On October 2, 2009, at the meeting of the IOM's Dissertation Council the defence of the Habilitation dissertation by Dr Surun-Khanda D. Syrtypova, a senior researcher at the A.N.Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Moscow, entitled The Cult Artifacts of the Nomads in the Transbaikal Area as a Historical Source (Buddhist Books and Anthropogeographic Objects) [Культовые памятники кочевников Трансбайкалья как исторический источник (буддийские книги и антропогеографические объекты)], was held.

The reviews by all three official opponents such as Dr M.I.Vorobyova-Desyatovskaya, the IOM RAS, Prof Dr E.S.Kulpin-Gubaidulin, the Institute of Sociology, Moscow, Dr N.L.Zhukovskaya, the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Moscow, were positive. During free discussion Dr S.A.Frantsouzoff and Prof Dr E.I.Kychanov delivered their opinions.

The Dissertation Council decided (with 12 votes pro and 1 contra) to petition the Russian Highest  Classification Committee for granting Dr S.-Kh.D.Syrtypova the Habilitation degree.