Under the supervision of the Dean of the College of Pharmacy, Professor Dr. Sarmed H. Kathem Alkhateeb, the Continuing Education Unit in the College of Pharmacy/ University of Baghdad, held a workshop entitled “The Role of Discussion Committees and the Mechanism of Grading for Postgraduate Students”, presented by Professor Dr. Manaf Hashem Abdulrazzaq, a faculty member in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology and the Dean Assistant for Scientific and Student Affairs. The workshop topics aimed to clarify the responsibilities of discussion committees and the mechanism for calculating students’ grades during thesis and dissertation defenses. The importance of publishing part of the research in peer-reviewed scientific journals was highlighted as a condition for obtaining distinction in master’s or doctoral degrees. Additionally, the workshop clarified the classification of journals (local, regional, international, or indexed in global databases such as Scopus and Web of Science) and how this affects the evaluation of theses or dissertations. The mechanism for grading the comprehensive exam was also reviewed, along with identifying its main areas and success criteria to ensure fairness and inclusiveness in the evaluation process. At the conclusion of the workshop, emphasis was placed on the need to unify evaluation mechanisms and adhere to approved standards to enhance the quality of postgraduate outcomes and achieve academic excellence.
