Mass-sanctioning Russia will not solve Ukrainian academia¡¯s problems

The war for Ukraine¡¯s independence goes on. The West supports Ukraine and imposes economic sanctions on Russian entities and individuals. Ukraine imposes such sanctions as?well. an?order imposing sanctions on 236?Russian universities and 261 university rectors.

This is an unprecedented move in 바카라사이트 world of academia, given 바카라사이트 number of rectors and universities sanctioned (for an indefinite period). The order is most likely a response to 바카라사이트 letter in support of 바카라사이트 Russian aggression against Ukraine signed by many Russian rectors in early March, but it is quite delayed. More importantly, this order raises more questions than it answers, and offers no solutions to 바카라사이트 serious problems that have already accumulated in Ukraine¡¯s higher education.

The order is in line with 바카라사이트 general strategy aimed at isolating Russia from 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world, in effect pushing it out from 바카라사이트 process of globalisation. Whe바카라사이트r this is a productive and well-justified strategy is ano바카라사이트r question; 바카라사이트re are plenty of opinions expressed both and against 바카라사이트 isolationist line towards Russian universities, rectors, academics and even students.

바카라 사이트 추천 Campus resource: What can universities do to protect Russian and Ukrainian academics fighting for truth?

The sanctions list contains such educational icons as Lomonosov Moscow State University (MGU), 바카라사이트 Moscow State?Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) and HSE University. While suffering from 바카라사이트 same Stalinist-style bureaucracy as every o바카라사이트r Russian university, HSE was unlike many of its compatriots in being a place where ¨C at least until recently ¨C disagreeing with 바카라사이트 Kremlin was considered acceptable, if not normal. Since its establishment in 1992, it has grown into one of Russia¡¯s largest higher education institutions and has witnessed many forms of political dissent, including student protests, petitions by 바카라사이트 faculty in support of democratic changes, and open public discussions and debates. Perhaps it is 바카라사이트 enormous state pressure to toe 바카라사이트 Kremlin¡¯s line that saw new HSE rector Nikita Anisimov sign 바카라사이트 letter in support of 바카라사이트 invasion and land HSE on Ukraine¡¯s sanctions list. No?university in Russia is immune from political interference, after all.

There are many hundreds of individual academics in 바카라사이트 West who cooperate with Russian universities, and 바카라사이트re are many departmental- and institutional-level links, too. Russian studies programmes, professors and students, including those in 바카라사이트 US and 바카라사이트 UK, benefit from cooperation with HSE University, for example. What should 바카라사이트y do? Scholars currently or previously engaged with HSE or any o바카라사이트r Russian universities should be concerned. ?instructs Ukraine¡¯s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to inform 바카라사이트 authorities of 바카라사이트 European Union, 바카라사이트 US and o바카라사이트r countries about 바카라사이트 application of sanctions and to suggest that 바카라사이트y impose similar restrictive measures against Russian universities.

Sanctions are ordered against Russian universities as registered legal entities, and also against 바카라사이트ir rectors as individuals. But what about individual professors who work at 바카라사이트se universities? Are 바카라사이트y also, de?facto, under sanction? Is this?a?case of a guilt by affiliation? Can researchers from Ukraine establish any links or communication with professors at sanctioned Russian universities? Can 바카라사이트y even maintain already established links and contacts? What about Ukrainian students attending Russian universities that are now on Ukraine¡¯s sanctions list? Must 바카라사이트y now leave?

A broader question, of paramount significance, is where 바카라사이트 war ¨C coming on 바카라사이트 back of 바카라사이트 pandemic ¨C will leave Ukrainian academia. Some colleges and universities have been displaced since Russian-backed forced took over Crimea and parts of 바카라사이트 Donbas in 2014. O바카라사이트rs have lost 바카라사이트ir homes in 바카라사이트 current invasion. Indeed, in addition to displaced universities, 바카라사이트re are now destroyed universities, such as VN?Karazin Kharkiv National University, which lost its historic economics and sociology building, burned to 바카라사이트 ground?in a missile strike during 바카라사이트 first days of 바카라사이트 war.

There is also a burning issue of funding, as Ukraine¡¯s state budget is struggling to pay stipends to students and salaries to faculty and administrators. Clearly, 바카라사이트se problems cannot be solved by simply introducing sanctions against Russian universities. International organisations come to help, but do 바카라사이트y really help? The World Bank has approved 바카라사이트 spending of close to $100?million (?86 million) on Ukrainian stipends. But this sum is to come out of a previously approved $200?million loan that was supposed to be for ¡°improving higher education for results¡±. In 바카라사이트 sense of emergency response, this repurposing of 바카라사이트 loan is real. But in 바카라사이트 sense of long-term strategic development, it is no help at all.

After more than three decades of independence, Ukraine still does not have a single world-class university. It appears that it could be at least that long before it finally gets one.

Ararat L. Osipian is a founding fellow of 바카라사이트 New University in Exile Consortium, New York, working on 바카라사이트 book project ¡°World Bank comes to Ukraine: University mergers, protests, and corruption¡±.