1.2. Higher Education in Russia

Exercise 1. Answer the questions below.

1. Have you heard about the Bologna declaration?

2. What do you think about the reforms in the Russian system of education?

3. Are you satisfied with the quality of education you get at your higher educational establishment? Why?

Exercise 2. Learn the following words and words combinations.

guarantee ["gxrqn'tJ] гарантировать

citizen ['sItIzqn] n гражданин

to provide [prq'vaId] v обеспечивать

unified ['jHnIfaId] единый

to comprise [kqm'praIz] v включать, заключать в себе

level ['levl] n уровень

preschool ["prJ'skHl] a дошкольный

compulsory [kqm'pAlsqrI] a обязательный (об образовании)

the disabled [dIs'eIbld] a нетрудоспособные, инвалиды

postgraduate ["pqVst'grxdjuIt] a послевузовский; аспирантский; относящийся к усовершенствованию квалификации

accord [q'kLd] n соглашение; договор; договоренность

the Bologna Process [bq'lqVnjq 'prqVses] Болонский процесс

purpose ['pE:pqs] n цель

comparable ['kAmpqrqbl] a сравнимый, сопоставимый; соизмеримый

compatible [kqm'pxtqbl] a совместимый

throughout [TrH'aut] prep через, на всей территории

to adopt [q'dPpt] v принимать

to replace [rI'pleIs] v заменять

science ['saIqns] n наука; естественная наука

humanities [hjH'mxnItIz] n гуманитарные науки

field [fJld] n область

law [lL] n закон; право

pharmaceutics ["fRmq'sjHtIks] n аптечное дело

metallurgy [mq'txlqGI] n металлургия

electrical engineering [I'lektrIkql "enGI'nIqrIN] n электротехника

curriculum [kq'rIkjulqm] ( pl curricula [kq'rIkjulq] n программа обучения

senior ['sJnIq] a старший

certain [sE:tn] a определенный

obligatory [qb'lIgqtqrI] a обязательный

optional ['PpSqnql] a факультативный, необязательный

Exercise 3. Read the text and say what common features, from your point of view, Russian higher education and foreign higher education have.

Higher education in Russia

The Constitution of the Russian Federation guarantees the right of education for all citizens.

Education in the country is provided mainly by the state and regulated by the Ministry of Education and Science.

Russia has a unified system of public education. The system comprises the following levels:

• preschool education;

• secondary education, including general compulsory education and vocational secondary education;

• education for the disabled;

• higher education;

• postgraduate education.

At present, Russian higher education is being modernized in line with the Bologna Accords. The Bologna Process is the process of harmonizing and bringing closer the systems of higher education in the European countries. The purpose of the modernization of Russian education is to make Russian academic degree standards and quality standards more comparable and compatible throughout Europe. Russia signed the Bologna Declaration in 2003. In 2007, the country adopted a law that replaces the traditional five-year model of education with a two-stage model: a four-year bachelor degree followed by a two-year master degree.

People can get higher education at universities, academies and specialized institutes. Most higher educational institutions award a bachelor's degree and a master's degree. Some institutes and academies traditionally train specialists and confer diplomas.

According to the principles of the Bologna Declaration, at universities students receive a bachelor's degree after 3-4 years of studies and a master's degree after further 1-2 years of studies.

Russian universities give instruction in sciences and humanities. Students specialize in mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer science, geology, geography, biology, philosophy, history, philology, law, economics, management and other fields.

The aim of specialized universities, institutes and academies is to train professionals for different branches of economy and culture. These higher educational establishments specialize in engineering and technology, medicine, pharmaceutics, agriculture, pedagogy and other fields.

Technical universities and polytechnics train students in different branches of science and engineering: mining, metallurgy, machine building, ship building, mechanical engineering science, computer science and engineering, electrical engineering and other forms of related education.

At higher educational establishments the curricula comprise general subjects, including sciences and humanities, and specialized disciplines.

First-year and second-year students take mathematics, physics, chemistry, history, sociology and foreign languages. Senior and under-graduate students study disciplines in certain fields of specialization. Besides obligatory courses, young people can take optional courses.

Exercise 4. Find in the text the equivalents of these words and word combinations.

Право на образование для всех граждан; единая система народного образования; всеобщее обязательное среднее образование; профессиональное образование; Болонская декларация; присуждают степени; готовят специалистов; право; высшие учебные заведения; различные области науки и техники; судостроение; информатика; общеобразовательные предметы; специальные дисциплины.

Exercise 5. Answer the following questions in pairs.

1. What stages does the Russian system of education comprise?

2. What kinds of higher educational establishments are there in Russia?

3. What degrees do higher schools award?

4. What is the aim of specialized universities, institutes and academies?

5. What do the curricula at technical higher schools include?

Exercise 6. Speak about higher education in Russia.