Warnings Issued to 17 Universities by Rosobrnazdor, Including Concerns over Exams for Migrants
Heads Up: 17 Russian Universities Under the Radar
Roskomnadzor, Russia's educational watchdog, has rung the warning bell on no less than 17 universities, highlighting various compliance flaws on their website.
It seems ten educational institutions have violated the mandatory rules in their purview, with heavyweights like the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, Saint Petersburg State Maritime Technical University (SPbGMU), Novosibirsk State University, Siberian State University of Telecommunications and Information Sciences, Popov Academy of Choral Art, and others being singled out.
Historically, Vladimir Putin has emphasized the need for a uniform language proficiency assessment for foreign students seeking admission to Russian universities and scientific institutions. The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)-based exam will be mandatory from April 1, 2025.
In addition to the aforementioned issues, Roskomnadzor has detected inconsistencies in conducting foreign language, history, and Russian law exams, and issuing certificates to foreign students at seven more universities. These universities include the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN), Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU), Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia (HSPU), Vyatka State University (VSU), Ufa State University of Aviation, Orel State University named after I.A. Bunin, and Moscow Center for Quality of Education.
Previously, it was reported that the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia uncovered approximately 14,000 fraudulent certificates among migrants aspiring for Russian citizenship over a three-year period. The offenders had falsely claimed proficiency in the Russian language, history, and legislation. The information on such individuals is passed to Roskomnadzor, which then conducts inspections in concerned educational institutions to verify the authenticity of the certificates issued.
Remember, our website previously reported that Putin supports the Ministry of Education and Science's proposal for subsidized loans towards tuition fees in designated fields of study, such as medicine, engineering, and education.
Addressing the issue of excessive student recruitment from across the nation, Chairperson of the Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko voiced concerns over the overproduction of specialized professionals that aren't necessarily required in staggering numbers. She suggested encouraging high school graduates to study and work in their home regions.
To tackle the shortage of skilled labor in industries, State Duma deputies propose halving the number of final exams for ninth-graders by keeping only Russian language and mathematics assessments. If this bill sees the light of day, the new system will pilot in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Rostov, Tyumen regions, and North Ossetia in 2025.
Stay tuned for more updates on the Russian educational landscape!
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- The ongoing scrutiny of Russian universities by Roskomnadzor, first reported in the case of 17 universities under review, raises questions about the quality of education-and-self-development in these institutions, especially in light of the mandatory rules and uniform language competency assessment proposed by Vladimir Putin for foreign students.
- The future of the Russian educational sector seems to be shaped by both political decisions and general-news events, with ongoing debates about the balance between student recruitment and the production of specialized professionals, the reform of final exams for ninth-graders, and the proposed subsidies for tuition fees in certain fields of study.
