Updated version as of November 18, 2010

 Appendix 3 to Multi-stage TRIZ Certification Regulations
TRIZ Level 5 (TRIZ Master) Certification Regulations                      
(in force since January 1, 2009, with amendments of July 29, 2009)
 
  1. TRIZ Level 5 (TRIZ Master) Certification Regulations is an appendix to Multi-stage TRIZ Certification Regulations, accepted in MA TRIZ and assuming a 5-level certification system.
TRIZ Master qualification corresponds to level 5 and is the top professional level within this   system. Issuance of TRIZ Master diplomas to specialists, who made the largest contribution to TRIZ development, is destined to continue traditions, laid in International TRIZ Association by its First President G. S. Altshuller.
 
  1. The main goals of organizing level 5 (top level) certification in MA TRIZ is:
– development of TRIZ as of a scientific theory, including the development of methodological grounds of TRIZ, tools for problem analysis and synthesis of inventive problem solutions, etc.
– broadening the scope of opportunities for practical use of TRIZ, 
– creation of stimuli for activation of research activities in the field of TRIZ and social recognition of personal contribution of researchers into development of TRIZ as science.
 
  1. All TRIZ Master diplomas, issued by the International TRIZ Association,  give equal rights to their owners, irrespective of the date of diploma issuance. TRIZ Masters are included within MA TRIZ Supervisory council, have the right to enter Dissertation council of MA TRIZ, and also to individually conduct the certification of TRIZ specialists up to level 3 inclusive, on condition of obtaining appropriate powers from MA TRIZ.
 
  1. Applicants for level 5 certification should necessarily have a level 4 TRIZ specialist certificate or a diploma of TRIZ methodologist signed by the First President of TRIZ Association G. S. Altshuller (Appendix 13). It is necessary for the applicant to have publications in TRIZ (including abstract of the papers read at the international conferences).
 
  1. In order to pass level 5 certification, the applicants should prepare a thesis on TRIZ and defend it in MA TRIZ Dissertation council. 
 
  1. The defense of dissertation papers is performed only in the presence of the candidate and not more often than two times a year. Dissertation Council sessions take place predominantly during one of the annual international TRIZ conferences by the agreement with their organizers.
 
  1. The date and the venue of next session of Dissertation Council is appointed by MA TRIZ Presidium no later than 4 months prior to the session.
 
  1. The list of candidates to the members of the dissertation council (DC) from 7 to 12 persons is formed by its chairman (if possible, no later than a month prior to the session) out of TRIZ Masters, implying their presence, after that the final list of DC members is corrected and approved by MA TRIZ Presidium during one week after being submitted. 
 
After the list of DC members is approved by MA TRIZ Presidium the information about it is published on the web-site of MA TRIZ.
 
Chairman of DC has the right of prompt substitution of DC members, which unexpectedly withdrew, for someone out of TRIZ Masters present at the session of DC.
 
9. Chairman of MA TRIZ Dissertation Council is appointed by MA TRIZ Presidium mostly out of Presidium members, for the period of activities of the elected Presidium (2 years). Chairman of MA TRIZ Dissertation Council directs its activities, forms the policy of functioning of MA TRIZ Dissertation Council, conducts the sessions of Dissertation Council or appoints the chairman from among the members of Dissertation Council.
 
 
 
10. Chairman of the Dissertation Council appoints the Academic Secretary of the Dissertation Council, whose functions include the solving of organizational problems of the Dissertation Council functioning, conducting the documentation and other organization and information work associated with the preparation for conducting the level 5 certification (TRIZ Master).
 
 
 
11. Dissertation Council appoints opponent(s) (no more than two) of the analyzed thesis. The review of the opponent(s) should be prepared 2 weeks before the Dissertation Council session. Recommended structure of the opponent(s) review is quoted in Appendix 14.
 
 
 
12. No later than three months prior to the session of MA TRIZ Dissertation Council, the applicant should send to MA TRIZ (addressed to the President of MA TRIZ and the Chairman of DC (a copy should be sent to the Academic secretary of DC) an application in Russian and in English. It should contain a letter addressed to the President of MA TRIZ with a request to consider the application, contact information, second name, first name and patronymic of the applicant, number of certificate of level 4 TRIZ specialist (or a copy of diploma of TRIZ methodologist signed by G. S. Altshuller), title of the thesis, name and contact information of thesis scientific advisor (TRIZ Master), short annotation on the work (no less than 1000 symbols) and a picture of applicant.
 
13. No later than one month prior to DC session the applicant should send to MA TRIZ Dissertation Council (addressed to the Chairman of Dissertation Council and to the Academic Secretary) all information necessary for the analysis of thesis: the thesis itself, abstract, review written by the scientific advisor [1], and resume of the applicant. All materials are prepared either in Russian or in English. Dissertation abstract is presented both in Russian and in English. All DC members should have access to all materials of the applicant's thesis work.
 
14. Main requirements to the thesis.
 
Thesis on TRIZ is a scientific qualification work, in which, based on the research performed by the author, theoretical provisions have been developed, the set of which could be characterized as a new scientific achievement (for example, a new scientific trend, which is identified and developed by the applicant; essential revision of traditional subject fields), or a significant scientific problem is solved or scientifically grounded solutions are rendered, the implementation of which contributes significantly to a certain field of science. References to the earlier works of the applicant are allowed only if they were published before the defense event.
 
TRIZ thesis should be written by the applicant alone, it should contain a set of new scientific results and assertions set forth by the author for public defense, it should be characterized by intrinsic unity and should be a manifestation of the personal contribution of the author. 
The thesis should contain a systematized theory, a concept, embracing the subject field corresponding to the theme.
 
The thesis should meet the following criteria:
 
  scientific novelty of research work (which could be obtained either as a result of studying another subject field, or by applying new methods and means of cognition to the subject field, which was researched before, or the study of new subject field using new technologies);
 
– significance of the topic of research;
 
– instrumentality and efficiency of proposed conclusions;
 
– presence of practical results;
 
– reproducibility of results in using proposed methods.
 
Quality of presentation is also considered as an important criterion for dissertation defense.
 
15. The volume of Thesis – no less than 30 pages. The volume of dissertation abstract – no less than 5 pages. Dissertation abstract and the thesis are presented in soft form and in hard copies: Thesis - in the number of 7 copies (1 – to the Dissertation Council, 2 – to the opponents, 2 - to the Fund of materials of MA TRIZ and to Fund of TRIZ materials of Tchelyabinsk District Universal People's Library (TchDUL), 1 copy to the scientific advisor and 1 copy to the applicant); dissertation abstract – no less than 18 copies (12 – to the members of Dissertation Council, 2 – to the opponents, 1– to scientific advisor, 2 – to the Fund of materials of ÌÀ TRIZ and to Fund of TRIZ materials of Tchelyabinsk District Universal People's Library (TchDUL), 1 – to the applicant).
 
16. Recommended structure of the thesis, dissertation abstract, review of the scientific advisor is quoted in Appendix 14. A monograph written by the applicant or a set of his/her scientific publications could be presented as a thesis.
 
17. Recommended order of work of the session of MA TRIZ Dissertation Council:
– 1.5 hours are planned for presentation and discussion of each of the theses;
– this time budget includes short introduction of scientific supervisor (5 minutes), the speech of the applicant (30 minutes), speeches of opponents (5 - 10 minutes each), questions to the applicant and his/her answers (30 minutes), concluding speech of the Chairman of the Dissertation Council (5 minutes);
– Questions to the applicants could be asked first only by then present members of the ÌÀTRIZ Dissertation Council. If there are no questions from the members of Dissertation Council, questions can be asked by other persons present at the thesis defense within the overall time budget; Dissertation Council session is conducted by its Chairman or by the member of this council appointed by the Chairman;
 
18. Decision concerning the thesis is taken based on secret ballot. A positive decision on the candidate’s thesis requires a “YES” vote from a minimum of 2/3 of the members of DC participated in the DC meeting. Improperly filled out or abstained ballot is considered as a “NO” vote
The scientific advisors don’t take part in voting on those works, in the preparation of which they participated;
To arrange for the organization of its work, DC appoints a counting committee from its members, which consists of three people (one is given the rights of the chairman).
Dissertation Council has the right to take decisions on the refinement of the time schedule and program of its work;
     The session of Dissertation Council is open, representatives of non-governmental organizations and TRIZ specialists can be present at it without restrictions.
 
19. MA TRIZ Presidium accepts the decision of Dissertation Council (having checked it for compliance with the provisions and regulations accepted in MA TRIZ) and hands it over to MA TRIZ President for approval, after which the Secretariat of MA TRIZ President prepares and sends to new TRIZ Masters the diplomas, which are signed by MA TRIZ President and the Chairman of Dissertation Council or the Chairman of the session of Dissertation Council. The signatures are confirmed by MA TRIZ stamp.
 
20. Specialists certified for level 5 (top level) of TRIZ get the TRIZ Master diplomas drawn up on a specially prepared form of MA TRIZ. (Appendix 15).
 
21. Information on new TRIZ Masters is published at the web-site of MA TRIZ in a week's time after the defense of the thesis.
 
22. All disputable issues on the solutions of Dissertation Council are solved by MA TRIZ Presidium and are confirmed by MA TRIZ President.
 
23. The present provisions and alterations to it are accepted by MA TRIZ Presidium and confirmed by MA TRIZ President.
 
[1] It is acceptable to submit the review directly prior to the DC session.
Appendix 13
 
Diploma of the TRIZ trainer-and-methodologist dated 1994 and signed by the President of TRIZ Association G. S. Altshuller.
 
Appendix 14
 
Recommended structure and content of the thesis abstract.
– General characteristic of research.
– Relevance of the topic of research.
– Goals and tasks of research.
– Scientific novelty of research.
– Practical significance of research.
– Main provisions to be discussed at the thesis defense.
– Personal contribution of the applicant.
– Implementation of the main provisions of research.
– Publications.
– Structure and volume of work.
Author's abstract of the thesis is prepared in Russian and in English.
 
Recommended structure and content of the thesis.
– Introduction.
– Relevance of the topic of research.
– Goals of research.
– Review of the known approaches to the analyzed problem.
– Detailed statement of the problem.
– Methods of solving the stated problem.
– Results of performed research.
– Practice of application.
– Analysis of results of performed research.
– Personal contribution of the applicant.
– Conclusions and recommendations on application.
– List of published works on the topic of the thesis.
The thesis is prepared in Russian and in English.
 
Recommended structure and content of the adviser's review.
– Relevance.
– Goals of research.
– Main results.
– Practical value of results.
– Novelty.
– Recommendation
The adviser's review is prepared in Russian and in English.
 
Recommended structure and content of the opponent's review.
– Relevance of the work.
– Goals of research.
– Scientific significance of obtained results.
–Practical value of results.
– Implementation of the main provisions of research.
– Novelty.
– Structure of thesis
– Disadvantages of the work.
– Characteristics of presented work.
– Conclusion.
 
The opponent’s review is prepared in Russian or in English.
 
Appendix 15
 
A form of TRIZ Master diploma