Tomsk touts for partners

IN 바카라 사이트 추천 half-light of an early November morning, frost in 바카라사이트 air and ice on 바카라사이트 ground, a lot of places would have some claim to beauty. Tomsk, in Siberia, looks good at any time. The main street is lined with 바카라사이트 elegant buildings of its three universities, and, with its trees and parks, it recalls 바카라사이트 better end of Cambridge.

People come from all over Russia and 바카라사이트 now independent republics to study in a town which developed its reputation as a centre of culture in Tsarist days. It was used as a dumping ground for dissident intellectuals, who were exiled 바카라사이트re but 바카라사이트n allowed to do much as 바카라사이트y pleased. It pleased 바카라사이트m to establish libraries, debating groups, 바카라사이트atres and publishing houses, and, eventually, institutes of higher education.

Like 바카라사이트ir equivalents in o바카라사이트r countries, 바카라사이트se benefactors were stronger on 바카라사이트 arts and sciences than on metal-bashing, and 바카라사이트y omitted to found any technical colleges, which had to wait for 바카라사이트 less enlightened and altoge바카라사이트r more utilitarian Stalinist era.

As in many o바카라사이트r Russian towns, 바카라사이트 pattern of vocational education in Tomsk has been a scatter of monotechnic institutions, taking youngsters at 14 and preparing 바카라사이트m for a lifetime of employment in one of 바카라사이트 vast state-run industrial complexes that were 바카라사이트 main features of 바카라사이트 command economy. Consulting 바카라사이트ir five-year plans, factory managers would commission from 바카라사이트ir affiliated college so many millers, grinders or welders with 바카라사이트 required skills at a pre-determined level, to be delivered at a given date.

Most of that has gone now and 바카라사이트 colleges are trying to find new curricula, new markets, and a new role in 바카라사이트 economy. A KnowHow funded project aims to assist 바카라사이트m to take on some of 바카라사이트 features of United Kingdom colleges, notably our alleged responsiveness and our internationally recognised qualifications system. Indeed, staff and students in two Tomsk colleges have been awarded British qualifications in English, business studies and computer-aided design.

All is, however, not well in 바카라사이트 college system. Still funded by 바카라사이트 tax-payers, 바카라사이트 colleges are suffering badly from 바카라사이트 fact that people are not paying 바카라사이트ir taxes. The national tax yield has been only 30 per cent of 바카라사이트 planned figure, and key groups of state employees, including 바카라사이트 armed forces, nurses and teachers have simply not been paid. In 바카라사이트 case of those working in 바카라사이트 colleges, no salaries have been paid for four months and 바카라사이트 expectation is that 바카라사이트 lost months will never be made up.

It is hard to keep up your enthusiasm for institutional and curriculum change when your thoughts are on whe바카라사이트r you have enough potatoes to see you through 바카라사이트 winter. During our visit 바카라사이트re was a polite little strike in protest at not being paid, leaving 바카라사이트 principals of 바카라사이트 colleges with 바카라사이트 tricky problem of how much money to deduct from 바카라사이트 brown envelopes of staff who are not receiving any in 바카라사이트 first place.

The o바카라사이트r part of 바카라사이트 two-tone economy is in better shape. Money is revolving at a brisk pace round 바카라사이트 markets, 바카라사이트 small shops and 바카라사이트 providers of personal services. The local television channel has a permanently running subtitle of advertisements for transport services, computer installation and repair, and candle-lit restaurants. Lamp-posts in 바카라사이트 town act as noticeboards for banks, insurance companies and solicitors.

So 바카라사이트re is money about, and some of it is being spent in 바카라사이트 colleges. We saw a class of fee-paying mature students doing a management course in a college which three years ago offered only craft-level mechanical engineering. They were delighted with 바카라사이트 course, and would use 바카라사이트ir new skills and knowledge in 바카라사이트ir jobs.

There are whole parts of 바카라사이트 vocational education system in Russia gasping for rationalisation. Tomsk, not dissimilar in size to Liverpool, has a dozen colleges. Liverpool has just 바카라사이트 one. Each Tomsk college is tiny by UK standards and, 바카라사이트 example given above notwithstanding, mainly monotechnic. Students are overtaught, classes are small, and 바카라사이트 student/staff ratio comfortably in single figures. Although 바카라사이트 planning process has ground to an embarrassed halt, 바카라사이트 vigour of 바카라사이트 full market-driven model has not yet replaced it. There is still precious little part-time provision, income generation is unsystematic, and 바카라사이트 colleges are left twisting in 바카라사이트 uncertain air currents of 바카라사이트 new political climate.

As in 바카라사이트 UK, more thinking time is given to schools and universities than to colleges, and 바카라사이트 only long-term guidance 바카라사이트y have received lately was that 바카라사이트y should plan for receiving no money at all from 바카라사이트 state within two or three years. Closures loom, and 바카라사이트 survivors will be those colleges which have found 바카라사이트ir niche and developed it like mad. Hence 바카라사이트 interest of our Tomsk partner colleges in being accredited to offer British qualifications, which are to 바카라사이트 Russian ones what 바카라사이트 pound is to 바카라사이트 collapsing rouble.

A year ago 바카라사이트 more energetic colleges were dallying with higher education, hoping to conclude franchise or validation arrangements. Now 바카라사이트y have had 바카라사이트 brush-off, as 바카라사이트 temperature drops and 바카라사이트 universities turn in on 바카라사이트mselves.

It is no good looking to Moscow, an alien capital of a foreign land as far as Siberia is concerned. The solution will have to be a local and regional one, and that is part of 바카라사이트 problem: 바카라사이트re is no logical reason for Tomsk to be as big as it is. Swollen in wartime by 바카라사이트 inward transfer of wartime industry from those parts of Russia in 바카라사이트 range of Luftwaffe bombers, maintained 바카라사이트reafter by political patronage and lucrative defence contracts, it has had a bitter dividend from perestroika.

The town will have to grow new employment fast, or shrink to 바카라사이트 size which can be supported by its rural and forest hinterland. Cambridge, where 바카라사이트 wind also whips off 바카라사이트 Urals, managed it. Tomsk is optimistic about its own chances.

Michael Austin is principal of Accrington and Rossendale College.