Higher education
18 Nov 2010
On this page
- Short description of the higher education system
- Types of degrees
- Quality assurance and accreditation
- Recent reforms
Short description of the higher education system
In Russia, higher education is offered at universities, academies and institutes. All institutions provide both professional and academic programmes. Institutes mainly have study programmes for professions in the agricultural, medical, pharmaceutical, pedagogical and technical sectors. Many institutes were awarded the status of university in the 1990s, though in practice this often meant no more than a change of name.
Russia is home to more than 700 state institutions for higher education. Alongside these are hundreds of private institutions that teach courses in the fields of law, management and finance.
Recognized higher education institutions are supervised by an Academic Council of university governors. Individual institutions are led by a vice-chancellor. In the case of private institutions, supervision is the responsibility of the owners or founders. It is also common practice to appoint a Board of Supervisors.
The language of instruction is usually Russian. Nine years of education are compulsory in Russia, comprising four years of primary school and five years of the initial phase of secondary education. The school year runs from 1 September through the end of June.
Types of degrees
Russian higher education institutions can confer the following degrees and diplomas:
- Intermediate Diploma, or Nepolnoe vysshee (at least two years of study)
- Bakalavr diploma (at least four years of study)
- Specialist diploma (five to six years of study)
- Magistr diploma (six years of study)
Quality assurance and accreditation
Russia has no official ranking of institutions. Accreditation of state and private institutions is carried out by the Russian National Accreditation Agency.
Recent reforms
Russia became a member of the European Higher Education Area in September 2003, thus joining the common system for higher education established by the Bologna declaration in 1999. The Ministry of Education has declared that the Russian education system is to be made fully Bologna-proof in 2010.
