Foreign Students in Russia: The Need for a Long-Term Strategy

Introduction

According to a 2016 study conducted by the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), the number of foreign students in Russian universities tripled during the period from the 2004-2005 to 2014-2015 academic years.

Source

It is unlikely that the numbers of foreign students looking to study in Russia will decline in the near future, given that many cite the relative high quality of Russian education compared with higher education institutes in their native countries. However, an increase in the number of foreign students in Russia means that institutes of higher education must develop long-term plans for the reception and integration of students, as well as ensuring that students are able to graduate.

Background

At the beginning of the 2015-2016 academic year, the total number of foreign students in Russia numbered at 237,538, comprising five percent of the total number of students. 79% of foreign students were from countries of the former Soviet Union.

The top three countries with the largest number of foreign students in Russia consist of Kazakhstan, comprising 36% of the total number of students from former Soviet republics, Uzbekistan at 11%, and Ukraine at 11%.

Looking beyond student populations from former Soviet states, the largest number of foreign students came from Asia, comprising 57% of foreign students from states not formerly part of the Soviet Union. Almost half of all Asian foreign students came from China. 19% of this group was comprised of foreign students from North Africa and the Middle East, and 4,958 students who are considered stateless studied in Russia during that academic year.

Beyond enrollment figures, another notable difference between students from former Soviet states and other countries is that students from the former Soviet Union tend to enroll in both distance-learning and in-person courses, while almost 98% of students from other countries enroll in full-time, in-person courses.

54% of students from the former Soviet Union enroll in full-time in-person courses, while 44% enroll in distance-learning coursework. Two percent of students enroll in a combination of both forms of courses.

One development reshaping the nature of student inflows into Russia is a decrease in Russian-language education in CIS countries, which is contributing to increased student difficulty in passing entrance exams for Russian institutes of higher education, as well as academic difficulty while studying in Russia.

An important legal development for foreign students in Russia was Federal Law 224, established on July 23, 2013. The main changes associated with this law deal with the possibility to extend the period of stay of foreign students in Russia and grant them the ability to work on the basis of a work permit, with some exemptions, while studying. Work permits issued to students are free from quota requirements. This is a progression from previous law, which stipulated that foreign students were allowed to work only at the same university they studied in, and the number of occupations available to them was limited.

This is an important development given recent developments for students from Turkmenistan, who have reported arbitrary freezes on their debit cards issued by Turkmen banks. There have been reports of Turkmen students being expelled from universities over unpaid tuition, and an RFE/RL Turkmen Service correspondent in Russia's Astrakhan region has reported that hundreds of Turkmen students were working on farms in their spare time to compensate for lost finances. Some students were reported to be working eight hours a day for 600 rubles without a work permit.

While this instance is specific to the native country of the students, these incidents serve as a reminder of unstable political and economic climates in the origin countries of foreign students. These examples can help administrators better prepare to serve students should any disruptions outside of a student’s control arise and impact their ability to continue their education.

Russia prioritizes teaching in Russian, and this emphasis is in contrast to approaches adopted by other non-Anglophone countries such as Germany, the Netherlands, and Nordic countries, which have developed university-level education in other languages besides the state language.

Under the Soviet Union, it was first the Soviet Ministry of Higher and Middle Special Education, and then the USSR State Committee for People’s Education, which dealt with selecting and receiving foreign students. During this time, universities did not participate in these processes, and were solely responsible for the education of foreign students once they arrived in Russia. Russian universities are in a learning phase when it comes to independent recruitment of foreign students.

Another important development that the Russian education sector must contend with is the weakening of Russia’s desirability as an international education site since the disintegration of the Soviet Union. At the time, the Soviet Union was among the top-three destinations for foreign students.

According to the Institute of International Education’s Project Atlas, Russia was the sixth-largest host state for foreign students in 2016, ranking behind the United States, Britain, China, France, and Australia. While Russia’s ranking has fallen, it can still work on recruitment goals and education reforms to attract more students.

Russia remains eager to recruit foreign students because international student recruitment improves global internationalization indicators. Universities that are top performers at recruitment are more likely to receive funding from the state.

Russia has been unable to bring substantial numbers of Russian-trained foreign students into their labor market, with many students who have received an education they believe of high quality complaining they are unable to work in the Russian labor market.

Policy Recommendations

If Russia wants to maintain high inflows of foreign students into institutes of higher education in the long-term, it should consider the following proposals.

Develop administrative and pedagogical best practices through exchange programs with foreign universities

Russia can address its transition from state to university-centered recruitment by engaging in educational workshops and professional exchanges for administrative staff and faculty with universities outside of Russia. This will allow staff to develop the skills needed to continue attracting diverse students, as well as adopting best practices for integration and student life. It is critical that universities invest in their own professional development to stay relevant in an increasingly global education market.

Consider adopting English curriculum for short-term exchanges

Russia should look to models developed by other institutions in different countries, and consider adding courses conducted in English to university curriculum.

This will not only increase the attractiveness of studying in Russia for students who come from institutions that prioritize learning English instead of Russian, such as Mongolian students, but is an important opportunity for Russian students to develop their English-language skills.

Short-term exchanges, which can be conducted outside of the traditional academic year during the summer, would attract more student enrollment in universities and generate additional revenue. These exchange programs give even more students the opportunity to visit Russia and meet Russian students, and can serve as short-term immersion programs for students who are currently studying Russian, but have not reached university-level.

Russia needs to respond to the decrease in Russian language abilities of students from former CIS countries. Offering coursework in English to accommodate the increase in English-language instruction in former Soviet states while offering students the concurrent ability to enroll in Russian language classes benefits these students in two ways. It allows students the ability to develop their Russian-language skills to a more professional capacity, and gives them the same immersion opportunities as students with more advanced Russian skills.

This has the potential to become a more developed source of revenue for Russian universities as well.

Explore distance-education opportunities for non-CIS foreign students

Considering the popularity of distance education for students from former Soviet nations, Russian higher education institutes also have the option of exploring distance-education opportunities for students from non-former Soviet nations. As communication and education becomes more globalized, Russian universities should embrace alternative teaching methods, especially if long-distance education can persuade students to eventually enroll in full-time in-person courses.

These distance-education opportunities should be developed with the feedback of foreign students currently enrolled in Russian universities. Institutes can conduct surveys and focus groups to better understand the needs of foreign students and their decision-making process when choosing to enroll in either distance-education or in-person courses.

Consider developing universities either on the basis of specializations or broad curriculum programming

Given that Russia has 530 public institutions, and 366 private institutions, it has room for improvement, development, and innovation within an already-existing network of higher education institutes, and can provide targeted development based on a university’s strengths.

While Russia might not be the only educational option available now for many foreign students, Russia can leverage research specializations or curriculum flexibility in order to ensure attractiveness in the future.

As Russia faces a demographic landscape that will become increasingly urbanized, Russian universities will need to compete with each other to attract student enrollment. Strategic development of university curriculum will ultimately result in more effective recruitment. This is especially important for master’s, doctoral, and post-doctoral programs, as foreign students have emphasized the importance of world-class specialists working in Russian universities when deciding to enroll. While bachelor’s programs can focus more on providing diverse curriculum and enrollment flexibility, other institutes can focus on niche industries and recruit students from that field.

Niche industry recruitment is also important because of the role of personal and informal networks in disseminating information about opportunities available in Russian universities.

Maintain scholarships for foreign students, and increase stipend amounts or number of scholarships offered when able and appropriate

Russia must continue to provide scholarships to foreign students, and as universities evaluate their budgets and look towards long-term fundraising, they must keep in mind how valuable subsidized Russian higher education is for foreign students in disseminating information about educational opportunities within their networks.

Providing scholarships will also increase the competitiveness of applicant pools.

Russia must invest heavily in financial development, and consider the often-unstable economic situations in the native countries of many foreign students. Guaranteed scholarships are important in recruitment and ensuring that students can focus on their studies while in school and successfully graduate with their degree.

Russian institutes must also keep in mind that if other institutions, such as those in China, begin to offer competitive scholarships as well, students might choose these institutions because of the expenses associated with studying in Russian cities. Students have reported struggling to cover basic expenses with their stipends, and this will factor into their decision-making in the long-term.

Design long-term strategic goals with the increasingly global and competitive nature of higher education in mind

At the moment, Russia might be seeing an increase in the amount of international students enrolled in their universities. However, Russia must think strategically about long-term sustainability. If the numbers of foreign students continues to rise, Russia must have the ability to ensure those students have access to housing, stipends, and are able to integrate into Russian society and university culture. Failure along these lines translates to academic and integration difficulties, and a prospective decline in applications once word is disseminated about the challenges of studying in Russia.

Russian institutes should strategize on how to make the specific Russian-language aspect of their curriculum attractive for students who have the option to enroll in English-language universities as well.

The reality of 21^st century education—which applies not only to Russia, but globally—is that higher education institutes are facing increasing competition in recruitment. A student in Mongolia who studies both English and Russian can consider studying in both Russia and English-speaking countries.

By ensuring the quality of Russian education remains at high standards, and that students believe they will be comfortable enough in Russian society to move to Russia to pursue their education, universities will continue to see healthy enrollment numbers from foreign students in their universities.

All of these recommendations hinge on the willingness of university administration to invest in their own professional and administrative development, and to take the initiative to look for opportunities in learning best practices from other universities in different nations.

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