Trends in the Development of Publication Policies in Educational Institutions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia

Functioning of educational institutions within the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) is influenced by a number of critical factors that affect all aspects of their development. One such factor is the internal policy regarding the analysis and evaluation of the publication activity of academic and teaching staff (both commissioned officers and civilian employees). Their research, in its diverse outcomes, serves as the foundation for the scientific support of the Russian internal affairs agencies, as well as a reputable hallmark of the MIA’s educational institutions, reflecting their high research potential, prestige and competitiveness. The authors emphasize that research in the field of publication activity, aimed at developing effective solutions for its analysis and processing, and at identifying significant metrics for its evaluation, is relevant for educational organizations of various departmental affiliations. The article analyzes regulatory legal acts, including departmental ones, as well as informational and analytical materials concerning the organization of research activity within the system of the MIA of Russia, and the current state of its publication activity assessment system. The findings from this analysis served as the basis for the present study, the purpose of which is to identify key problems in this sphere, including: the lack of effective incentives and motivation for research activities, formalism in evaluating publication activity, a focus on non-research priorities, weak integration with personnel processes, underdeveloped internal information resources and poor coordination among departments involved in assessing publication outcomes. It is emphasized that these negative trends are largely due to the specific nature of educational institutions of the MIA of Russia. A significant portion of the working time of academic and teaching staff – most of whom are commissioned police officers – is allocated to teaching, curriculum development, educational activities, professional and physical training, as well as the implementation of managerial decisions and of organizational and administrative documents. The study highlights the most promising directions for updating the system of recording, analyzing and evaluating the publication output of academic staff in educational institutions of the Russian MIA.