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INSTITUTION TYPES & CREDENTIALS
Types of higher education institutions:
Universitet (University)
Technicheskiy Universitet (Technical University)
Academia (Academy, University Level)
Institut (Institute, University Level)
Konservatoria (Conservatory)
Kolledž (College, Non-University Level Higher
Education Institution)
Technikum (Non-University Level Higher Education
Institution)
Uchilische (Technical Institution)
School leaving and higher education credentials:
Attestat o Srednem (Polnom) Obshchem Obrazovanii
Diplom o Srednem Professionalnom Obrazovanii (Higher
Vocational Education Diploma)
Diplom o Nepolnom Visshem Obrazovanii (Incomplete
Higher Education Diploma)
Bakalavr
Specialist Diploma
Magistr
Kandidat Nauk
Doktor Nauk
STRUCTURE OF EDUCATION SYSTEM
Pre-higher education:
Duration of compulsory education:
Age of entry: 6
Age of exit: 15
Structure of school system:
Primary
Type of school providing this education:
Primary
General School
Length of program in years: 4
Age level from: 6 to: 10
Basic
Type of school providing this education:
Basic
General Secondary School
Length of program in years: 5
Age level from: 10 to: 15
Complete Secondary
Type of school providing this education:
Secondary
(Complete) General School, Upper-Secondary School
Length of program in years: 2
Age level from: 15 to: 17
Certificate/diploma awarded: Attestat o Srednem (Polnom) Obshchem
Obrazovanii (Certificate of Secondary Complete General Education, School
Leaving Certificate).
Vocational
Type of school providing this education:
Technikum,
Kolledz, Uchilishe (Non-university level higher education)
Length of program in years: 4
Age level from: 15 to: 19
Certificate/diploma awarded: Diplom
School education:
General secondary education lasts for nine years.
Graduates of this level may continue their education at secondary (Complete)
General School for two years. They may also enter a vocational school or
non-university level higher education institutions. Graduates from a Secondary
(complete) General School may apply for entrance to a higher education
institution. Complete secondary education leads to the award of the Attestat o
Srednem (Polnom) Obshchem Obrasovanii (School Leaving Certificate).
Higher education:
Higher education is provided by state and non-state
higher education institutions (HEIs). Approximately half of the State HEIs
students pay for their studies. In non-state HEIs all students have to pay
tuition fees. Higher education is within the Ministry of Education and
Science's juridiction. The Federal Service of Supervision in Education and
Science is responsible for quality assurance in education. There are three
levels of higher education: 1) incomplete higher education (2 years at least);
2) 4-year programmes leading to the Bakalavr's degree, the first final
university degree; 3) postgraduate studies with duration of 1-2 years leading
to the Specialist Diploma or the Magistr degree. HEIs are authorized to award
the Magistr's degree after the completion of 2 years of study or the Specialist
Diploma after 1 year of study following upon the Bakalavr's degree. Scientific
degrees in Russia traditionally include two levels of doctoral degrees: the
Candidate of Sciences (the first level, equivalent to PhD) and the Doctor of
Sciences (the second, highest level). There are 721 state (including 45
regional public HEIs) and 369 accredited non-state HEIs in Russia. The Federal
Agency for Education finances 338 state HEIs. The rest is financed by other
Ministries or local authorities.
Main laws/decrees governing higher
education:
Decree: Decree no 1323 on State Accreditation of HEIs Year: 1999
Decree: Decree no 1766 on the
Managerial structure of the state educational standards elaboration Year: 2001
Concerns: All types of HEIs
Decree: Decree no 314 on the System
and Structure of Executive Boards Year: 2004
Concerns: All types of HEIs
Decree: Decree no 686 on the Approval of the new state educational
standards" Year: 2000
Concerns: All types of HEIs
Decree: Decree no 796 on Education Licensing Year: 2000
Decree: Decree no 940 on Standard
regulations of Higher Education Year: 1994
Concerns: to all type of HEIs
Decree: Law no 125-FZ on Higher and
Postgraduate Professional Education Year: 1996
Concerns: all types of HEIs
Academic year:
Classes from: Sep to: Jun
Long vacation from: 1 Jul to: 31 Aug
Languages of instruction: Russian
Stages of studies:
Non-university level post-secondary studies (technical/vocational type):
Non-university level:
Basic General Secondary School (9 grades) and
Secondary (Complete) General School leavers (+ 2 grades in upper-secondary
school) can enrol in lower post-secondary vocational education and
non-university level higher education. Lower post-secondary vocational
education lasts for 1-2 years and leads to qualified workers qualifications.
State, municipal and non-state non-university level HEIs comprise
tekhnikums/uchilishche and kolledzes. They train middle-level specialists such
as technicians and skilled nurses. They confer Diplomas after at least 2 years
of study following upon the Secondary (Complete) General Education and after 3
to 4 1/2 years following upon the Basic General secondary School. Advanced
level courses last for one more year. They confer Diplomas after 2 years' study
on the basis of Secondary (complete) general education and after three to
four-and-a-half years on the basis of Basic general education. If a holder of
the non-university level Diploma enters a university-level higher education institution
in the same field of study, up to two years of previous studies could be
counted by HEIs' authorities as a transferred period of study. Such students
follow a shorter period of training whilst completing university level
programmes.
University level studies:
University level first stage:
The
first stage consists of at least two years of a higher education study
programme. On leaving the university, students may ask for the Diploma O
Nepolnom Vysshem Obrazovanii (Diploma of Incomplete Higher Education) which
entitles them to obtain jobs that require some HE training but not a degree and
to continue their studies.
University level second stage: Bakalavr:
Bakalavr
(Bachelor's) degree programmes last for at least 4 years of full-time
university-level study. The programmes are elaborated in accordance with the
State Educational Standards which regulate 50% of the content, the other 50%
being developed by the university. The programmes include professional and
special courses in Science, the Humanities and Socioeconomic disciplines,
professional training, completion of final research paper/project and sitting
for State final exams. Having obtained the Bakalavr degree, students may apply
to enter the Magistr programmes or continue their studies in the framework of
the Specialist Diploma programmes. The Bakalavr degree is awarded in all fields
except Medicine after defending a Diploma project prepared under the guidance
of a supervisor and sitting for final exams. In Medicine, the first stage lasts
for six years.
University level third stage: Magistr,
Specialist Diploma:
Holders
of the Bakalavr are admitted to enter the Specialist Diploma and Magistr
programmes. Access to these programmes is competitive. The Magistr degree is
awarded after successful completion of two years of full-time studies. Students must complete
advanced studies, prepare and defend a thesis and sit for final
examinations.The Specialist Diploma can be earned in two ways: upon completion
of at least 1 year's study after the Bakalavr programme or upon completion of
five to six years' continuous study beyond the Attestat o Srednem (Polnom)
Obshchem Obrazovanii. The Specialist Diploma is a professional qualification
that gives the right to exercise professional activities and to apply for doctoral
programmes. It is conferred after the students
have completed advanced studies, prepared and defended a thesis and sat
for final examinations.
University level fourth stage: Kandidat
Nauk (Aspirantura programmes), Doktor Nauk (Doktorantura programmes):
Access to the Aspirantura is competitive. Applicants
must hold a Specialist Diploma or a Magistr degree. Studies last for 3 years.
The Aspirantura programmes train for research and teaching activities. Students
must learn research and teaching methods, ICTs, and pass qualifying (Kandidat
Nauk) exams in certain fields of study. After carrying out independent
research, preparing and defending a dissertation in public, they are awarded
the Kandidat Nauk scientific degree. The Doctor Nauk programme duration is not
fixed (from 5 to 15 years). It follows the Kandidat Nauk degree; The Doctor
Nauk scientific degree is awarded after the public defence of a dissertation.
It does not always have an equivalent in other countries.
Teacher education:
Training of pre-primary and
primary/basic school teachers
Non-university
level educational institutions (technikums, kolledzes) train teachers for
pre-primary and primary schools. The duration of the course is two-and-a-half
to four-and-a-half years. Some university level teacher training institutions
train teachers for primary schools. The courses last for five years. Graduates
of these two types of educational institutions may exercise the profession.
Training of secondary school teachers
Teacher
training is carried out in teacher training university-level institutions. The
programmes last for at least five years. Graduates may enter the profession.
Training of higher education teachers
University teachers must have followed post-graduate
training. A scientific degree (Kandidat Nauk at least) is compulsory to obtain
a lecturer's post in HEIs.
Non-traditional studies:
Distance higher education
Distance
learning is regarded as ICT utilisation for provision of a wide variety of
education programmes or parts (blocks) of programmes in higher professional
education, vocational education, school education, lifelong education and
upgrading.
Lifelong higher education
Short
part time courses (from two to eight weeks) are offered by HEIs to graduates
and postgraduates wanting to improve their knowledge and skills in their
profession or other areas.
Higher education training in industry
Upgrading courses for industrial workers and
professionals in different branches of the national economy are available.
NATIONAL BODIES
Administration & co-ordination:
Responsible authorities:
Ministry of Education and Science
Head: Andrey Fursenko, Minister
Administrative officer: Andrey Svinarenko, Vice-Minister
Tverskaya Street 11
Moscow GSP-3 125993
Russian Federation
Tel: +7(495) 6297062
Fax: +7(495) 6290891
WWW: http://www.mon.gov.ru
Role of governing body: The Ministry
is responsible for state policy and legal regulation in education, R&D,
innovation activities and youth policy, coordination and control of other
bodies in the education and research fields.
Federal Agency on Education
Head: Grigory Balykhin
Lusinovskaya Street 51
Moscow M-93, M230 GSP-8 115998
Russian Federation
Tel: +7(495) 2376724
Fax: +7(495) 2360171
EMail: bicab@ed.gov.ru
WWW: http://www.ed.gov.ru
Role of governing body: The Federal
Agency on Education manages the state property, implements education and youth development policies,
funds HEIs, proposes further development of HEIs.
Federal Service for Supervision in Education and
Science
Head: Viktor Bolotov
Sadovaya-Sukharevskaya 16
Moscow K-51, GSP-4 127994
Russian Federation
Tel: +7(495) 2086158
Fax: +7(495) 2086158
EMail: akkred@ministry.ru
WWW: http://www.obrnadzor.gov.ru
Role of governing body: The Federal
Service for Supervision in Education and Science supervises and controls the
implementation of the legislation in
education, R&D and youth policy. It is responsible for the quality
assurance policy, the licensing of
education institutions and programmes.
Russian Rectors' Union
Head: Viktor Sadovnitchy, President
Moscow State University (named after M.
Lomonosov)
Vorobievy gory
Moscow GSP-2 119992
Russian Federation
Tel: +7(495) 9392729/ 9393767
Fax: +7(095) 9390259
EMail: office@rsr-online.ru
WWW: http://rsr-online.ru/english/about.htm
Association of Russian Higher Education Institutions
(ARHEI)
Head: Viktor Savinykh, President
4 Gorokhovsky per.
Moscow 105064
Russian Federation
Tel: +7(495) 2613152/ 2369821
Fax: +7(495) 2674681/ 2613089
EMail: SVP@miigaik.ru
Association of Non-State Higher Education
Establishments
Head: Vladimir Zernov, President
Radio Street 22
Moscow 107005
Russian Federation
Tel: +7(495) 1050383
Fax: +7(495) 1050381
EMail: va_zernov@mtu-net.ru
National Accreditation Agency of Russia, Federal
Service for Supervision in Education and Science
Head: Vladimir Navodnov
3 Lenin Square
Yoshkar-Ola 424000
Russian Federation
Tel: +7(8362) 416194
Fax: +7(8362) 413884
EMail: imo@nica.ru;
umo@nica.ru
WWW: http://www.nica.ru
Research Institute for Higher Education
Head: Alexander Saveliev, Director
3-rd Kabelnaya Ul., 1
Moscow 111024
Russian Federation
Tel: +7(495) 2734819
Fax: +7(495) 2733840
EMail: sav@NIIVO.hetnet.ru
ADMISSIONS TO HIGHER EDUCATION
Admission to non university higher
education studies
Name of secondary school credential
required: Attestat o Srednem (Polnom) Obshchem Obrazovanii
Minimum score/requirement: satisfactory
Other admission requirements:
Competitive exams/tests, Uniform State Exam.
Admission to university-level studies
Name of secondary school credential
required: Attestat o Srednem (Polnom) Obshchem Obrazovanii
Minimum score/requirement: satisfactory
Alternatives to credentials: Diplom o
Srednem Professionalnom Obrasovanii (non-university level higher education
diploma), Diplom o Nachalnom Professional'nom Obrasovanii (lower post-secondary
vocational education diploma) conferred after programmes of 2 and more
years' duration.
Other admission requirements: Compulsory
competitive institutional exams/tests, Uniform State Exam.
Foreign students admission
Definition of foreign student: A student
who does not have Russian citizenship.
Admission requirements: Students
must hold the Secondary School Leaving Certificate or its equivalent. There are
compulsory pre-academic programmes for those who do not have proficiency in
Russian or/and for those with weak pre-university training. They must
successfully pass entrance exams/tests. Foreign applicants entering
universities should not be older than 28 (35 for doctoral studies in
Aspirantura).
Entry regulations: Student visa
and financial guarantees.
Application procedures:
Application closing dates:
For non-university level
(technical/vocational type) studies: 15 Jun
For university level studies: 1 Apr
For advanced/doctoral studies: 1 Apr
Recognition of studies &
qualifications:
Studies pursued in home country (System
of recognition/accreditation): Licensing, accreditation and attestation in
Lower post-secondary vocational education are carried out by local authorities.
The procedures are more or less the same as for non-university level
HEIs.Licensing in non-university level education is the prerogative of the
local authorities. It includes a formal assessment by a visiting expert group
to ensure that an educational establishment meets the state and local
requirements, including facilities, sanitation, equipment, staff, etc. Each new
programme must also be assessed and licensed. Accreditation allows the
institution to issue state recognized diplomas. Attestation is a confirmation
of the quality of educational programmes and consequently of the standard of
the diplomas. Accreditation and attestation are carried out by federal
ministries-founders of respective institutions in cooperation with local
authorities. University level HEIs also have to pass licensing, attestation and
accreditation procedures, but carried out by the Federal Service for
Supervision in Education and Science. Licensing: assessment of the compliance of
educational facilities, laboratory equipment, expertise of teaching staff, and
teaching material with State requirements; Attestation: assessment of contents,
level and quality of graduates' preparation in relation to State educational
standards; Accreditation: recognition (confirmation for the next term) of the
State accreditation status of the HEI according to its type (higher education
institution) and kind (institute, academy, university) with the prescribed list
of educational programmes of higher professional education according to which
the institution has the right to issue diplomas. Non-accredited HEIs issue
their own non-state diplomas.
Studies pursued in foreign countries
(bodies dealing with recognition of foreign credentials):
Department of Licensing, Attestation and
Accreditation, Federal Service for Supervision in Education and Science
Head: Ekaterina Vershinina
Shabolovka Street 33
Moscow 115162
Russian Federation
Tel: +7(495) 9251511
EMail: license@ministry.ru
Deals with credential recognition for
entry to: University and Profession
Services provided & students dealt
with: Recognition of foreign qualifications.
National Centre and National Information Centre on
Academic Recognition and Mobility
Head: Gennady Lukichev, Director
Mikluho-Maklaya Street 6
Moscow 1117198
Russian Federation
Tel: +7(495) 9582881/ 9550818
Fax: +7(495) 4341511/ 9582881
EMail: RussianENIC@sci.pfu.edu.ru
WWW: http://www.russianenic.ru
Deals with credential recognition for
entry to: University and Profession
Services provided & students dealt
with: Comprehensive information on credential evaluation and recognition
Supreme Attestation Committee
Sadovo-Suharevskaya UI 16
Moscow 103051
Russian Federation
Tel: +7(495) 2086161
Fax: +7(495) 2086121
Deals with credential recognition for
entry to: Profession
Services provided & students dealt
with: Responsible for the recognition of doctoral degrees.
Special provisions for recognition:
For access to non-university
post-secondary studies: Application form; legalized credentials.
For access to university level studies: Application
form; legalized credentials.
For access to advanced studies and
research: Application form; legalized credentials.
For the exercise of a profession: Applicants
have to obtain a recognition certificate of the foreign qualification, degree,
title or diploma at the Federal Service for Supervision in Education and
Science. This certificate facilitates employers' decisions for access to a
profession.
Multilateral agreements concerning
recognition of foreign studies
Name of agreement: Convention
on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the
European Region, Lisbon, 1997
Year of signature: 2000
Name of agreement: Cooperation
Agreement to create a common educational area in the Commonwealth of
Independent States
Year of signature: 1997
Name of agreement: UNESCO
Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees in the States of
Asia and the Pacific
Year of signature: 1983
Bilateral agreements concerning
recognition of foreign credentials
Name of agreement: Cooperation
in Attestation of Research Fellows
Year of signature: 2002
Country/state involved: Ukraine
Name of agreement: Creation and
Functioning of HEIs' Branches on the Territories of Both Countries
Year of signature: 2003
Country/state involved: Ukraine
Name of agreement: Mutual Recognition of Diplomas and Degrees:
Armenia (2001); Azerbaijan (2002); Bulgaria (1972); China (1995); Cuba (1971);
Finland (1979); Hungary (1974); India (1987); Iraq (1978); Moldova (2003)
Name of agreement: Mutual
Recognition of Diplomas and Degrees: Peru (1987); Poland (1974); Serbia and
Montenegro (1988); Spain (1990); Syria (1966); Ukraine (2000); Vietnam (1978)
References to further information on
foreign student admissions and recognition of studies
Title: List of Accredited HEIs
(abitur.nica.ru (Russian) - www.russianenic.ru/english/cred/index.html (Eng)
Publisher: Ministry of
Education
Year of publication: 2004
STUDENT LIFE
Main student services at national level
Department of International Education and Cooperation,
Federal Agency on Education
Lusinovskaya Street 51
Moscow M-93, M230 GSP-8 115998
Russian Federation
Tel: +7(495) 2379263
Fax: +7(095) 2379263
EMail: Dmi@ed.gov.ru
Category of services provided: Academic and
career counselling services
Services available to foreign Students: Yes
Division on Youth Issues, Federal Agency on Education
Lusinovskaya Street 51
Moscow M-93, M230 GSP-8 115998
Russian Federation
Tel: +7(495) 2378266
Fax: +7(495) 2378724
EMail: updm@mail.ru
Category of services provided: Social and
welfare services
Services available to foreign Students: Yes
International Relations' Service Centre
(INTEREDUCATION)
Shabolovka Street 33
Moscow 115162
Russian Federation
Tel: +7(495) 2545345
EMail: edex@ins.ru
Category of services provided: Special
services/Centre for foreign students
Services available to foreign Students: Yes
National student associations and unions
National Youth Council of Russia (NYCR)
Maroseyka 3/13
Moscow RUS-101970
Russian Federation
Tel: +7(495) 2068934
Fax: +7(495) 2068012
EMail: nycr@aha.ru
Russian Association of Students' Trade-Union
0rganizations
Akademika Petrovskogo Street., 5
Moscow 117419
Russian Federation
Tel: +7(495) 6922518
Fax: +7(495) 6925752
EMail: rapos@rapos.ru
WWW: http://www.rapos.ru
Health/social provisions
Social security for home students: Yes
Social security for foreign students: Yes
Foreign student social security
provisions: Health services for both foreign and Russian students are free of
charge.
Special student travel fares:
By road: Yes
By rail: Yes
By air: Yes
Student expenses and financial aid
Student costs:
Foreign students tuition fees: Minimum: 1000 (US
Dollar)
Maximum: 8000 (US Dollar)
Bodies providing information on student
financial aid:
Department of International Education and Cooperation,
Federal Agency on Education
Lusinovskaya Street , 51
Moscow M-93, M230 GSP-8 115998
Russian Federation
Tel: +7(495) 2379263
Fax: +7(495) 2379263
EMail: Dmi@ed.gov.ru
Deals with: Grants
Publications on student services and
financial aid:
Title: Newspaper "POISK"
Publisher: Russian Academy of Sciences
Title: Vysshee Obrazovanie Segodnya
(Higher Education Today)
Publisher: Logos
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION &
EXCHANGES
Principal national bodies responsible
for dealing with international cooperation and exchanges in higher education:
Section of International Organizations and Programmes,
Department of International Cooperation and Information Service, Ministry of
Education and Science
Head: Alexander Petrov
Tverskaya Street 11
Moscow GSP-3 125993
Russian Federation
Tel: +7(495) 2296342
Fax: +7(495) 2302660
Participation of country in multilateral
or bilateral higher education programmes
Name of exchange programme: ERASMUS
MUNDUS
Name of exchange programme: TEMPUS
GRADING SYSTEM
Usual grading system in secondary school
Full Description: Pass,
"2" - unsatisfactory, "3" - satisfactory, "4" -
good, "5" - excellent.
Highest on scale: 5
Pass/fail level: pass,
"3"(satisfactory) / "2"(unsatisfactory)
Lowest on scale: 2
unsatisfactory
Main grading system used by higher
education institutions
Full Description: unsatisfactory,
pass, satisfactory, good, excellent
Highest on scale: excellent
Pass/fail level: satisfactory,
pass/unsatisfactory
Lowest on scale: unsatisfactory
Other main grading systems
Awarded / Not Awarded: for Kandidat Nauk and Doktor
Nauk dissertations.
NOTES ON HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM
Data for academic year: 2005-2006
Source: IAU from National Information Centre on Academic Recognition and Mobility, Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, 2006
