Aligning higher education in the EU and Russia Tatiana Babrauskiene, member of the EESC International Secretary of LETU-FLESTU 7th JOINT SEMINAR OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC & SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE CIVIC CHAMBER OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION 27 September 2017, Brussels

Educational cooperation between Russia and the EU quality inclusiveness transparency equality comparability opportunity competitiveness move freely between HE institutions, jobs, business sectors and countries resilient people social cohesion democratic values adaptable to changing labour market demands

Common challenges in HE Policy Trends: improving quality and international standing modernization and technical innovation Economic Trends: recession drives a push for a modernized economy spending on education decreased in recent years (RU 8.5 % - 2014 - 2016) Demographic Trends: declining birth rates affect the HE system

The motivations to establish a Joint Programme HEIs in the EU and in Russia REPORT EC JOINT-PROGRAMMES 2014 PRIORITIES — EU HEI % PRIORITIES — RU HEI Develop connections with international partners 90 80 Attract more international students 70 Provide better mobility opportunities for the Russian students 75 Provide better mobility opportunities for EU students 60 Attract more international resources (knowledge, finance) 45 Attract more international re- sources (knowledge, finance) 25 Improve the image of the HEI in Russia 40 Develop better reputation in Russia 20 Attract more international students 35 Develop relations with Russian employers EU 30 in the EU 15 Develop relations with EU employers 10

Some figures up to 100 languages, including 35 that are “official” - remain in use 85 “federal subjects,” including “republics,” “oblasts” (provinces), “krais” (districts) and “cities of federal importance” the largest nation in the world in terms of landmass 54 percent of 25- to 64-year-old Russians held tertiary degrees (2016) - one of the most educated in the world Member of Bologna Process since 2003 Largest non-EU participant in EU-funded international educational cooperation Russia's share in EU funding for educational cooperation with partner countries, 2017 (EC) Expenditure for Russia, 2014-2017 (EC)

Erasmus+ programme Exchanges since 2014: 4487 (41%) EU students and teachers - to Russia 6367 (59%) Russians - to EU universities RU => EU mobility dominates EU staff priority over student exchanges - in Russia staff exchanges increased by 71% (average cost of mobility: students, €5000; staff, €2000) Low student number: Excellence or sustainability? Top ten destination countries for Erasmus students and staff coming from Russia to EU (EC) Top ten countries of origin for Erasmus students and staff coming from EU to Russia (EC)

Success story Between 2014 and 2017 Russians were awarded: 2.4% of all Erasmus Joint Master's scholarships 4.0% of doctoral fellowships The success rate for Russian students applying for Master's scholarships was 6.5%, comparable to most other countries, whereas for doctoral fellowships it was an impressive 24.5% Russia is the 6th largest recipient of EU capacity-building grants. In 2015, 72 Russian universities received a total €4.1 million in grants, 3.4% of total EU funding for this purpose. 2015 - 78 projects from Russia applied for EU funding, a success rate of 58% -Russia came top out of 72 countries participating in the programme (including EU member states), both in terms of funding awarded (15% of the total) and the number of projects approved (17% of the total).

Challenges & opportunities Russian and European HEIs national legislations, institutional boundaries lack of clarity in the internationalisation strategy academic traditions resources linguistic and cultural issues political and economic climate recognition and quality assurance stakeholders involvement career support services, alumni associations or other formal mechanisms to enhance student employability limited graduate tracking great Russian distances and high travel costs differences in teaching and learning styles bureaucracy