Forward to the past: how universities will return to the Soviet system

- Irina Vsevolodovna, the president believes that it is necessary to return to the system with a training period of 4 to 6 years. The President also said that after the rejection of the Bologna system and the transition of Russia to another education system, young people should have new opportunities. What are these opportunities? And does this mean that now everywhere, as in the USSR, students will study for 5 years, and bachelor's and master's degrees will not be valid?- No, we are talking about the integration of the Soviet system into the best achievements of the education system of recent years.

Of course, all diplomas that were issued before that will be valid. Students who are currently studying at universities will continue their studies there according to the current programs, and the diplomas they receive will also be legitimate. Bachelor's and master's degrees will definitely remain in the next year or two: 2023 is the year in specific admission figures and in programs at universities, and most likely they will not have time to make all the changes for 2024. In general, making changes to programs is a long procedure. Although this will not affect all universities. For example, the Moscow State University has a fairly conservative system, where most faculties – specialty, bachelor's and master's degrees touched only the Faculty of Economics.

- Diplomas obtained under the Bologna system were recognized all over the world. Won't it turn out that the diplomas received in Russia under the new or "Soviet" system will be valid only within the country? And foreigners will probably stop studying with us over time...- Diplomas are verified by international independent agencies.

If a new educational program appears, it passes examination, and it is entered into the register of programs. We have such independent agencies in our country. They recognize the curriculum as corresponding or not corresponding to the part that is included in the register. Here the problem is deeper – the provision of work in accordance with the diploma received in the Bologna system. But the fact is that recently a segment of programs completed in Russia under the Bologna system has been closed for international organizations. Our diplomas are no longer visible to employers abroad. As for the recognition of our Russian diplomas – yes, it is possible in principle. However, I will cite just one fact: those who continued their PHD studies abroad, this is something like a doctoral program, were asked to return to Russia after the start of the special operation, breaking off cooperation. After the start of ITS abroad, especially in Europe, many scientific ties were interrupted, in fact, the participation of foreign professors in the work of our universities ceased.

- Did Russia begin to reconsider the attitude towards graduates of foreign universities? Do we recognize their diplomas?- There are very few universities in the world whose diplomas we recognize.

There are only 220 of them. At the same time, there are a lot of oddities. For example, we recognize the diploma of the French Ecole Normale, which, in fact, graduates officials, but for some reason we do not recognize the diploma of the Polytechnic University of Paris, with which our country has been cooperating since the 19th century: this is a long-standing cooperation of French and Russian engineering schools. Among the universities whose diplomas we recognize, there are many well–known educational institutions - such as Harvard, Stanford, and others recognized all over the world. But there are many universities in this list that, in my opinion, are simply not needed.

- Diplomas of which universities, in your opinion, help with employment the most?- As far as I know, our major recruiting agencies are such as HH.

RU, it's been 5 years since they excluded the level of education from their parameters. Experience and skills are important to the employer. They have their own competence assessment systems. This applies to almost all specialists. Now no one is beating the doorsteps of employers, shaking only with a diploma. Most of them get a job through acquaintances or recruiting agencies, for whom the level of education is generally not important. For a modern employer, it is important that a person meets professional standards.

- I don't agree with you. When my candidacy was approved for the post of head of the TV channel, I was required to have a diploma of higher education, and a profile one.- We do have strange standards for managers, especially in the education system.

For example, to become the head of a kindergarten, whether in a city or in a village, a master's degree in management is required, just pedagogical education is not enough. That is, the requirements for the head of the kindergarten are equivalent to the requirements for the rector of the university. Where in rural areas can a person get such a diploma and such a specialty? As a result, kindergartens are attached to schools or the head becomes acting for an indefinite time. In many ways, there are inadequate requirements for managers. Of course, they need to be changed.

- What does the declared turn to the East mean for the education system? - It is worth admitting that our students will be able to travel to the West to study less now than before.

The choice of an educational program largely depends on the language. Admittedly, there is not much choice for English-language programs now. Yes, there are Singapore, Hong Kong, whose universities are in the top of the world's educational programs. But it's difficult to live there. Even in Israel, there are very few English-language programs. Yes, there are French-speaking programs, but there are hardly any students who want to study in French-speaking Africa. There is a fairly well-known Primakov School in Dubai, where students are taught in Russian according to the Federal State Educational Standard. The Ministry of Education and Science decided to open such an educational institution for those who decided to move to the UAE. But studying there implies assimilation with the local culture, which is not acceptable for everyone.

- Are the leading Russian universities waiting for a radical restructuring of educational programs in connection with what the president has announced?- We'll have to change.

However, the leading Russian universities have the right to their own standards of education, that is, to combine bachelor's and master's degrees with a specialty. Perhaps there will be more options for choosing programs, and this is good. But the main thing is the result and knowledge, not the name of the program.