Russia

Government to Screen Ethnic Minorities Entering University

According to a recent report in Izvestiya, encounters between students of various nationalities are becoming ever more frequent and violent in Russia, and the government has decided to expel those involved while screening those applying to study in Moscow who come from non-Russian groups inside the Russian Federation or abroad.

The report states that institutions of higher education will be granted broader powers to expel students, and applicants will be screened by a special “filtration” commission the authorities plan to create. Moreover, government plans to ask administrators at institutions to organize special “operational groups of students” who will react quickly to any conflicts that arise between members of different nationalities and stop them from getting out of hand.

An editorial piece in the Georgian Daily speculates that while this expanded use of police power may reduce the amount of violence, it will lead non-Russians to conclude that the government is not interested in their welfare and either decide not to come to Moscow to study or alternatively to take more radical action.

Most of the 120,000 foreign students in Russia, mostly from the former Soviet republics, Asia, Africa and Latin America, are studying in Moscow. In addition, there are tens of thousands of students who are Russian citizens but members of non-Russian nationalities. The paper suggests the latter group is responsible for many of the most serious problems.

– Georgian Daily
February 3, 2009

Ukraine

Corruption Reported to Be on Decrease

RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service reports that the Ukrainian Education Ministry has said that new standardized entrance exams have led to a decrease in corruption at universities.

In 2007, the ministry partially launched the entry exams, and in 2008 all newly admitted university students took the tests. The Education Ministry established a special center to institute the tests, and it was also empowered to monitor corruption within the university admission process.

According to recent surveys, parents, students, and teachers claim that corruption has decreased considerably as a result of the new entry exams. Additionally, 92 percent of the students who passed the entry exams were admitted to the university.

– Radio Free Europe/Radio Luxemburg
February 12, 2009