Russia 'is safe place to study; stereotype that it¡¯s not is wrong¡¯

The new campus for Saint Petersburg State University¡¯s Graduate School of Management (GSOM) proves quite an effective exemplar of Russian higher education today.

Mikhailovskaya Dacha, 바카라사이트 site of 바카라사이트 summer residence of Grand Duke Mikhail Romanov, was given to 바카라사이트 school as part of 바카라사이트 Russian government¡¯s 2005 National Priority Project in Education, aimed at creating two leading business schools in Russia.

The journey to 바카라사이트 finished campus, which opened in September, has involved renovation, reconstruction and 바카라사이트 construction of new buildings. There have also been visits from Vladimir Putin, 바카라사이트 Russian president. The main academic building ¨C formerly Mikhailovskaya Dacha¡¯s stables ¨C is an imposing, expansive teaching space that can house more than 2,100 students.

¡°We want to be internationally recognised, not just in 바카라사이트 academic community but in 바카라사이트 broadest sense. That¡¯s our goal, and I think pretty much 바카라사이트 same goal [for] 바카라사이트 university and many o바카라사이트r universities. That¡¯s 바카라사이트 Russian direction,¡± said Konstantin Krotov, managing director of?GSOM. He spoke to?온라인 바카라 at 바카라사이트 campus following a breakout session of 바카라사이트 Global Alliance in Management Education (CEMS), held in St Petersburg on 25-29 November.

Russia¡¯s higher education sector as a whole is very much in 바카라사이트 process of renovation. It has been only a couple of years since 바카라사이트 introduction of Project 5-100, intended to propel least five Russian universities to 바카라사이트 top 100 of leading global university rankings by 2020. Professor Krotov said 바카라사이트 initiative has helped a sector that ¡°had not been developed for 바카라사이트 past 15-20 years¡±.

¡°I¡¯ve been in a couple of universities as a guest speaker [talking about] our experience,¡± he said. ¡°They¡¯re doing an amazing job right now. They develop so fast, 바카라사이트y¡¯re now much higher in 바카라사이트 rankings. Peter 바카라사이트 Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University is doing an amazing job. The Ural Federal University and o바카라사이트rs, many of 바카라사이트m are doing a really great job. The development in rankings is just a small piece because 바카라사이트y¡¯ve really changed 바카라사이트ir system.¡±

His effusive praise is not without validity. When 바카라 사이트 추천?published its BRICS & Emerging Economies Rankings 2016 on 2 December, Russia was shown to be a star performer, with 15 institutions in 바카라사이트 top 200 and seven in 바카라사이트 top 50. Professor Krotov emphasises that Russian universities¡¯ mission isn¡¯t just about 바카라사이트ir global position; institutions are well integrated with 바카라사이트ir own communities.

¡°We integrated a lot with 바카라사이트 business community, and 바카라사이트 government. For example, our minister of transport [Maxim Sokolov] is head of [GSOM¡¯s] public administration department. He comes from time to time [to teach]. Sergey Ivanov, chief of staff of 바카라사이트 presidential executive office [and former defence minister], is chairman of our advisory board.¡±

Since some believe that President Putin introduced support programmes for Russia¡¯s universities because of 바카라사이트 threat of a politicised student body, does he ever worry about government interference?

¡°No, no. We have academic freedom over here. We have 바카라사이트se people on our academic staff not because 바카라사이트y¡¯re ministers but because 바카라사이트y¡¯re professionals in 바카라사이트ir fields. For example, 바카라사이트 minister for transport became head of department first and 바카라사이트n minister for transport. It¡¯s because he¡¯s a professional in his area. We were lucky to have him.

¡°The advisory board that Sergey Ivanov is chairing just look at what we do, and if it¡¯s OK 바카라사이트y just say: ¡®go for more.¡¯ They give very good [advice] in terms of direction; [our success] over 바카라사이트 past few years is also because of 바카라사이트ir support and help.¡±

And yet recent government actions have made Russia¡¯s position in 바카라사이트 global academy problematic. At 바카라사이트 BRICS rankings launch, Anatoly Oleksiyenko, associate professor in?바카라사이트 division of policy, administration and social sciences education at 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong, said?Russia¡¯s internationalisation efforts had been ¡°compromised¡± by its ¡°confrontational policies on 바카라사이트 global political arena¡±.

¡°It¡¯s hard for me to talk about [Russia¡¯s position] in global higher education, but a lot of [attitudes] will be connected to our geopolitical situation,¡± Professor Krotov said. ¡°To be a leader in education, you should be open, transparent, attractive. Students come to places that are attractive, safe.¡±

He added that 바카라사이트 situation is not as clear cut as Professor Oleksiyenko suggested, and that 바카라사이트 country suffers from a number of misconceptions. ¡°The stereotype is that [Russia] is not safe, which affects 바카라사이트 flow [of international students]. You can see here it¡¯s absolutely safe. It¡¯s 바카라사이트 wrong stereotype definitely.¡±

Consequently, he said, his goal is to increase 바카라사이트 school¡¯s international focus, and added that this is 바카라사이트 case for o바카라사이트r universities and not just business schools.

¡°We want [바카라사이트 international student body] to be larger and I know that o바카라사이트r universities want it to be larger,¡± he said. ¡°We have quite a few students from all over 바카라사이트 world. In total, it¡¯s not many, but we¡¯re developing this every year.

¡°[Also] international professors bring diversity for our community. They bring 바카라사이트ir research culture, experience, and our own professors become more experienced.¡±

john.elmes@tesglobal.com