Sergei Shirobokov
Omsk

Civil Society Development: reforming Higher Education in Russia

    The peace and security in my country are intricately connected to economic prosperity and political stability, which has been growing in recent years but could be disrupted at any time by external and internal forces.
    Nowadays, Educational Leaders and Scholars in Russia look at how they can further understand Civil Society trough Education because the role of creating a "new citizen" and a "new Society" is mainly the responsibility of universities and other educational institutions.
    Without greater knowledge and understanding of the rights and obligations within a Democratic Society, the country cannot expect its citizenry to embrace democratic norms. And Higher Education Institutions are the main means to convey this knowledge.
    With the downfall of the Soviet Union in December 1991, the USSR State Committee for Public Education, of course became defunct. When Yeltsin was elected chairperson of the Supreme Soviet in June 1990, he appointed a kind red spirit Dneprov, as a Minister of Education of the Russian Republic, a position he held until late 1992. Dneprov became the number-one educator in the Russian Federation. Although he endorsed practically all the reforms proposed by Iagodin, he pushed hard for some educational reforms that were controversial and questionable in Russia, such as State support of private schools and encouragement of the proliferation of specialized schools catering to an elite clientele. Dneprov strongly believed that when the historical time was ripe for fundamental societal changes, such as it was during the ministry, educators and schools had to play a leading role in bringing about the desired changes. Dneprov believed that giving a powerful voice in educational matters for students, teachers, parents, and community members, would obliterate alienation for the traditional soviet school, alienation for the school from Society, of the student from the school, of the teacher from the students, and both teacher and student from educational activity. At its best, the new system he had in mind would reflect in practice wholehearted dedication to key concepts such as: Democracy, Humanization, Variability, Multiculturalism.
    Reforms implemented in 1991 (diversification of Higher Education; humanization; decentralization of management, University autonomy; creation of A non-public (private) sector of Higher Education) allowed for changes in Higher Education including the establishment of a multi-level structure that would meet international standards and match the country's human resource needs.
    Higher Education in Russia is provided by public and private higher education institutions. Education in public Higher Education Institutions is free of charge. The Russian Government guarantees open and free access to Higher Education on a competitive basis.
    Higher education in Russia is under the jurisdiction of the Russian Ministry of Education, which is responsible for the accreditation of Higher Education Institutions and for the development and maintenance of State Educational standards.
    The government of the Russian Federation has stipulated three levels of study:

• Level I generally takes 2 years to study for a Bakalavr's degree. This level concentrates on compulsory fundamental courses in the given disciplines. Students holding a Level I qualification may either continue their studies or, if they choose to, leave the institution with an intermediate diploma.
• Level II marks the continuation of studies for an additional two years leading to a Bakalavr's degree. Consequently, this first academic degree entails four years of study.
• Level III represents an educational level common to both the Magistr's Diploma and the Specialist's Diploma.

    There are two levels of doctoral scientific degrees: Kandidat Nauk Degree (the first level) and Doktor Nauk Degree (the second, highest level).
    In trying to implement a multilevel system of Higher Education, which is the American Model, we always worry about the output and we always ask ourselves how our students can be more competitive in the world market and what already makes American students more competitive in the world market today?
    Alumni of US government exchanges help us to answer these questions:

• American students are more competitive because they are really very individualistic and persistent in their studies. They have a lot of good things, but they always seem unsatisfied with reality and this non-satisfaction pushes them ahead, it acts like a stimuli to make their life much better. They say: "A goal is a dream with a deadline".
• There are many spheres in which American students could be much more effective on the world market, but not always. I am sure that scholars who graduated from other physics and mathematics schools are more knowledgeable than American graduates are.
• Americans students are much more experienced and I think that this brings them greater value in the world market. Moreover they are more independent and self-confident and that makes other people believe in them. Most American students are communicative and they know how to impress people. Conducting interviews and writing skills help them very much while employed.

    In truth there is fighting between State Universities and State Pedagogical Universities in the Russian Federation. It started when Kinelev was in charge of the Russian Higher Education. He wanted to merge all Pedagogical Universities to State universities and to organize "big" state universities like those in America. Following the advise of Mr. Kinelev the Russian Government reorganized the Committee for Higher Education managed by Kinelev and the Ministry of Education managed by Tkachenko into the Ministry of General and Professional Education of the Russian Education. Kenelev replaced Tkachenko as a Minister of General and Professional Education. It was a terrible time for pedagogical institutions because educators did not know what to expect from Kinelev. A few months later, the chairperson of the Russian Government Primakov appointed the Rector of the Friendship University in Moscow Fillipov as a new Minister of Education.
    But the fighting between Universities still exists in Russia. It makes pedagogical universities stronger in this difficult political and economic situation. Let's take as an example my University. It used to be an institute. In 1993 it was reorganized into Pedagogical University. The Omsk State Pedagogical University has more then seven thousands students not including students from the branch of University in the ancient Siberian town of Tara. It's a huge number for the University in Omsk where there are more then 15 state and private higher education institutions. We opened new specialties such as economics, management, ecology, technology and business, computer sciences, fine arts. We have Visiting Scholars from abroad and prestigious Russian Pedagogical Universities. Nowadays students want to get a second higher education, which is not free. Students want to be competitive in the market today. The Omsk State Pedagogical University has a multilevel system of education, which makes our students flexible. The Internationalization of the University helps to attract more people to choose the Omsk State Pedagogical University, as we understand of the crucial role of study abroad experience in the graduate's future career.
    It's not an advertisement for my University. It's an example of how Russian Universities especially Pedagogical Universities survive in the conditions of competition designed buy the Russian government.
    Of special importance here is the Globalization of Universities. Programs within Comparative and International Education are new challenges for students. They offer new benefits to our society by opening a new page in history - one that is democratic.
    In order to better prepare our students and improve the educational system, The Russian Ministry of Education under the supervision of the new Minister of Education Vladimir Filippov, has developed the following National Doctrine.
    National Doctrine of Education in the Russian Federation 2000-2025

Strategic goals:

• An overcoming of social, economic and spiritual crises; providing citizens with a higher quality of life and greater national security;
• Restoration of the status of Russia in the Global (World) community as a great power in the fields of Education, culture, science, high technologies and economics;
• Creation of a foundation for the social, economic and spiritual development of Russia.

Objectives:

    The System of Education should provide:

• A historical continuity (succession) of generations; keeping, disseminating and developing the national culture;
• The raising up of patriots of Russia, citizens of the civil, democratic, social State who respect the laws and liberties of personality and have high moral standards;
• All-round and well-timed development of children and youth, formation of skills of self-education and self-realization of personality;
• Formation of integral understanding and a modern scientific world outlook of children and youth, development of the culture of inter-ethnic relations;
• Systematically renovating all aspects of education reflected in changes occurring in the fields of culture, economics, science, techniques and technologies;
• Continuing education throughout a person's life;
• Diverse educational institutions and variation of educational programs guaranteeing the individualization of Education;
• Continuity of levels and degrees of Education;
• Development of a Long Distance Learning Education Program, creation of programs realizing the information technologies in Education;
• Academic mobility of learners;
• Development of State traditions in work with gifted children and gifted youth, participation of educators in research;
• Training highly educated and highly skilled specialists; professional development and professional mobility in the conditions of the Informatization of society and the development of new scientific technologies;
• Ecological Education forming a protective stance towards nature.

    Without radical changes to the system of higher education all the reforms in education, together with increased funding for education, will miss their target and have no real influence on how young people are educated in Russia. Education reform is an especially difficult area, before you can reform education, you have to reeducate the educators. I strongly believe that the implementation of a new program with the focus on International and Comparative Education is increasingly important for the success of educational reforms in the rapidly changing society.
    I hope that the role of Comparative and International Education in Russia will grow because students, faculty members, and administrators will begin to understand how important Comparative and International Education is in their civic, educational and professional formation while reforming the education in the condition of Civil Society.

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