Unit 1 education

In Russia everyone has the right to receive education guaranteed by the Constitution. After finishing secondary school, lyceum or gymnasium one can go on to higher education.

The system of higher education in Russia is going through a transitional period. The main objectives of the reform are: decentralization of the higher education system, development of the autonomy of higher education institutions, expansion of academic freedoms, development of new financial mechanism. All Russian schools until recently have been state – subsidized.

Text 1

Pre-reading task

What is an alternative to state – owned higher schools?

Why do people enroll in private schools?

Reading

Read the text quickly and answer the following questions:

What do non-state institutes teach?

What kinds of diplomas do private colleges and universities give out?

Why do you need a state diploma?

Private Schools Growing But Lack Recognition

Today Russia has approximately 300 non-state colleges and universities. Approximately 140 are actually licensed to teach, but exact figures are hard-to come by since private institutions tend to open and close fairly quickly.

By Svetlana Kirillova

Moscow News

Nowadays, obtaining a license to open an institution of higher education isn't so hard. You have to show educational authorities a leasing agreement for premises, some documentation about educational equipment, and a list of teachers. The board doesn't ask about instruction methods or even the curriculum.

Private colleges and universities were quick to find their niche, proclaiming that you can mix "business with pleasure" when studying. For instance, when advertising its services, Moscow's Correspondence Humanitarian University calls itself a leader among eminent universities of the world, offering thorough and student-friendly programs that are both accelerated and inexpensive. But a few years ago, when this eminent university of the world had its accounts frozen because of debts, the students were threatened with expulsion unless they helped by donating money. Students obediently delivered the last of their parents' wages to the university.

As soon as liberal education became a reality in Russia, the country's citizens were in for a frightening disappointment: Many of the new programs and courses were impractical.

In their ads, private schools promise the most advanced education, but they neglect to mention that they are forced to purchase their curricula from state institutes. Otherwise they could never be up at the top.

"So what?" asked an astonished Gennady Shestakov, the head of the Directorate for Educational Standards and Programs under the Ministry of Education. "The guidelines established by the ministry are available to all. The fact that we do not publish these has to do with technical difficulties: we have 435 specialties. For each one guidelines should be published, but we cannot do this. And so private institutions turn to their counterparts in the state sector, who, on a commercial basis, distribute curricula to them for their own personal use.

“The fact is, state institutions contrive to sell their private counterparts things that any school should receive from the Ministry of Education. This is just another example of how poorly informed private colleges and universities are about the Russian system of higher learning.”

In many advertisements for private colleges and universities, future students are promised "international-type diplomas." But there is no such thing as an "international diploma" from private schools. This wording usually refers to an agreement with an American or European university, whereby the diploma from the Russian private school is recognized by that particular university. The student gets very little benefit from this, because after graduation only that particular university will admit the student to seek the next successive degree.

The people who enroll in private colleges or universities are those who are trying to get away from mass education, which they feel is ridden with shortcomings. But the private schools don't live up to expectations whereas the state schools don't look so bad after all due to certain job opportunities. People have realized that working in the private sector isn't exactly a bowl of cherries, so the prestige of the public sector (despite the irregular pay) is growing in our society.

"Only state institutions have strict education requirements," Shestakov explained. "Many positions require certain qualifications, and only people with state education are eligible for these posts. Until the private college or university diploma is recognized, there can be no talk about the quality of its training. All positions in courts and firms are closed to lawyers with non-state diplomas. And a notary public can only receive a license if he has a law education from the state.

In the early 1990s, according to an international ratings system, MGU was ranked second in the world — after the University of Paris — in terms of the quality of its scientific school and its level of education. The Moscow Sechenov Medical Academy was also ranked second among medical schools. In spite of this recognition, to practice in the United States a graduate from this school must still study for at least another two years and pass the necessary licensing exams.

After the first emigration wave of Soviet Germans, Germany's Directorate for the Assessment of Foreign Educational Documents declared that the skills of graduates from 20 of Russia's biggest schools were equal to the skills of German university graduates.

Task 1

Explain the following words and expressions from the text and give their Russian equivalents.

A leasing agreement Premises Educational equipment Instruction methods Curriculum On a commercial bases Account To enroll

To obtain a license Educational authorities Board Accelerated program Guideline Advanced education Counterpart in the state sector

Task 2

Match the synonyms from the two columns

Come by Proclaim Eminent Thorough Contrive Shortcomings Get way Eligible Donate Benefit

Complete and careful Defeat Declare officially Suitable Obtain Make a gift Succeed in Advantage Escape Famous and admired

Task 3

Give derivatives using the following suffixes and translate them.

- ment: agree, equip, advertise, require

- ity: difficult, special, real, equal

- tion: educate, instruct, distribute, inform

- er: lead, publish, own, receive

- ly: particular, exact, strict, obidient

- able: obtain, recognize, ralize, explain

Task 4

Match the linking words from Column A with their Russian equivalents from Column B. Use them in sentences.

A Both… and… As soon as Otherwise Whereas Due to According to In terms of At least After all Whereby

B Несмотря на Благодаря Согласно Как только В смысле, с точки зрения Как… так и… Тогда как По крайней мере В конце концов Посредством чего В противном случае

Task 5

Comprehension check

1. What is “a must” for opening an institution of higher learning?

2. What do private schools proclaim in their advertisements?

3. Who establishes the guidelines and do private schools have their own curricula?

4. What kind of diplomas are students promised in ads? What is really meant by this?

5. Why do people enroll in private schools?

6. Do private schools really offer better education?

7. Do graduates of private schools have an advantage over graduates of state schools?

8. What positions are closed to private education?

9. Are there schools in Russia that can complete with foreign ones?

10. What educational establishments an recognized in the world?

Task 6

Render the text into English