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Positions of Russian universities in global ratings not objective — education minister

Experts repeatedly noted that global ratings do not take into account the particularities of the Russian education system
Moscow State University Sergey Savostyanov/TASS
Moscow State University
© Sergey Savostyanov/TASS

YAROSLAVL, November 21. /TASS/. Global university ratings do not reflect the real state of affairs regarding Russian universities, and this is partly due to the political situation, Education Minister Olga Vasilyeva said on Monday.

"The rating is not very objective. This is a certain political story, and financial story," Vasilyeva said at the meeting with participants in the forum "Russia’s future intellectual leaders."

However, even "with the existing lack of objectivity," the Moscow State University is included in the rating, while many universities, including Bauman Moscow State Technical University, are listed in subject specific ratings, she noted. "And this is absolutely right because the whole history of our education is subject specific," the minister concluded.

At the start of November, the Moscow international university rating "Three Missions of Universities" became the first international rating project headquartered in Russia. Research will include three segments: Russian universities (national rating), regional ratings (for instance, BRICS countries) and world universities (global rating).

Experts repeatedly noted that global ratings do not take into account the particularities of the Russian education system, and this prevents Russian universities from attaining higher positions in the lists.

In 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered to create a national university rating. The main task of the rating is to outline the state of affairs in all spheres of activities of a certain university to the society and universities themselves.