Unit I: Higher Education in Russia

Young people of Russia get higher education at institutes[2], universities and academies. They enter a higher institution after leavings secondary schools. Of course, not all the people who want to get higher education can be admitted to an insti­tution. There are from two to ten applicants for each vacancy at various higher schools and only the best in knowledge are able to pass competitive entrance exams.

Those who hadn't a chance of being accepted to the insti­tute go to work at various plants and in offices. It doesn't mean, however, that such people have no opportunity to get higher education. Almost all higher schools in Russia have evening or extra-mural departments for the people who want to combine their work with study.

The study in Russia is free of charge or paid. Full-time students (day students) get state scholarship, the amount of which depends on their success in studies. Part-time students get extra-paid leave for the period of their session.

The course of study at higher schools runs four or six years, in other words it consists of 4 or 6 academic years. Each academic year is divided into two terms, an autumn term and a spring term. At the end of each term the students have exams and credit tests (session).

The schools of higher education have a comprehensive cur­riculum, which consists of a number of theoretical (pure) and applied sciences. The students study general-educational and specialized subjects.

At the end of study students submit the graduation projects (papers) or hold final exams (in humanities). The main purpose of the project is to evaluate the standard of the graduates’ knowledge and abilities. Sometimes projects are used by industrial enterprises. After graduation the graduates get diplomas.

Exercises:

I. Read the following words from the text:

paid	entrance	term	knowledge	applicant
higher	accept	comprehensive	competitive	charge
education	opportunity	curriculum	success	specialized
university	extra-mural	theoretical	course	various
academy	department	humanities	evaluate	vacancy
admitted	combine	applied	final	scholarship

II. Complete the sentences:

1) Young people enter… 2) There are five applicants… 3) Only the best in knowledge are able… 4) Besides day-time study almost all higher schools in Russia… 5) If you want to combine work with study… 6) The study in Russia is… or… 7) Part-time students get… 8) The course of study consists of… 9) An academic year is divided into… 10) Young people get higher education at… 11) At the end of each term… 12) The curriculum consists of… 13) At the end of study… 14) The main purpose of a graduation paper… 15) After graduation…

III. Compose sentences using word combinations:

after leaving secondary schools; to be admitted to the institute; applicants for a vacancy; entrance exams; to be able to pass competitive exams; have an opportunity; combine smth. with smth.; extra paid leave; to consist of; to be divided. into; comprehensive curriculum; pure (applied) science; standard of knowledge and ability.

IV. Give English, equivalents for the following word-combina­tions and use them in the sentences of your own:

высшее образование, вуз, поступить в институт, три заявления (претендента) на одно место, сдать конкурсные экзамены, иметь возможность получить высшее образование, зачислять (быть зачисленным) в институт, получать стипендию, сочетать работу с учебой, бесплатный, высшее учебное заведение, дополнительно оплачиваемый отпуск, учебный год, в конце семестра, состоять из, делиться на, чистые и прикладные науки, специальный предмет, защитить проект.

V. Put questions to the sentences:

1) Young people enter higher schools after leaving secondary schools. (When…?)

2) There are from two to ten applicants for each vacancy at various higher schools. (How many…?)

3) In our Academy the course of study lasts five years. (How long…?)

4) A student submits his graduation project at the end of study. (What…?)

5) After graduation the graduates get diplomas. (When…?)

VI. Answer the questions:

1) Where do young people of Russia get higher education? 2) After what stage of education can people enter higher institutions? 3) What competition is there usually at our higher schools? 4) What kind of young people are admitted to institutes? 5) What opportunities have those young people who have failed to become full-time students? 6) What kind of higher institutions are there in Russia for the people who want to combine their work with study? 7) What privilege have evening and extra-mural students? 8) How long does the course of study run? 9) When do stu­dents have exams? 10) What curriculum have our higher schools? 11) How is the graduate's standard of knowledge checked up?

VII. Read the given below dialogues and find the English equivalents to the following word-combinations:

обучать студентов, получать научную степень, вводить степень бакалавра (магистра), платить за обучение, получать стипендию, курс обучения, дальнейшее образование, в здании университета, посещать занятия, территория университета (вместе со всеми учебными и вспомогательными постройками), учебный корпус, студенческое общежитие, студенческий клуб, снимать комнату.

– 1 –

- My name is Dmitry. I study at the Siberian Automobile and Highway Institute.

- Will you explain to us what you mean? The word “institute” sounds a bit unusual to an English ear. Is it a college or a kind of university?

- Well, it’s a higher educational establishment, which trains students in different qualifications.

- By the way, are the graduates of Russian institutes or universities given a degree?

- No, they are not. The system of scientific degrees in our country is different. The graduates are given diplomas, which are actually the same as the British first degree (degree of bachelor). But I think the degrees of bachelor and master will be introduced when the reforms in the sphere of higher school are completed.

- Do students in Russia pay tuition?

- No, almost all forms of education in our country are free (of charge). Students of higher and secondary specialized education establishments get grants. Though nowadays there are a lot of new educational forms where tuition is paid by the students.

- What’s the term of instruction at Russian universities, institutes and academies?

- It’s different in different types of higher education establishments, but in most of them it’s 5 years.

– 2 –

- Is there any system of further education in Russia for those adults who work after leaving school?

- For these people almost every university and institute has evening and extra-mural departments.

- Do such students get any instruction on the premises of the university (institute) and if so, how often do they come?

- Students of the evening departments attend classes four times a week. As to the extra-mural students, they have classes during mid-sessional examinations (in winter) and sessionals (in June).

– 3 –

- Your university has a large campus.

- Yes, rather. Here is the administrative building. Farther and behind it there are four teaching blocks. The library and the students’ hostel are on your left. There you can also see the union building.

- It’s quite a campus.

- Yes, I know what you mean. The university was planned and built as a single, separate complex in the outskirts of the city.

- And where do the students of the university live?

- As far as I know most of them live in the hostel, the other live with their families or they rent rooms.

VIII. Make up your own dialogue on the following situation: a foreign student wants to know as much as possible about the system of higher education in Russia.

IX. Discuss the following problems in two groups, one of them supporting the given below statements, the other – disproving them. Read pros and cons in the tables. Think of some more, which are important in your opinion. Try to make your opponents change their minds.

1) It is necessary for a future engineer to study a foreign language.

For	Against
1) Can read foreign scientific journals as soon as they are published. 2) Can speak to foreign colleagues if necessary. 3) Can read foreign books. 4) It’s interesting to speak to people using another language. 5) Can find out more about the world.	1) It takes a lot of time to study it. 2) Sometimes the results are rather poor. 3) Can wait till interesting articles are translated into your native language. 4) Can turn to a translator if it is necessary. 5) It is not interesting to study a foreign language.

2) If a young man has a family of his own he had better enter an extra-mural department, not a full-time one.

Full-time department	Extra-mural department
For	For
1) A lot of time to take part in an experimental work (in the labs etc.); 2) the opportunity of self-study with the help of qualified teachers; 3) time to take part in sport activities.	1) Some experience combining work with study; 2) the possibility to get a salary enough for a growing family; 3) prospects of promotion.
Against	Against
1) The grants are not enough for a growing family; 2) too many subjects to study.	1) No time for studying after work; 2) much time and effort to work on one’s own.

   You may find the following expressions helpful:

To express your opinion:

I think…; Speaking for myself…; I believe…; I suppose…; I’m sure; In my opinion…

To agree with somebody:

Yes, I agree (with you); That’s true; I think so too; You are quite right.

To disagree with somebody:

On the other hand…; I don’t agree (with you); It’s not (entirely) true; I don’t think so.

X. Express your opinion answering the questions. Use the expressions:

I think…; In my opinion…; To my mind…; As far as I know…

1) Why do young people enter higher schools?

2) What can you say about the curriculum of your higher school? Give your examples.

3) What is more difficult: to be a full-time or a part-time student? Give your reasons.

4) Do you think there are a lot of opportunities for the young people in our country to get higher education? Give your examples.

XI. a) Read the text about the history of education in Russia and then write a detailed plan of this text in Russian. You can choose to build your plan either according to Russian rulers, or according to years.

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