Recent developments in the higher
education field in Russia
Igor Maximtsev,
Rector, Saint Petersburg State University of Economics
GLOBAL CHALLENGES AND TRENDS
• University education
becomes just first step in the
Life-Long Learning process;
• Higher education becomes
mass and accessible;
• Higher education becomes
international;
• IT revolution leads to Elearning development;
RUSSIAN PROBLEMS
• Unfair providers of
education including big
amount of university branches
poorly managed from HQ;
• Wrong localization of
universities: labor market does
not need graduates local
university train;
• Lack of highly professional
teaching staff;
Russian Reform of Education
• Increasing of teaching staff salary – 200% of average
regional salary in 2018;
• Optimization of Universities’ System – according to
regional needs;
• Razing of international competitiveness – 5 Russian HEIs to
reach Top-100 of leading university rankings;
• Modernization of curriculum and application of new
technologies;
• Increasing of transparent
financial support;
• Creation of continuous
education system - flexible
trajectories for everybody;.
• Transforming secondary
professional education into
applied bachelor programs;
• Introduction of State
support of Educational
Crediting System;
• Internationalization of
Russian universities.
Optimization of Universities’ System
• Creation of the network of leading universities;
• QA of higher education:
– Efficiency Monitoring 2012:
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Average National Exam Test mark;
R&D income per capita (teachers);
Share of foreign students from CIS and non-CIS countries;
Total income per capita (teachers);
Total university actual space;
– Efficiency Monitoring 2013:
• Non-governmental HEIs included;
• New indexes included i.e. employment of graduates;
• Monitoring data was open for public;
Internationalization
•Internationalization enforcement:
– 5 HEIs towards Top-100
international rankings;
– Russian national universities’
ranking;
•Towards internationalization:
– Soft Power;
– Budget support of double
degrees;
– Recognition of degrees (three
track model);
– Global Education Program;
•Regulated internationalization:
– Network of world leading
partners;
UNECON: Entrepreneurship University
St. Petersburg State Economic University (UNECON) is one of the
largest economic universities in Russia. It is a successor of the two
oldest Russian economic universities – St. Petersburg State University
of Engineering and Economics (founded in 1906) and St. Petersburg
State University of Economics and Finance (founded in 1930). The
new university also includes a young university – St. Petersburg State
University of Service and Economics (founded in1999).
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UNECON 2020
• Academically attractive and prestigious for
study and work;
• Reputable scientific research and innovative
consulting center;
• Internationally competitive;
• Leader of economic education in the Eurasia;
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NEW STRUCTURE
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12 faculties;
94 chairs;
Institute of Economics;
Institute of
Management;
• Institute of Service;
• Higher Economic School
(business school);
• 52 000 students;
• 1500 PhD students;
• 7 000 staff, including
4000 professors;
• 17 buildings in St.
Petersburg;
• 25 branches and
representative offices;
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Research & Development
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Center of Economic and Political
Research
Center of International Taxation
Center of Enterprise Economy and
Structure Innovations
Center of Energy Policy
Center of Fundamental Research of
the Russian Economic Development
Information Analytical Center of
Intercultural Communication and
International Relations
Center of Innovative Development
International Center of Financial
Market Research
Etc.
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International Scientific Events
• Sino-Russian Economic Forum
with Renmin University of China;
• Eurasian Economic Perspective
Forum with Association of
Eurasian Universities;
• Business Ethics & Models of
National Behavior with Wharton
School of the University of
Pennsylvania;
• Energetika XXI: economy, policy,
ecology with Gazprom
• Financial Markets with Sberbank;
• etc.
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Internationalization
• Foreign students (2000 students);
• Mobility (more than 350 incoming and 300 outgoing);
• Winter/Summer Schools  International Semester 
Double Degree programs;
• Centres of Excellence  International research projects 
International conferences;
• International consulting and University-Business
Partnerships;
Regional Approach
• BSRUN: Erasmus Mundus Aurora, EuroFaculty
Pskov;
• NDI,
• Baltic Sea Project (UNESCO),
• Turku process,
• BSRUN Annual Forum 2014 “University
Cooperation in the Baltic Sea region: Fruitful
Collaboration or Lost Opportunities?” – 14-16
May 2014;
2014 BSRUN Forum
• BSR Universities and University
Rankings
• Mobility and Recognition
• Joint Programs
• University-Business Partnerships
• Marketing of education programs:
partners or competitors?
• Financial Tools for BSR Universities
Cooperation
Olympic Games Volunteers Training Centre
CONCLUSIONS
• Reorganization is extremely tough work;
• Restructuring is painful;
• But: QUI NON PROFICIT DEFICIT