With its two phases, one consists of general studies in which a diploma is issued, similar to American degrees, and the other, should a student choose to continue his pursuit of an education, a more specialized study. Whether or not any given programs are made available is based on statistics regarding the future needs of the field. This is perhaps one of the major divisions between American and Russian education systems; in America, students pursue their passions with any consideration of the demand for the field of study as an afterthought. In Russia, if there is no anticipated need for a specialized study, the programs simply aren't offered.
Moscow State University is Russia's largest and oldest institute. Most recent figures indicate nearly 30,000 students. After the Soviet era, the Russian higher education system revamped its business education courses in an effort to change attitudes and educate the new generation in the ways of global market economies. A new attitude in social structures was needed and, as a result, there were over 1,000 new business schools established.
With new guidance and disciplines in place, Russia quickly became a respected member of this global community due to its renewed commitment to education. Another significant change is the funding channels. Although many are still funded by state government, there are just as many private institutes that are funded by student tuitions. Ironically, it is far more difficult to gain acceptance into state funded colleges, and those who do receive tuition versus paying tuition to attend.
Clearly, in just a short amount of time, Russia became a force to be reckoned with in its educational structure. In fact, many specialists in large conglomerates such as IBM and Microsoft were educated in one of Russia's respected and valued universities. With its disciplined and streamlined approaches to higher education, it's a model that works.
