Higher Education in the Russian Federation

A. Pre-Reading Activities

Task I. The words in the list below are essential for understanding the text. Learn their meaning and pronunciation:

admission (n) – прием (вучебноезаведение)

agenda (n) – повестка дня

allocate (v) – предназначать, отводить

apply (v) – подавать заявление

aptitude (n) – склонность, способность

assessment (n) – оценка

attune (v) – приспосабливать

award (v) – присудить, удостоить

basiceducation – базовое образование

competition (n) – соревнование, конкурс

competitive (adj) – соревновательный, конкурсный

compulsory (adj) – обязательный

confer (v) – присваивать, присуждать

current (adj) – нынешний, действующий в настоящий момент

curriculum (n) – курс обучения; учебный план, программа

elaborate (v) – разрабатывать

eliminate (v) – устранять, исключать

entitle (v) – давать право

entranceexam – вступительный экзамен

faculty (n) – факультет, отделение

fee (n) – (денежный) взнос, платеж

freeofcharge – бесплатно

frustrate (v) – нарушать, делать бесполезным, сорвать

graduate (n) – выпускник

guideline (n) – принцип, нормы, директива

humanities (n) – гуманитарные науки

matriculation (n) – зачисление в высшее учебное заведение; вступительный экзамен в высшее учебное заведение

priority (n) – приоритет, преимущественное право

research (n) – исследование, изучение

restrict (v) – ограничивать, сводить к чему-л.

rote (n) – механическое запоминание, зубрежка

scholar (n) – ученый

school-leaver (n) – выпускник школы

secondaryeducation – среднее образование

sophisticated (adj) – утонченный, усложненный

tertiaryeducation – высшее образование

transparent (adj) – ясный, понятный

tuitionfee – плата за обучение

tutor (n) – репетитор, частный учитель

UnifiedStateExamination (USE) – единый государственный экзамен (ЕГЭ)

 

Task II. Guess the meaning of these words and word combinations checking your guesses as you read the text:

educational reform a distinguished reputation Bachelor’s degree Master’s degree take special preparatory courses

to enroll students postgraduate higher education supervisor to enter a university to defend a Diploma project

 

B. Reading and Comprehension Activities

Task III. Read the text and check your understanding by doing the tasks that follow:

Russia, a land of great scholars, has been a leading centre of culture, science and education in Europe for centuries. The country of Pushkin, Tolstoi, Chekhov, Mendeleyev, Pavlov attracts people all over the world for education. Now Russian universities welcome not only Russian school-leavers, but international students as well.

The higher education system in Russia has a distinguished reputation in the world. The standard of the higher education in Russia is considered to be one of the best in the world with advanced and sophisticated teaching methods and scientific approaches. Russian degrees have gained global recognition. Students and graduates of Russian universities are in demand in western countries.

The education system of the Russian Federation has undergone significant change since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. During Soviet times, education was highly centralized and state ideology was a major component of the national curriculum. Through the 1990s, educational reform programs have concentrated on eliminating political ideology and moral education from the curriculum so that the learning process is more attuned to the needs of a market-driven economy.

More attention has therefore been devoted to the teaching of professional disciplines such as business, management, law, economics, computer technologies and accounting. Additionally, teaching methods have been addressed in an attempt to move away from the Soviet-style pedagogical methodology of rote learning towards a more student-centered methodology designed to promote critical thinking skills. Inadequate state budgetary allocations have, however, frustrated many of these reform efforts.

In 1992 a structural and philosophical reform agenda was set forth in the Law on Education. The fundamental principle of the 1992 law was the removal of state control from education policy so that schools were more attuned to the needs of the region and the nationalities they were serving. To achieve this, far greater autonomy has been given to local education authorities.

Current reform efforts are outlined in a government-approved document entitled ‘Concept of the Modernization of the Russian Education for the Period until 2010’. This document provides the framework for all innovations, experiments and education reforms. One of the most important goals has been to develop state standards for basic and secondary education, including federal guidelines on minimum curriculum requirements. Priority has been placed on developing the teaching of foreign languages, economics, and information and communication technologies.

The first nation-wide Unified State Examination (USE) session covering all regions of Russia was held in the summer of 2008. The USE is an instrument of the school-leavers’ knowledge assessment administered at their graduation from secondary education and an external quality control tool of the secondary schools education. The USE results are used for application and enrollment into the tertiary education institutions.

There are a lot of heated discussions about the USE nowadays. Opponents argue that the test system does not permit to assess all aptitudes and knowledge, that it will be difficult to guarantee confidentiality of the materials and security of the tests administration. The concerns are not groundless, but at the same time the tests designed and piloted do allow a transparent and fair assessment and the transition period should provide for setting up a Federal – regional infrastructure of the test administration and public control over its transparency which would allow to diminish and eliminate possible malpractice and guarantee the test validity.

The Russian Constitution guarantees everyone the right to get higher education free of charge on a basis of competition. The Government allocates funding to pay the tuition fees within an established quota / number of students for each state institution. Traditionally the size of quota varies from institution to institution and from one field (discipline) to another. It depends on the share of state in the institution's budget, demands from state bodies in a region, social programs and other, sometimes rather subjective estimates. On top of the quotas, the universities are free to enroll students on a fee-paying basis and have the right to define the fee for their programmes according to the market price and demand.

Many students wishing to enter a university need additional preparation to gain admission. Only one-third of students are estimated to enter university relying only on the knowledge acquired in school. Another one-third take special preparatory courses. Others either hire private tutors or educate themselves. The cost of preparing for entrance examination is a heavy economic burden for Russian students and their families.

Currently the Certificate of Secondary Complete General Education and the successful passing of university-matriculation exams are required for admission to all kinds of higher education institutions.

Russia has four types of institutions:

- Universities: responsible for education and research in a variety of disciplines. There are ‘classical’ and ‘technical’ universities with special attention paid respectively to social sciences and humanities or natural fundamental and applied (engineering) sciences. Unofficial ratings also distinguish old ‘classical’ universities and ‘new’ universities, former pedagogical or technical institutions which have acquired their university status quite recently.

- Academies: responsible for education and research. They differ from universities only in that they restrict themselves to a single discipline. To hold a status of a university or an academy it is obligatory to be a leading scientific and methodological center in the field of your specialization.

- Institutes: multi-discipline oriented. They can be independent structural units, or part of a university or academy and usually specialize in one field. However pedagogical institutes are responsible for the spectrum of disciplines taught at schools.

- Private institutions: present in increasing numbers. They offer degrees in non-engineering fields such as business, culture, sociology and religion.

There are two levels of higher education in Russia – basic higher education (4 years) leading to a Bachelor’s degree, the first university level degree, and postgraduate higher education (5-6 years or more). After two years, students are entitled to receive a Master’s Degree (Master of Science, Master of Arts). Upon obtaining a Master’s degree, students can continue to study towards a doctoral degree: the first level is Doctor of Philosophy and the second, highest level, is Professor).

The Bachelor’s degree programmes last for at least 4 years of full-time university-level study. The programmes are elaborated in accordance with the State Educational Standards which regulate almost 80% of their content. The other 20% are elaborated by the university itself. The programmes include professional and special courses in science, the humanities and social-economic disciplines, professional training, completion of a research project and passing State final exams. Having obtained the Bachelor’s degree, students may apply to enter the Master’s programme or continue their studies in the framework of the Specialist’s Diploma programmes. The Bachelor’s degree is awarded in all fields except Medicine after defending a Diploma project prepared under the guidance of a supervisor and passing the final exams. In Medicine, the first stage lasts for six years.

Holders of the Bachelor’s degree are admitted to enter the Specialist Diploma and Master’s degree programmes. Access to these programmes is competitive. The Master’s degree is awarded after successful completion of two years’ full-time study. Students must carry out a year of research including practice and prepare and defend a thesis which constitutes an original contribution and sit for final examinations.

Access to the postgraduate level again is very competitive. Candidates must hold a Specialist Diploma or a Master’s degree. Studies last for 3 years. The postgraduate school prepares for research and professorial activities. Students must learn teaching methods, Information and Communications Technologies, and pass qualifying exams. They carry out independent research, prepare and defend a dissertation in public. They are then awarded the scientific degree of Candidate of Science. The Doctor of Scienceprogramme is specific and its duration is not fixed. It follows the Candidate of Science and is awarded after preparation and public defence of a dissertation.

Higher educational establishments in Russia are headed by Rectors. Pro-rectors are in charge of academic and scientific work. An institute or a university has a number of faculties, each specializing in a field of study. Faculties have specialized councils which confer candidate and doctoral degrees.

The system of secondary and higher education in Russia is going through a transitional period nowadays. The main objectives of the reform are: to decentralize the higher education system, to develop a new financial mechanism, to give more academic freedom to faculties and students.