Do Russian research universities have a secret mission? a response to Forrat. Issue 4 (3rd July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chirikov, Igor
• Is Part Of: Post-Soviet affairs. Volume 32:Issue 4(2016)
• Page Start: 338
• Page End: 344
• Publication Date: 2016-07-03
• Subjects: Russia -- higher education -- research universities -- science policy -- student activism; Former Soviet republics -- Economic conditions -- Periodicals; 947.084
• DOI: 10.1080/1060586X.2015.1083160
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1060-586X

Abstract

Abstract: This paper challenges the central claim of Natalia Forrat's article that university support programs under Putin targeted the suppression of anti-regime student mobilization. Empirical evidence, both on the national-policy level and on the level of higher education institutions, suggests that the government introduced support programs in order to establish a research capacity at Russian flagship universities and to develop a more competitive national science system. The low level of students' political engagement can rather be attributed to the outdated structures of student representation, inherited from the Soviet period.