Universities urged to modernise to compete globally

Russia Beyond the Headlines 10 September 2016

An analytical publication on international relations, Russia Direct, issued a report on the modernisation of higher education in Russia. Its main conclusion: In order to stimulate start-ups it is imperative for universities to rethink the relationship between teaching and research, writes Victoria Zavyalova for Russia Beyond The Headlines.

The United States government spends four times more on education than Russia, with American education institutions receiving US$37.6 billion from the state in 2015, while their Russian counterparts saw only US$8.7 billion in government support. Experts believe that the modernisation of Russia's universities could have a huge impact on the country's economy, as well as help reduce dependence on state financing.

“First and foremost, Russian universities need to rethink the relationship between teaching and research," wrote Evgeny Kuznetsov, deputy director of the Russian Venture Company, in an article for Russia Direct. "For too long these functions have been separated, and that has led to an inability to commercialise innovation, or to inspire students to launch start-ups."
Full report on the Russia Beyond The Headlines site

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