The Direction Générale de la Recherche Scientifique et du Développement Technologique (DGRSDT) is Algeria’s central directorate for scientific research and technological development, operating under the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MESRS). For researchers, doctoral candidates, and international collaborators, DGRSDT is the body that classifies which scientific journals count toward an Algerian degree or habilitation, accredits research laboratories, and administers the habilitation universitaire — the qualification Algerian academics need to supervise doctoral research and advance to senior grades. This guide explains what DGRSDT does, how its journal categorization system works, how laboratory accreditation and habilitation are administered, and how DGRSDT relates to ASJP, Algeria’s separate journal-hosting platform.
What DGRSDT Is and Where It Sits in Algeria’s Research System
DGRSDT operates within the institutional and legal framework set out in Algeria’s 2015 orientation law on scientific research and technological development — Loi n° 15-21 du 30 décembre 2015 portant loi d’orientation sur la recherche scientifique et le développement technologique, later amended by Loi n° 20-02 du 30 mars 2020. That law designates scientific research and technological development as national priorities and establishes the governing bodies responsible for setting and monitoring national research policy, of which DGRSDT is the operational directorate under MESRS.
In practice, DGRSDT functions as Algeria’s equivalent of a national research council crossed with an accreditation authority: it does not itself fund individual projects the way a grant-making agency does, but it sets the standards research outputs, laboratories, and academic qualifications must meet to be officially recognized within the Algerian higher-education and research system. According to DGRSDT’s own site, the research system it oversees comprises close to 1,900 accredited research laboratories, more than 30 research centers, and around 50 research units, alongside national research programs, socio-economic impact projects, and support for research-based startups and incubators.
How DGRSDT Classifies Scientific Journals: Category A, B, and C
The single most-searched DGRSDT function is its journal categorization system, because publication venue directly affects whether a paper counts toward a doctoral thesis defense or a habilitation application. DGRSDT publishes and periodically updates lists of scientific journals recognized in two main tiers:
- Category A — journals indexed in Web of Science that meet DGRSDT’s eligibility criteria.
- Category B — journals indexed in Scopus that meet the same core criteria.
To qualify for either tier, a journal must not be identified as predatory or edited by a predatory publisher, must not publish exclusively conference proceedings, and — with the specific exception of the Web of Science/Scopus indexing that defines categories A and B respectively — must not be a paid journal that requires article-processing or publication fees. DGRSDT’s site also references a national-circulation tier, sometimes described as category C, for journals that do not meet the international-indexing bar of A or B but are still recognized for domestic evaluation purposes; researchers relying on this tier for a specific submission or defense should confirm current eligibility directly against DGRSDT’s published lists, since national-tier criteria are documented separately from the A/B lists and are more institution-dependent in how they’re applied.
Because these lists are updated periodically rather than fixed, the safest approach for a researcher is always to check the current list on DGRSDT’s own site (dgrsdt.dz, under the “revues_A” and “revues_B” sections) at the time of submission rather than relying on a list from a prior year or a mirrored copy on a university site.
The Predatory Journal and Publisher Exclusion List
DGRSDT separately maintains and publishes an explicit list of predatory journals and predatory publishers. This list functions as an exclusion filter layered on top of the A/B/C categorization: a journal that would otherwise appear indexed or nationally recognized is disqualified if it, or its publisher, appears on this list. DGRSDT states explicitly that publication in a category A or B journal later found to be predatory, edited by a predatory publisher, or publishing exclusively conference proceedings will not be accepted for a doctoral thesis defense or for a habilitation application — meaning the exclusion is applied retroactively to the specific publication, not just prospectively to future submissions.
This mirrors — and in Algeria’s case is formalized as official policy in a way most national systems leave to institutional judgment — the broader international concern about predatory publishing that other reference lists address differently: Beall’s List was the original crowdsourced predatory-publisher watchlist, and Cabells Predatory Reports is the subscription-based successor many institutions now use for the same screening purpose. DGRSDT’s list is Algeria-specific and directly determinative for degree and habilitation eligibility, so it should be treated as the authoritative reference for any DGRSDT-governed submission rather than a general-purpose predatory-journal checklist.
Laboratory Accreditation and the DALILAB Directory
DGRSDT is also the body that accredits (“agrée”) and codes Algeria’s research laboratories and research units, and it periodically publishes lists of newly accredited and coded laboratories. Once accredited, a laboratory receives a code that identifies it within the national research system — a prerequisite for the laboratory’s output and affiliated researchers to be recognized in national programs and evaluations.
DGRSDT maintains this information through DALILAB, its online directory of research laboratories and units (dalilab.dgrsdt.dz), which allows anyone to look up an institution’s accredited laboratories, their assigned codes, and their host establishment. For a laboratory head or a research administrator confirming a laboratory’s current accreditation status, DALILAB — rather than a departmental or university web page, which may not reflect the latest accreditation round — is the authoritative source.
Habilitation Universitaire: What It Is and How DGRSDT Administers It
The habilitation universitaire is a formal academic qualification within the Algerian higher-education system, distinct from a doctorate, that authorizes a qualified academic to supervise doctoral research and progress to senior academic grades. It is broadly comparable in function — though not identical in procedure — to the habilitation degree used in several European academic systems as a qualification layered above the doctorate.
DGRSDT administers the conditions and procedures for habilitation under Algeria’s executive decrees governing the qualification, and eligible candidates — typically academics holding “Maître de Conférences classe B” or equivalent research-grade B positions — apply through PROGRES, the national platform used to manage habilitation sessions. DGRSDT periodically announces new habilitation sessions on its site, each with its own submission window and eligibility conditions. Because a candidate’s publication record is assessed as part of habilitation review, the journal-categorization and predatory-exclusion rules described above apply directly to which publications in a habilitation dossier will actually count.
DGRSDT and ASJP: Two Different Platforms, Often Confused
Researchers new to the Algerian research system frequently conflate DGRSDT with ASJP (Algerian Scientific Journal Platform), but the two serve different functions. DGRSDT is the regulatory directorate: it sets and publishes the journal categorization (A/B/C) and predatory-exclusion lists, accredits laboratories, and administers habilitation. ASJP, operated by CERIST (Centre de Recherche sur l’Information Scientifique et Technique), is the hosting and publishing infrastructure: it is the platform where most Algerian-published, DGRSDT-recognized journals are actually hosted, submit-and-review manuscripts, and make issues available online. In short, DGRSDT decides which journals and outputs count for official purposes; ASJP is where a large share of the journals DGRSDT recognizes are actually published and accessed.
Practical Guidance for Researchers and Institutions
- Before submitting to a journal for a thesis or habilitation dossier, check the journal against DGRSDT’s current category A/B lists and its predatory-journal/publisher list on dgrsdt.dz — not a cached or mirrored list from a university department page, which may lag the official update.
- Before relying on a laboratory affiliation for a national program, grant, or evaluation, confirm the laboratory’s accreditation code in DALILAB.
- Before applying for habilitation, confirm current eligibility conditions and the active PROGRES submission window directly on DGRSDT’s site, since session dates and specific conditions are announced per round rather than fixed annually.
- When citing a journal’s indexing status in a DGRSDT context, remember category A specifically requires Web of Science indexing and category B specifically requires Scopus indexing — the two are not interchangeable for classification purposes even though both indexes are used internationally for other purposes, such as generating a Scopus Author ID.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does DGRSDT stand for?
DGRSDT stands for Direction Générale de la Recherche Scientifique et du Développement Technologique — Algeria’s General Directorate for Scientific Research and Technological Development, operating under the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MESRS).
How do I check if a journal is in DGRSDT’s category A or B list?
DGRSDT publishes its current category A and category B journal lists directly on its own site, dgrsdt.dz, under the “revues_A” and “revues_B” sections, alongside its separate predatory journal and publisher list. Because these lists are updated periodically, check the live list at the time of submission rather than a copy hosted on a university or department page.
What happens if I publish in a journal that is later added to DGRSDT’s predatory list?
DGRSDT states that a category A or B publication is not accepted toward a doctoral thesis defense or a habilitation application if that journal or its publisher is identified as predatory, or if the journal publishes exclusively conference proceedings — the exclusion applies to the specific publication in question, so researchers should re-check standing periodically rather than assuming a journal’s status is permanent.
Is DGRSDT the same as ASJP?
No. DGRSDT is the regulatory directorate that classifies journals, accredits laboratories, and administers habilitation. ASJP (Algerian Scientific Journal Platform), operated by CERIST, is the online hosting and publishing platform where many DGRSDT-recognized Algerian journals are actually published and managed.
Who is eligible to apply for habilitation universitaire, and how?
Eligibility is set by Algeria’s executive decrees governing habilitation and is generally open to academics holding “Maître de Conférences classe B” or equivalent research-grade B positions. Applications are submitted through PROGRES, the national platform DGRSDT uses to manage habilitation sessions, during periodically announced submission windows.
How can I confirm a laboratory’s DGRSDT accreditation status?
Use DALILAB (dalilab.dgrsdt.dz), DGRSDT’s official directory of accredited research laboratories and units, which lists each laboratory’s assigned code and host institution.
