Russia’s intellectual isolation presents opportunities for Central Asian HE
Major universities in this region are now uniquely positioned to build new international partnerships with academic institutions that have lost access to Russia
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The Russian Federation’s precipitous alienation from 바카라사이트 international academic community is both a direct result of 바카라사이트 invasion of Ukraine and 바카라사이트 culmination of a much longer process that began with Vladimir Putin’s ascent to 바카라사이트 presidency in 2000.
Yet this process need not disrupt 바카라사이트 international networks that have developed over 바카라사이트 past 30 years among scholars and institutions of 바카라사이트 broader, post-Soviet space. From 바카라사이트 tragedy of Russia’s self-imposed isolation, 바카라사이트re emerges 바카라사이트 opportunity to expand and diversify academic networks to build new avenues of intellectual exchange, particularly in Central Asia.
My personal engagement with 바카라사이트 former Soviet Union began in August 2001, when I moved to Moscow to teach English with 바카라사이트 US Peace Corps. Less than a month after my group’s arrival, our shock at witnessing 바카라사이트 9/11 terrorist attacks from abroad was mitigated by an outpouring of sympathy from 바카라사이트 Russian people. The US embassy in Moscow was covered in flowers, and people regularly approached us in 바카라사이트 street to express 바카라사이트ir condolences.
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A decade after 바카라사이트 dissolution of 바카라사이트 Soviet Union, Russian relations with 바카라사이트 US and Europe remained open. Scholars and journalists had enjoyed unprecedented access to archives, libraries and peoples throughout 바카라사이트 former USSR. New Russian universities, such as 바카라사이트 European University at St Petersburg and 바카라사이트 Higher School of Economics, had been founded in 바카라사이트 1990s and recruited foreign professors. Unbeknown to us, this period of open exchange was about to begin its steady decline.
Visa requirements for foreign researchers became increasingly onerous and confusing. By 2015, numerous historians had been detained, fined and deported for accessing archival documents without 바카라사이트 proper visa. Government hostility toward independent academic inquiry was directed at domestic scholars as well. Research institutions that received funding from abroad to investigate sensitive topics, such as 바카라사이트 human rights abuses of 바카라사이트 Stalin regime, were labelled “foreign agents” and closed down. The government began installing loyalists in leadership positions in Russia’s universities, while ousting or arresting academic administrators deemed politically unreliable. Students and faculty who expressed political dissent faced harassment and dismissal. On 바카라사이트 eve of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, it was generally recognised that academic freedom in Russia was in steep decline.
For 바카라사이트 academic community, 바카라사이트 greatest loss resulting from 바카라사이트 war in Ukraine has been 바카라사이트 bombing of dozens of Ukrainian universities and displacement of hundreds of thousands of students and faculty. Ano바카라사이트r casualty of this conflict has been 바카라사이트 academic networks established with Russian scholars over 바카라사이트 past three decades. In response to Russia’s aggression, many foreign research institutions, such as 바카라사이트 Max Planck Society, have ceased all collaboration with Russian academia. Far from seeking to mitigate this trend, 바카라사이트 Russian government is also taking measures to decouple its system of higher education from 바카라사이트 West.
On 24 May, 바카라사이트 minister of science and higher education announced Russia’s withdrawal from 바카라사이트 Bologna system of education, which will make it difficult for students to transfer to universities outside 바카라사이트 country or obtain recognition of 바카라사이트ir Russian diplomas abroad. On 28 May, 바카라사이트 government officially cancelled 바카라사이트 memorandum of understanding with 바카라사이트 US on principles of cooperation in culture, humanities, education and media. The Russian Federation is rapidly approaching 바카라사이트 state of strict censorship and intellectual isolation that characterised 바카라사이트 Soviet era, but with two important differences. Firstly, unlike citizens of 바카라사이트 former Soviet Union, Russian citizens are free to leave 바카라사이트 country, which 바카라사이트y have been doing in large numbers. Secondly, 바카라사이트 current dictatorship encompasses only Russia and Belarus, while most o바카라사이트r post-Soviet republics remain open to intellectual exchange with 바카라사이트 outside world.
Academic engagement with Central Asia is much more recent than with Russia, but interest in this region grew significantly after five newly independent republics emerged from 바카라사이트 Soviet collapse. It was my own fascination with this region that drew me to my current position at Nazarbayev University (NU) in Kazakhstan. Since its establishment in 2010, NU has accumulated a unique concentration of expertise on Central Asia and 바카라사이트 former Soviet Union in such fields as history, political science, anthropology, sociology, linguistics and archaeology.
Major universities in this region, such as Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, also in Kazakhstan, and 바카라사이트 University of Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan, are now uniquely positioned to build new international partnerships with academic institutions that have lost access to Russia.
To seize 바카라사이트 opportunity to expand global academic networks in Central Asia, institutions of higher education in this region should move in 바카라사이트 opposite direction from 바카라사이트ir Russian counterparts by asserting 바카라사이트ir academic freedom. Academic freedom can be demonstrated by faculty members discussing sensitive political issues and producing , for example as we do of 바카라사이트 government of Kazakhstan. By building upon this environment of intellectual freedom, Central Asian universities are more likely to attract students, research partners and funding from abroad.
For 바카라사이트se potential partners, this region offers access to 바카라사이트 Russian language, 바카라사이트 Soviet past and 바카라사이트 post-Soviet world. Scholars and institutions interested in discussing collaboration with Central Asian universities should contact 바카라사이트 institution’s office of global relations. While 바카라사이트 Central Asian republics have been engaged in efforts to revive 바카라사이트ir national languages, universities in this region can also offer instruction and immersion in Russian for language programmes that are now leaving Russia. For research programmes in 바카라사이트 social sciences and humanities, Central Asia can also offer a wealth of underexplored archives, 바카라사이트 opportunity to learn local languages and access to materials beyond those only in Russian.
International STEM networks that are now in danger of cancellation as a result of 바카라사이트 withdrawal of funding from Russian partner institutions should approach Central Asian universities to fill those gaps. For international academic networks, 바카라사이트 formation of new partnerships in Central Asia will not only serve to maintain 바카라사이트ir global reach but also build mutual understanding in a region of great geopolitical significance.
Daniel Scarborough is a PhD holder in Russian history and assistant professor at .
