Education in Russia

1. Education in Russia

2. In Russia there is a nine year compulsory education, but to enter a university one has to study two years more.

3. Children begin going to school at the age of six or seven and spend the first three years at a primary school where they learn to read and write and get to know a little history and natural science. This is followed by the five-year secondary education, where pupils learn enough to be able to continue their studies either at school for two years or at specialized secondary schools where they learn to be technicians, designers, medical assistants and complete their secondary education. Some prefer going to a professional schools where they arc able to get secondary education and to learn some profession to become skilled workers.

4. At school the pupils study many subjects, such as Russian language and literature, a foreign language, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, History, they also have physical and practical labour activities.

5. The school children usually have four to six lessons five or six days a week. At the end of the school-year they usually have to pass some exams. They have short vacations in autumn, winter and spring and a three-months vacation in summer.

6. After finishing secondary school young people can go on to higher education. Institutions of higher education include: technical training schools, teachers training colleges, universities. All applicants must take competitive examinations.

7. Those who pass the exams successfully, become students and can study for another four-five or six years (it depends on the programme of the Institute or University).

8. Moscow State University • Moscow State University was established in 1755.

9. More than 40 000 undergraduates and about 7 000 postgraduates study at the university, and over 5 000 specialists do the refresher course here. More than 4 000 professors and lecturers, and about 5 000 researchers work for the faculties and research institutes. The University employs over 15 000 of ancillary staff

10. Every year Moscow University enrolls about 2 000 international students and postgraduates from all over the world.

11. Moscow University has at its disposal more than 600 buildings and facilities including the sky-scraper on Lenin Hills, occupying over 1 million square metres. The University campus in Moscow covers 205.7 hectares.

12. Moscow State Technical University n.a. N.E. Bauman • Founded in 1830 as an Emperor's Vocational School and located almost in the heart of Russia's capital, Moscow State Technical University n.a. N.E. Bauman (MSTU) was always known as an Engineering University.

13. The University has an outstanding faculty of 3500 men and women, many of whom are recognized for their scholarship. Presently there are approximately 18000 students. MSTU is the oldest Russian Technical University

14. The University in Nizhny Novgorod was founded on the 28-th of March 1918. It was named in honour of N.I.I.obachevsky, a fellowtownsman, an eminent mathematician, the creator of non-Euclidean geometry. Now it has become one of the largest and best Universities in Russia. There arc a lot of different faculties in it at present such as radio-physics faculty, mechanics and mathematics faculty, economics, cybernetics, history, philology and others training specialist in many fields of science and culture.

15. Apart from lectures, seminars, practical classes, laboratory work the student take credit-tests and exams at the end of each term. Great attention is paid to independent and research work of the students.

16. Higher education is not free of charge in our country. Many students have to pay tuition fee. The teaching staff of Russian Universities includes many eminent scientists among them members and corresponding members of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctors of Sciences and Candidates of Sciences.

17. At present the system of education in Russia faces many problems, the main one is the insufficient support of the state, that will take a long time to solve.