When choosing a university, individual applicants and their parents often face a difficult question: which education system opens up greater opportunities for obtaining the highest quality education and promising employment - Western or Russian? In This article we will make a comparison of everything about the past and future of Russian higher education with the Western system.
On the way to the Western model
Perhaps the most important event in the development of modern higher education took place in 2003, when Russia signed the Bologna Declaration. The Bologna process is the convergence and unification of the higher education systems of European countries in order to create a single space of higher education. So far, 47 countries have signed the declaration, including Russia. What do students from different countries get from similar levels of higher education? First of all, the possibility of free movement between universities during the period of study (internships and international exchanges for both teachers and students, participation in international projects), as well as employment in any country participating in the Bologna process without requirement of equalization of the degree or to receive additional training to achieve similar level of degree.
Thus, by 2010, Russia reformed the national education system in accordance with the main provisions of the Bologna Declaration: mainly, along with the specialty and postgraduate studies, bachelor's and master's programs were introduced, as is customary in European universities. As a result, the latter began to issue to all graduates European supplements of a single sample to bachelor's and master's degrees.
Legislation and standards of higher education
The Law of the Russian Federation "On Education" in 1992 introduced the concept of an educational standard. At the moment, the third generation of standards is in force, which have been approved since 2009. Today they are called federal. In 2012, the law "On Education in the Russian Federation" was adopted, according to which, from September 1, 2013, updated federal state educational standards for higher education were approved. The main changes related to higher education within the framework of the adopted law:
- Postgraduate studies are becoming a separate level of higher education.
- For the first time, the legislation contains the concepts of network, distance and e-learning, which can be used at all levels of education.
- In accordance with federal standards, special educational and methodological associations develop exemplary educational programs, on the basis of which universities create their own educational documents. Some universities (including Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov and St. Petersburg State University) were given the right to independently develop and approve educational standards.
Levels of education
According to the latest Russian legislation, there are three levels of higher education:
- higher education - bachelor's degree;
- higher education - specialty, magistracy;
- higher education - training of highly qualified personnel.
Undergraduate
A bachelor is an academic degree that a student of a higher educational institution receives after acquiring and confirming basic knowledge in the chosen field of study (specialty). Admission to the undergraduate program is made on a competitive basis based on the results of the Unified State Examination (USE), but this applies only to applicants with a secondary general education. Graduates of professional educational organizations (colleges, technical schools) enter undergraduate programs for internal entrance examinations on the basis of a diploma. A bachelor has the right, after passing special examinations, to enter the next stage of education and receive a master's or specialist's degree. A bachelor's degree provides ample opportunities for employment due to the basic, basic, knowledge necessary to start a career. The duration of undergraduate studies is 4 years for graduates of regular 11-year schools and, as a rule, 3 years for graduates of professional educational institutions. Also, the bachelor's degree expands the opportunities for further education and employment abroad, since the bachelor's degree is accepted according to the international classification and is understandable to employers around the world.
Master's degree
Master's degree is the second part of the two-level system of higher education, which graduates professionals with more in-depth specialization. The duration of training is 2 years. For admission, you must pass a special qualifying exam, which is determined by the university, and go through the competition. Both bachelors and specialists can enter the magistracy. Moreover, it is not at all necessary that it be the same educational organization. A bachelor's degree can be obtained by graduating from one educational organization (for example, non-state), and for a master's degree - to enter another (for example, state). However, bachelors who have not passed the competition can receive a master's degree only on a paid basis. A master's degree entitles you to further postgraduate studies. Enrolled in the magistracy, as well as in the bachelor's degree,
Specialist
This is a traditional step for Russian higher education, which existed before the signing of the Bologna Declaration by Russia and still exists. The specialty includes both basic education and special training within the chosen direction. Admission is based on the results of the exam. The term of study is 5 years for full-time, 6 years for part-time. The specialty gives the right to enter the magistracy or postgraduate study. The qualification "specialist" is considered the second stage of higher education, like the master's degree. Therefore, after a specialty, it is impossible to enter a master's program on a budgetary basis, since this, according to the law, will be considered a second higher education. But a specialist, unlike a bachelor, can enter graduate school. The diploma of a specialist is traditionally considered prestigious in Russia,
PhD
Postgraduate studies are a separate level of higher education in Russia, the purpose of which is to prepare for the degree of candidate of sciences. The scientific degree is awarded to a postgraduate student after passing the candidate's minimum (exams) and defending a dissertation. Admission to graduate school on a budgetary basis is possible only after a specialist degree. Budget graduate students are provided with state scholarships. Graduate students are given a deferment from conscription for military service. Postgraduate study usually lasts for three years, and for part-time studies - four years. In some European countries, the terms "postgraduate" and "postgraduate" correspond to "doctoral student" and "doctoral studies".
Russian universities
Management of education in Russia is carried out at 3 levels: federal, regional, municipal. At the federal level, management is carried out by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, whose functions include: approval of federal state educational standards, licensing, state accreditation and liquidation of educational institutions, the realization of the right to receive free higher education, the development and implementation of state and international programs in the field of education and much more. As for the regional and municipal levels, higher education is not included in the powers of state structures working at these levels.
There are three types of educational organizations of higher education in Russia: university, academy, institute. The University implements educational programs of higher education at all levels in a wide range of specialties. It must carry out fundamental and applied scientific research in a wide range of sciences. The Academy implements educational programs of all levels for a certain area of scientific activity, within which the Academy must carry out scientific research. Institutes work on educational programs of higher education of bachelor's, specialist's and master's degrees (postgraduate studies are not obligatory) in a certain area of professional activity. A wide range of scientific research is not required for institutes.
According to the rating agency "Expert RA", the top ten universities in the Russian Federation include: Lomonosov Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow State Technical University. N.E. Bauman, MEPhI, St. Petersburg State University, National Research University Higher School of Economics, All-Russian Academy of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, Tomsk Polytechnic University, Novosibirsk State University, MGIMO, Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration under the President of the Russian Federation, Ural Federal University. The best economic universities in Russia in 2013 according to the rating "Expert RA": Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov, MGIMO, St. Petersburg State University, NRU "Higher School of Economics", All-Russian Academy of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation.
Quality of higher education
Despite all the reforms carried out, the quality of higher education in Russia remains a big question mark. In 2014, Minister of Education Dmitry Livanov stated that the quality of higher education in Russia is not growing, despite the fact that funding has been increased 20 times since 2000. What hinders the development of Russian universities? According to Livanov, this is an outdated management system in Russian universities, as well as a low proportion of foreign teachers with decent qualifications. The low academic reputation and low rating of our universities in the global academic community are explained by weak internationalization. Also, among the reasons, Livanov named poor infrastructure, in which serious resources have not been invested for many decades.
This assessment of the Minister of Education is quite understandable. The ranking of the best universities in the world QS World University Rankings 2014/2015 includes 21 Russian universities. The leaders are: Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov, occupying 114th place, St. Petersburg State University (233rd place) and MSTU. N.E. Bauman (322nd place).
Trends in the development of educational services
What are the trends and prospects for the development of higher education in Russia? Among the main ones are:
- Internationalization of higher education and increasing the mobility of teachers and students, the possibility of a wider exchange of experience, foreign internships.
- Strengthening the practical orientation of education, introducing practical disciplines into educational programs, attracting practicing teachers. Among the educational organizations that are most quickly rebuilding to meet the new requirements of legislation and employers, the Institute of International Economic Relations should be singled out. In addition to the program, students can attend master classes of specially invited experts. Among the speakers you can meet well-known representatives of science, culture, banking and other business areas. The training programs are based on the current requirements of modern employers. Master classes and seminars are held with the participation of well-known businessmen, managers, heads of large enterprises, and politicians.
- The use of multimedia technologies, visualization systems in the educational process, the widespread introduction of distance and e-learning technologies and, as a result, the increasing popularity of distance education. The target audience of distance learning is adults, independently earning people who are engaged in professional activities and want to gain applied knowledge for career growth. Distance education is indispensable for remote cities, where there is often no other opportunity to get the desired education. It is worth noting that distance education programs are much cheaper than similar educational courses conducted according to the traditional system.
Original artical in Russian https://www.kp.ru/guide/sovremennoe-vysshee-obrazovanie.html
