and pedagogical experience, including not less than five years of academic and pedagogical service at the University; is the sole author of one textbook and two teaching manuals, or a co-author of two textbooks and two teaching manuals in the academic programmes and specializations of the respective department; has supervised the training of at least one highly qualified specialist who has been awarded an academic degree; and has served as the academic supervisor of ten master’s degree students. By way of exception, these requirements may not apply to persons who have served as Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan to foreign states.

8. A person holding the academic title of Associate Professor or Senior Research Fellow, the academic degree of Candidate of Sciences, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Doctor of Sciences (DSc), or an equivalent academic degree awarded by a foreign higher education or research institution in the relevant field of specialization may participate in the competitive selection process for the position of Associate Professor.

A person holding the academic degree of Candidate of Sciences or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) may apply for the position of Acting Associate Professor.

A highly qualified specialist who does not hold the required academic title or academic degree may also apply for the position of Acting Associate Professor, provided that he or she has at least five years of academic and pedagogical experience in the relevant field of specialization, including not less than three years of academic and pedagogical service at the University; has, during one academic year, performed a teaching workload equivalent to at least 0.25 of a full-time academic position while serving on the University’s full-time academic staff as Head of Department, Acting Associate Professor, or in an equivalent academic position; and is the author of a teaching manual developed for the academic programmes and specializations of the respective department.

9. A person holding a higher education qualification (Master’s degree or Specialist diploma) may participate in the competitive selection process for the position of Senior Lecturer. Persons holding an academic degree, including Candidate of Sciences, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), or an equivalent academic degree awarded by a foreign higher education or research institution in the relevant field of specialization, and an academic title may also participate. Persons who do not hold such an academic degree or title may likewise participate, provided that they have at least five years of teaching, research, and professional experience within the higher education system.
10. A person holding a higher education qualification (Master’s degree or Specialist diploma) in the relevant field of specialization and having at least three years of teaching experience in the higher education system as a Lecturer or Lecturer-Trainee may participate in the competitive selection process for the position of Lecturer.
11. A person holding a higher education qualification (Master’s degree or Specialist diploma) in the relevant field of specialization may participate in the competitive selection process for the position of Lecturer-Trainee.
12. Persons employed by the University on an hourly-paid basis for the positions of Lecturer-Trainee, Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor, and Professor shall be appointed without a competitive selection process, by order of the Rector, in accordance with the established procedure. Persons who have served or are serving as Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan to foreign states, as well as persons who have served or are serving as Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of foreign states to the Republic of Uzbekistan, may, when invited to deliver lectures, be appointed to the position of Professor on an hourly-paid basis.
13. Taking into account the specific characteristics of undergraduate academic programmes, the University Council may, by its decision, authorize master’s degree students to engage in teaching activities for undergraduate students with a workload of up to 0.5 full-time equivalent (FTE) or on an hourly-paid basis, in accordance with the established procedure.
14. In the year of graduation, a graduate of the University’s master’s degree programme shall be appointed to a vacant Lecturer-Trainee position without a competitive selection process, on the basis of graduate placement, in accordance with the established procedure.

III. Procedure for Conducting the Competitive Selection Process

15. At the end of each academic year, the Human Resources Department of the University shall announce a competitive selection process for filling vacant academic positions for the following academic year, including the positions of Head of Department, Professor, Associate Professor, Senior Lecturer, Lecturer, and Lecturer-Trainee.
16. The announcement of the competitive selection process shall be published on the University’s official website. Applications for participation in the competitive selection process shall be submitted within one month from the date of publication of the announcement.
17. Persons wishing to participate in the competitive selection process shall submit an application addressed to the Rector of the University. The application shall be accompanied by a personal record sheet and copies of the applicant’s higher education diploma(s).

Applicants holding an academic degree (including Candidate of Sciences, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), or an equivalent academic degree awarded by a foreign higher education or research institution in the relevant field of specialization), an academic title, or having scientific publications and inventions shall submit copies of the relevant degree diplomas, academic title certificates, a list of scientific publications, professional development certificates, and, in the case of foreign language instructors, certificates confirming their foreign language proficiency.

18. Applications and supporting documents submitted for the competitive selection process shall be subject to a preliminary review at a meeting of the relevant department. Meetings for the consideration of candidates applying for the positions of Professor, Associate Professor, Senior Lecturer, Lecturer, and Lecturer-Trainee shall be chaired by the Head of Department, whereas meetings for the consideration of candidates applying for the position of Head of Department shall be chaired by the Dean of the Faculty.
19. Prior to the review of the application documents submitted by the candidate(s), each candidate shall deliver a demonstration lecture attended by the academic staff of the relevant department, representatives of the Department for Quality Assurance of Education, and members of the University Public Council. The topics of the demonstration lectures shall comply with the requirements of the curriculum for the relevant departmental disciplines. Candidates participating in the competitive selection process may also be required to take subject-specific qualification tests in the relevant field of specialization.
20. The full-time academic staff of the department and the representatives of the Department for Quality Assurance of Education shall review the application materials and the results of the demonstration lecture delivered by each candidate participating in the competitive selection process. Following an open vote, the department shall adopt a decision and submit its recommendation to the University Public Council for consideration.
21. The University Public Council shall, by a simple majority vote of its members and on the basis of the decision adopted at the competitive selection meeting, submit a recommendation to the Rector for the conclusion of an employment contract with the successful applicant.
22. A specialist who satisfies the qualification requirements established for a vacant academic position arising during the academic year may, upon the recommendation of the University Public Council, be appointed to that position prior to the competitive selection process, in accordance with the established procedure.
23. Conclusion, Amendment, and Termination of the Employment Contract
24. Employment contracts shall be concluded, in accordance with the established procedure, with persons who are not currently employed by the University and who have successfully passed the competitive selection process for vacant academic positions. On the basis of such employment contracts, an order shall be issued for their appointment to the respective positions for a term of one year.

Following the conclusion of the employment contract, the date on which the employee is required to commence work shall be determined by mutual agreement of the parties. Such period shall not exceed one month. The summer vacation period of academic staff shall not be included in the calculation of this period.

24. Where an employment contract is concluded with an academic staff member for one academic year, the employer shall not, during the term of the contract, unilaterally change the employee’s position or terminate the employment contract prior to its expiry. Where necessary, the provisions of Clause 29 of this Procedure shall apply.
25. The employment contracts of persons who were employed by the University as full-time academic staff during the previous academic year and whose employment has been extended for an additional academic year shall include the following provisions:
26. a) In respect of employees who continue in the same academic position previously held, the employment contract shall be endorsed with a record confirming the extension of the employment relationship for a new term, and the corresponding Rector’s order shall be issued.
27. b) In respect of employees appointed to a different academic position, the employment contract shall be amended accordingly on the basis of the conclusion of the University Commission on the Evaluation of Academic Staff Performance and Key Performance Indicators (KPI), and the corresponding Rector’s order on the transfer to the new position shall be issued.
28. c) Where an employment contract is terminated at the initiative of the academic staff member before the end of the academic year, the employee’s employment record book shall contain the entry: “Employment contract terminated prior to the expiry of its term.”
29. In the event of the merger or division of academic departments, the employment contracts concluded with the affected academic staff members shall be amended accordingly, in accordance with the established procedure.
30. In the event of the merger of academic departments, candidates for the position of Head of the newly established Department shall be considered at a meeting of the University Public Council. Following such consideration, an employment contract shall be concluded with one of the candidates prior to the competitive selection process, in accordance with the established procedure.
31. In the event of the division of an academic department, the incumbent Head of Department shall, by order of the Rector, be appointed as the Head of one of the newly established departments. The duties of the Head of the other newly established department shall, by order of the Rector, be assigned on a temporary basis, pending the competitive selection process, to one of the department’s leading academic staff members or to the Dean of the Faculty.
32. The following persons shall be prohibited from engaging in academic and teaching activities:

• a person who has been charged with the commission of a criminal offence;
• a person who has previously been convicted of a criminal offence, or whose criminal case has been terminated on non-rehabilitative grounds;
• a person who has been declared legally incapacitated or of limited legal capacity by a court of law;
• a person who is registered with a psychiatric or narcological (substance abuse) medical institution;
• a person suffering from a medical condition that prevents the performance of academic and teaching duties.

Where the circumstances specified in the fourth and sixth paragraphs of this Clause cease to exist, the person concerned may be permitted to resume academic and teaching activities in accordance with the established procedure.

30. The Rector of the University shall have the authority to submit to the University Council for consideration the issue of whether an academic staff member is suitable for the position currently held.

Before the University Council considers the issue of an academic staff member’s suitability for the position held, the staff member’s professional performance shall be evaluated by a commission established by order of the Rector. Based on the decision of the University Council, an academic staff member may be dismissed from the position held on the grounds of professional unsuitability where it is determined that the staff member possesses insufficient qualifications, demonstrates an unsatisfactory level of academic, methodological, and educational performance, or fails to conduct teaching activities to the required standard.

Where the University Council determines that a Head of Department, Professor, Associate Professor, Senior Lecturer, Lecturer, or Lecturer-Trainee is unsuitable for the position held, the employment contract concluded with that staff member shall be terminated in accordance with the established procedure.

The employment contract concluded with the Head of Department may also be terminated, pursuant to a decision of the University Council, where the Head of Department has failed to perform, or has improperly performed, the functional duties and responsibilities associated with the management and administration of the department.

1. Final Provisions
2. Any labour disputes arising in connection with the termination of employment contracts concluded between the University and its academic staff shall be resolved in accordance with the procedure established by the applicable legislation.
3. Persons found to have violated the requirements of this Procedure shall be held liable in accordance with the applicable legislation.

10.08.2026, 10:40 4 Print version