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Higher Education in Russia

Yaroslav Kuzminov and Maria Yudkevich
foreword by Philip G. Altbach

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A comprehensive, up-to-date look at modern Russian higher education.

By the mid-eighteenth century, when the first university appeared in Russia, many European nations could boast of long and glorious university traditions. But Russia, with its poorly developed system of elementary and secondary education, lagged behind other European countries and seemed destined for a long spell of second-tier performance. Yet by the mid-twentieth century, the fully reformed system of Soviet higher education was perceived as an unexpected success, one that transformed the country into a major scientific power...

A comprehensive, up-to-date look at modern Russian higher education.

By the mid-eighteenth century, when the first university appeared in Russia, many European nations could boast of long and glorious university traditions. But Russia, with its poorly developed system of elementary and secondary education, lagged behind other European countries and seemed destined for a long spell of second-tier performance. Yet by the mid-twentieth century, the fully reformed system of Soviet higher education was perceived as an unexpected success, one that transformed the country into a major scientific power throughout the Cold War. Today, the international community is keeping close tabs on the fast development of world-class higher education in Russia, specifically its large-scale changes and reforms.

Higher Education in Russia is the first comprehensive, up-to-date overview and analysis of modern Russian higher education. Aimed at a large international audience, it describes the current realities of higher education in Russia, as well as the main principles, logic, and relevant historical and cultural factors. Outlining the evolution of the higher education system in tsarist Russia throughout the nineteenth century, Yaroslav Kuzminov and Maria Yudkevich describe the development of its mass-scale higher education system from the end of the Second World War to the collapse of the Soviet Union and beyond. They also discuss the principal elements of today's Russian higher education system while exploring the system's governance model and the logic of its resource allocation. They touch on university selection, the structure of the country's academic profession, the organization of research, and the major excellence programs of leading universities.

Illustrating the idea that the development of the higher education system is very much linked with the European experience, the authors argue that Russian higher education was often the domain of successful (and not so successful) education experiments and innovations. Higher Education in Russia is a must-read for scholars of higher education and Russian history alike.

Reviews

Reviews

Kuzminov and Yudkevich provide a thorough analysis of developments in Russian higher education and make an important contribution to comparative studies in higher education with their volume.

This is a major work of scholarship. There is literally nothing like it anywhere. I know a lot about this subject, but I learned much here. Writing with one voice, Kuzminov and Yudkevich have crafted a sophisticated, literate, well-informed, and important book that tells us much we did not know, does so with interpretation and skill, and will be the basic source on Russian higher education—in any language—for a long time.

An important, encyclopedic book that is fundamental in its design and embodiment. Describing Russian higher education development from its early beginnings to the present day, Kuzminov and Yudkevich use historical data but are not limited to a historical perspective. This work will provide many scholars and analysts with a single window to search through facts and data on Russian higher education.

Higher Education in Russia is an in-depth exposition and analysis of a major national system that is little known in the West. The highly regimented Soviet system has been refashioned in several stages, but Russian universities remain dominated by the state and explicitly structured for teaching. However, authors Maria Yudkevich and Yaroslav Kuzminov penetrate the regulatory facade to reveal adaptations by students and faculty and aspirations for academic development.

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About

Book Details

Publication Date
Status
Available
Trim Size
6
x
9
Pages
432
ISBN
9781421444147
Illustration Description
46 b&w illus.
Table of Contents

Foreword, by Philip G. Altbach
Preface
Acknowledgments
Data Sources
List of Abbreviations
Chapter 1. Historical Background
Chapter 2. The Soviet Era and the First Post-Soviet Decade
Chapter 3. The

Foreword, by Philip G. Altbach
Preface
Acknowledgments
Data Sources
List of Abbreviations
Chapter 1. Historical Background
Chapter 2. The Soviet Era and the First Post-Soviet Decade
Chapter 3. The Contemporary Landscape
Chapter 4. Governance and Resources
Chapter 5. Through School to University
Chapter 6. The Academic Profession
Chapter 7. Research at Russian Universities: The Story of Separation and Reunion
Chapter 8. Organizational Logic: From Processes to Projects
Chapter 9. Internationalization
Notes
References
Index

Author Bios
Yaroslav Kuzminov
Featured Contributor

Yaroslav Kuzminov, PhD

Yaroslav Kuzminov (MOSCOW, RU) is a research adviser and the founding rector of HSE University, Russia, where he served from 1992 to 2021.
Maria Yudkevich
Featured Contributor

Maria Yudkevich, PhD

Maria Yudkevich (MOSCOW, RU) is a head of the Center for Institutional Studies and a vice rector at HSE University, Russia. Together, they are the coeditors of The Global Future of Higher Education and the Academic Profession: The BRICs and the United States.
Philip G. Altbach
Featured Contributor

Philip G. Altbach, Ph.D.

Philip G. Altbach is the J. Donald Monan, SJ, Professor of Higher Education and director of the Center for International Higher Education at Boston College.