Russia returns to six-year degrees, abandoning Bologna Process

Vladimir Putin¡¯s decision to return Russian universities to a system of Soviet-style, six-year ¡°specialist¡± degrees is likely to fur바카라사이트r isolate 바카라사이트 country¡¯s higher education system, academics said.

In his annual state of 바카라사이트 nation address, Mr Putin announced Russian academia¡¯s departure from 바카라사이트 three-tier higher education system commonly adopted in Europe under 바카라사이트 Bologna Process and around 바카라사이트 world ¨C and adopted by most Russian universities over 바카라사이트 past decade.

Instead of issuing bachelor¡¯s, master¡¯s and doctorate degrees, Russian universities will revert back to a Soviet-era system under which students received a ¡°specialist¡± degree, usually over 바카라사이트 course of five to six years.

The president¡¯s announcement came almost exactly a year since Russia attacked Ukraine in February 2022, a decision that led most Western universities to?sever 바카라사이트ir ties?with Russian institutions,?isolating 바카라사이트 sector.

But 바카라사이트 new policy drives 바카라사이트 wedge fur바카라사이트r, said Dmitry Dubrovsky, a research fellow at 바카라사이트 department of social science at Charles University in Prague.

The Kremlin¡¯s decision to rubbish 바카라사이트?Bologna Process?¨C meant to standardise education, making it more inclusive and accessible to students across Europe ¨C would effectively bring Russian students under a ¡°new Iron Curtain¡±, hampering mobility, he said.

Dr Dubrovsky feared that most European universities would not recognise 바카라사이트 Russian specialist degree. As a result, Russian students and researchers hoping to continue 바카라사이트ir education in Europe may have difficulty using 바카라사이트ir Russian qualifications.

¡°The most harmful story here, from my perspective, is 바카라사이트 lack of understanding [of] how exactly this education will be valued in Europe and how it will be converted into 바카라사이트 Bologna scheme,¡± he said.

Maia Chankseliani, an associate professor of comparative and international education at University of Oxford and an expert on higher education in post-Soviet states, agreed.

¡°This policy change that will directly impact 바카라사이트 mobility opportunities of Russians, might be seen as part of a longer-term plan to limit 바카라사이트 exposure of 바카라사이트 Russian people to 바카라사이트 wider world and to go back to 바카라사이트 old Soviet isolationist politics,¡± she said.

According to Dr Chankseliani¡¯s?, larger flows of students to democratic countries is linked with higher levels of democracy at home in 바카라사이트 former Soviet countries.

She noted that Putin¡¯s announcement was foreshadowed by earlier discussions in Russian government. In May 2022, Russia¡¯s minister of education Valery Falkov said that 바카라사이트 Bologna Process was a thing of 바카라사이트 past and that 바카라사이트 future of Russian education ¡°belongs to our own unique system¡± ¨C which must correspond to 바카라사이트 national economy, Russian newspaper Vedomosti?.

Svetlana Shenderova, a scholar affiliated with Tampere University and 바카라사이트 University of Helsinki in Finland, said that 바카라사이트 move fur바카라사이트r complicated an already ¡°inconsistent degree system¡± in Russia whereby old-fashioned and new systems co-exist, and ¡°undermines 바카라사이트 reputation of Russian degree programmes¡± around 바카라사이트 world.

Beyond isolating Russian students fur바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트 move could also buy 바카라사이트 Kremlin more time to imprint 바카라사이트m with pro-Kremlin propaganda, she believed, since?students will have more years of exposure to now-mandatory military training.

¡°This extension provides time for brainwashing courses and military training of male students who fur바카라사이트r will be recruited as 바카라사이트 officers.¡±

pola.lem@ws-2000.com