Too Many Pupils Paying Too Much?
"Excessive University Funding: Reasons Behind Russia's Push to Limit Paid Student Positions"
Picture by Alexei BULATOV. Change to KP Photo Bank
The State Duma Council, led by President Vladimir Putin on April 28, 2023, in St. Petersburg, discussed the issue of paid education in universities.
State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin pointed out, "On paid departments, they 'hold onto' the 'payer', regardless of whether they attend classes or not, whether they study or not. Control issues are lost."
Approximately 55-70% of students in Russian universities are receiving higher education for a fee. Well-known politician and public figure, Chairman of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society, former Prime Minister, Chairman of the Association of Lawyers of Russia, Sergey Stepashin, discussed this issue.
Stepashin pointed out the overload of 'payers' in the system, stating, "It's an obvious overkill."
....- A prominent figure in politics, Stepashin has been addressing and highlighting this issue for a long time. He has previously discussed it with the Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, Valery Falkov...
The issue is ripe for attention.
Focusing on specific disciplines, it appears that economists and lawyers are the most impacted. Stepashin recalled their early days working in the Association of Lawyers and a meeting with Putin around 20 years ago. The President, a graduate of a renowned law school, asked the Association to investigate the state of law universities and legal education in general.
After their investigation, they managed to reduce the number of unqualified individuals who were essentially selling diplomas. There are now around 500 law universities and departments.
Such a high number still seems excessive as we graduate approximately 300,000 lawyers annually.Stepashin and Falkov have discussed the need to reduce the excess.
With the recently passed law, which gives Falkov the power to regulate paid education, the situation is expected to improve significantly. It's clear that higher education needed regulation long ago. It has become a lucrative business. There are now more people with higher education than with secondary technical education.
The law is currently in the first reading and is expected to be passed soon. The Association of Lawyers is actively involved in the process. Furthermore, there is a call for the Association of Lawyers to join efforts in regulating paid education in all fields, not just law.
Russian universities are looking to attract more international students, signaling an increased focus on tuition income. The exact regulations or targets for paid education remain unclear, as they depend on government policies and institutional decisions. Nonetheless, quality education, in-demand specialties, and a work requirement for graduates are crucial factors to consider in the upcoming law amendments.
- Sergey Stepashin, a significant political figure and former Prime Minister of Russia, has been advocating for reform in paid education in Russian universities, particularly in regards to the high number of students being charged.
- In the past, Stepashin and the Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, Valery Falkov, had discussions about the excess of unqualified individuals in law universities and the need to reduce this number.
- The recently passed law grants Falkov the power to regulate paid education, which is expected to Improve the situation significantly, as it has become a lucrative business with more people having higher education than secondary technical education.
- There is a call for the Association of Lawyers, led by Stepashin, to join efforts in regulating paid education not only in law but also in all fields, emphasizing the importance of quality education, in-demand specialties, and a work requirement for graduates in the upcoming law amendments.
