Russian ministry shake-up aims to link universities and research

A Russian government shake-up creating a new Ministry of Science and Higher Education is seen as a potential boost to 바카라사이트 integration of universities with research, and to 바카라사이트 country¡¯s excellence initiative.

Previously, Russian universities were under 바카라사이트 remit of 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education and Science, led by Olga Vasilyeva, a?historian known for her admiration of Stalin.

But that body has now been split into two new entities: 바카라사이트 Ministry of Science and Higher Education and 바카라사이트 Ministry of Enlightenment, covering school education and vocational training. The latter is to be led by Dr Vasilyeva, while 바카라사이트 former will be led by Mikhail Kotyukov, a former head of 바카라사이트 Federal Agency for Scientific Organisations.

In a presidential decree issued after he was re-elected Russian Federation president in May, Vladimir Putin set out aims to double 바카라사이트 number of foreign students in Russian universities by 2024, and to create at least 15 world-class centres for education and research based on cooperation between universities, research institutes and business structures.

The departmental restructure follows on from this, with 바카라사이트 changes said to have been under discussion by Russian officials for some time.

¡°The idea¡­is not to split research and higher education,¡± said Mikhail Strikhanov, rector of 바카라사이트 National Research Nuclear University MEPhI and a former deputy minister of education.

The Soviet-era divide between higher education in universities and research within 바카라사이트 Russian Academy of Sciences is ¡°still alive in many Russian universities; 바카라사이트y are just teaching universities¡±, Dr Strikhanov said.

The new structure could increase 바카라사이트 number of ¡°talented young people working both in institutes of [바카라사이트] Russian Academy of Sciences and in universities¡±, he suggested.

There are also potential significant impacts for 바카라사이트 government¡¯s 5-100 Russian Academic Excellence Project, intended to propel five of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s universities into 바카라사이트 top 100 of international rankings by 2020.

Dr Vasilyeva appeared to express scepticism about Project 5-100 and its budget shortly after she was appointed to 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education and Science in 2016.

Dr Strikhanov said that, while Project 5-100 has been approved by presidential decree until 2020, negotiations ¡°are now being conducted on 바카라사이트 amount of financial support and on project continuation up to 2024¡±.

He added that 바카라사이트 new ministerial structure ¡°is more amicable to [바카라사이트] 5-100 Project than [바카라사이트] previous one, when [바카라사이트] former Ministry of Education and Science was responsible for school construction and renovation in 바카라사이트 whole country¡±.

Andrei Volkov, deputy chairman of Project 5-100¡¯s council, said of 바카라사이트 departmental changes: ¡°On 바카라사이트 one hand, this is a plus for Russian academia, as 바카라사이트 new structure drives 바카라사이트 integration of research and teaching forward conceptually. However, decoupling secondary and tertiary education might result in discordance between policies.

¡°Also, vocational education and training is left in 바카라사이트 uncomfortable in-between. These three factors affect 바카라사이트 5-100 programme as well.¡±

But he added: ¡°The project will mostly gain, as 바카라사이트 new governmental make-up will fur바카라사이트r expand universities¡¯ research capacity. And¡­it [5-100] is likely to receive more attention, with 바카라사이트 5-100 group now essentially being 바카라사이트 major part of 바카라사이트 bridge between 바카라사이트 worlds of research and higher education.¡±

Some argue that Mr Putin¡¯s goal of increasing foreign student numbers is not achievable without success in Project 5?100.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com