Among the main problems hindering Russia's economic development, the rector of the Mining University named the shortage of engineering personnel in the raw materials sector and the low level of young scientists studying at postgraduate programs.
On Thursday, February 6, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a joint extended session of the State Council Presidium and the Presidential Council for Science and Education at the Grand Kremlin Palace. Its central theme was to increase the role of regions in training personnel for the economy and social sphere, as well as the implementation of the Strategy for Scientific and Technological Development of Russia.
"It is necessary to ensure equal continuous opportunities for access to quality education, which will allow the next generations of young professionals to realize their potential," - addressed the audience Vladimir Putin, who opened the meeting.
One of the problems he called "the continuing over-concentration of educational resources in Moscow and St. Petersburg". He reminded the audience that there are more than 200 higher educational institutions in the two largest cities of the country, i.e. more than a quarter of all Russian universities.
The President emphasized that the role of regions in educational and scientific activities should be increased. At the same time, he called proposals to "resettle student Moscow and St. Petersburg" or return to the Soviet system of distribution unacceptable.
«Обязаловкой мы ничего не решим», - отметил Владимир Путин.
He said it was necessary to look for non-standard tools to motivate young people to enrol in higher education institutions in their region or to return home after graduating from universities in the capital. Among a set of measures aimed at modernising the local education system, he mentioned the development of infrastructure in cities where higher education institutions are located, the renovation of student dormitories, and the launch of new industries where students could do internships and work after receiving their diplomas.
In addition, the President called for "getting rid of empty universities" and consolidating the potential of universities. But not through mechanical unification, but, for example, through the creation of joint departments, laboratories and centres of collective use.
Vladimir Litvinenko, Rector of St. Petersburg Mining University, highlighted two of the most serious problems facing modern higher education. One of them is the division of the educational cycle into Master's and Bachelor's degrees, which is unacceptable for technical universities.
"The two-tier system of specialist training is designed to train scientific and pedagogical workers, universities today produce about 80 per cent of such specialists. This is to the detriment of industry. For example, oil and gas companies even have to open corporate institutes in order to retrain their understudied employees. This situation may have much more serious consequences than any sanctions and lead to stagnation of our economy," Vladimir Litvinenko emphasised.
The second problem is the low level of young people studying in postgraduate programmes. According to the rector of the oldest technical university in Russia, in order to create an effective system of training world-class scientists, it is necessary to triple the number of postgraduate students in the country and increase investment in the most talented of them. In particular, to give promising students the opportunity to defend their second diploma in leading foreign universities with a PhD degree, to participate in foreign internships and industrial practices.
In addition, Vladimir Litvinenko told the President about the reasons preventing the establishment of a joint competence centre for LNG production and transportation in St. Petersburg with Shell. One of the world's largest oil and gas corporations is ready to supply unique equipment to the northern capital, but there is no place to put it due to the lack of suitable premises. According to the rector, the university's proposal to exchange space with the city has not yet met with understanding.
Vladimir Putin agreed that postgraduate studies today are not going through the best of times. He reminded that only 12% of postgraduate students defend their PhD thesis, which is an extremely low level and shows that the problem is systemic. He also suggested that Vladimir Litvinenko prepare and hand over to him the necessary set of documents, which would help speed up the joint project between the University and Shell.