By Ann M. Koenig,
The Russian Federation has developed new 鈥淔ederal State Educational Standards鈥 (FSES) that define higher education programs at the bachelor, master and specialist level in terms of 鈥渨orkload credit units鈥, replacing the traditional system of expressing student workload in terms of hours. The introduction of 鈥渃redit units鈥 - 鈺ㄢ晼鈺ㄢ枒鈺も暔鈺♀暏茅鈺ㄢ暅鈺ㄢ晻鈺ㄢ暎 鈺ㄢ暋鈺ㄢ敜鈺ㄢ晻鈺ㄢ暅鈺ㄢ晻鈺っ / zachetnaja edinitsa in Russian - is a result of Russia鈥檚 participation in the Bologna process, which requires the use of credits that are compatible with the (ECTS) as one tool in increasing student mobility in Europe.
The FSES are the outlines of curricular structure and content mandated for use at all levels of education throughout the Russian Federation. The development of a credit system in Russian higher education was first approved in 2002. The began using a credit system in 2005. By 2007, over 100 higher education institutions and branches of institutions were using the credit system. The states that 50-75% of programs at Russian higher education institutions were using ECTS credits at that time. However, the use of credits was not mandated until the publication of the most recent 鈥, which define the student workload for each section of the curriculum for programs of study at the bachelor, master, and specialist levels in terms of 鈥渃redit units鈥.
The new credit unit is defined as representing 36 academic hours per credit. The academic hour in Russia is 45 minutes. A full-time year consists of 60 credits, making the Russian system compatible with the ECTS credit system. The four-year bachelor requires 240 credits. The five-year specialist requires 300 credits, while the six-year specialist program in medicine requires 360 credits. The two-year master, which follows the bachelor, requires 120 credits. The credit system is not used for the research-based degrees, the Candidate of Sciences and Doctor of Sciences.
The , reports that the implementation of the credit-based FSES will take place in increments over the next several years. Students who began studies under previous iterations of the FSES will continue under the requirements of those programs and will receive a diploma and diploma addendum (transcript) in the state standard format of 2012. (Samples of all Russian academic documents in formats through 2012 are available on the Russian ENIC Web site.) Students who begin studies under the new FSES using the credit system will receive a newly-formatted diploma supplement that will show credits. The Russian ENIC will be posting the new document formats in the near future.
The rollout of the new FSES and the corresponding completion documentation is planned as follows:
Bachelor (鈺ㄢ枓鈺ㄢ枒鈺ㄢ晳鈺ㄢ枒鈺ㄢ晽鈺ㄢ枒鈺ㄢ枔鈺): The FSES for bachelor studies were introduced in 2009-10. The first batch of diplomas with the new diploma supplement showing credits will be issued in 2014.
Specialist (鈺ㄢ敜鈺ㄢ晻鈺ㄢ攼鈺ㄢ晽鈺ㄢ暃鈺ㄢ暆 [higher education diploma] with 鈺ㄢ晳鈺ㄢ枔鈺ㄢ枒鈺ㄢ晽鈺ㄢ晻鈺っも暔鈺曗暔鈺戔暔鈻戔暏氓鈺ㄢ晻鈺っ [professional qualification]): The specialist FSES took effect in 2010-2011. The first batch of diplomas with the new diploma supplement will be issued in 2015.
Master (鈺ㄢ暆鈺ㄢ枒鈺ㄢ攤鈺ㄢ晻鈺っ尖暏茅鈺ㄢ暋鈺): The FSES were introduced in 2009-2010, and some institutions have already begun awarding diplomas with the new diploma supplement format.
秀色直播 Resources on education in Russia, including the USSR:
(reduced price)
(reduced price)
Other selected resources for information and credential evaluation:
: The Russian Ministry of Education and Science鈥檚 official source for information on the educational system of Russia. Excellent informational material, including the latest updates based on recent legislation, diagrams of the Russian system in English and Russian, directory of higher education institutions in English, and links to samples of all academic credentials awarded since the Soviet era. See the list in the left side bar near the bottom of the home page. The link 鈥淩ussian Education System鈥 reflects the changes in the system based on the new State Federal Educational Standards.
The Bologna Process and the Russian Federation: