Which countries recognize Russian diplomas after leaving the Bologna model

Non-recognition of our diplomas in other countries, especially Western ones, has always been a stumbling block that the Bologna system stumbled over. Now that the president has announced the creation of a new system of higher education, it is even more interesting what can happen to our diplomas “there”. About this, and also about academic mobility in the new political situation, “MK” talked with experts.

Evgeny Szhenov, scientific director of the Scientific and Educational Policy Expert and Analytical Center, does not agree that our diplomas are not recognized.

– I often go abroad in friendly countries, – says Szhenov. – Now a different paradigm of employment has been adopted there, competencies are valued, not crusts.

So Russian diplomas are recognized, and how. Especially in the “Caribbean countries, Africa, Asian countries” our specialists are appreciated. “Now in friendly countries there will even be a strengthening of such cooperation,” Szhenov predicts. And in the West, with which there is “cooling,” this approach is also allowed to hire graduates of Russian universities.

Much more questions, according to experts, are now caused by academic mobility, when foreign students come to study with us, and professors to teach. And vice versa, Russians go to other countries.

Irina Abankina, professor at the Institute for Education Development at the Higher School of Economics, says that changes in the field of import-export of education did not begin last year, but much earlier.

– Foreign students began to come to our cross-border regions 3-5 years ago, – says Abankina. – This is Altai, the Irkutsk region, the Urals – they come from China, from India. This is especially true for medical universities, including private ones. The share of foreigners in some now reaches 30%.

In addition to medicine, the construction industry is popular among students from China, India, Asian countries and the CIS. The goal is to unlearn here, get a license and go home.

At the same time, Abankina noted that little is being done to popularize our university programs and universities themselves abroad, in the same China. Such work is being done, for example, by Rossotrudnichestvo, but this is not enough.

– China is huge, diverse, few people there have heard of our higher education, – says Abankina. – We do not work much in the affiliate network, we have big omissions here. Now only 10-15% is made from what is needed. And with schoolchildren, in general, the only channel for cooperation is the Olympiads. And usually technical. It is necessary to establish a corridor of opportunities both in the humanitarian sphere and in others. A search is being made for areas where dialogue with the West can be continued. Education and science is traditionally one of these areas.

In turn, Yevgeny Szhenov noted that earlier our universities had about 100 agreements on international cooperation, but not all of them worked. Now international cooperation is not canceled, but “it has new vectors.” Although it is difficult, of course, to rebuild immediately. But it is important to understand that the top 50 best universities in the world include not only Western universities. Now, according to the expert, cooperation with the closest neighbors, the CIS countries, and Asian countries is being actively built. “Old ties” with Latin America, for example, are also being revived. Cooperation with Western universities, according to Szhenov, was mainly “based on individual contracts.” And in 70% of cases it continues. “Communication in science does not depend so directly on the political situation. Let’s partner,” the expert summed up.

Irina Abankina also spoke about an individual approach to academic mobility.

– Yes, the international program “Global Education” has been closed. Yes, there are those who did not finish their studies, and sometimes even returned to Russia with finished works. At the same time, the same programs were canceled somewhere, but continued somewhere (for example, in Spain). But individual work with foreign professors and teachers continues. Because the sweeping discriminatory attitude does not correspond to the principles of science and democratic values.