On December 17, 2004 the defence of the Habilitation dissertation by Dr V.Uspensky took part at the Green Chamber of the Novo-Mikhailovsky Palace. The Dissertation is entitiled Tibetan Buddhism in Peking Under the Tsing Dynasty (1644—1911) within the Cultural and Historical Context of the Epoch.

Dr V.Uspensky was awarded with the Habilitation degree by a unanimous vote of all the Council members (with one of the ballots being spoiled).