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On March, 3, 2016 Yaroslav I. Kuzminov, a famous Russian economist, founder and rector of National Research University “Higher School of Economics”, deputy of Moscow City Duma, public figure became a guest of a project “Synkletos at VIAM”.

Academician of RAS, Evgeny N. Kablov, Director General of VIAM presented the guest and reminded, that Rector of Higher School of Economics had visited VIAM for the first time in 2012 and that visit had led to establishment of close cooperation between scientific organizations. According to him, Higher School of Economics is one of the foremost universities engaged in long-term strategic forecasting, without which it is impossible to plan the further development of economics and industry in our country.

A problem of development of Russian education became a key theme of the meeting. Yaroslav Kuzminov shared his vision of development of domestic higher school. In particular, he pointed out, that nowadays we could observe a critical moment at the Russian labor-market, which wa sovercrowded with economists, lawyers and managers. “Now time is coming when people are able to develop something. Society didn`t believe that it was real to make a career to be a chemist two decades ago. Today salary of well-qualified engineers isn`t inferior and, frequently, exceeds earnings of lawyers and economists”, - Rector declared.

According to him, higher education in Russia was an evidence of a certain status and definitions “rich” and “educated” were strongly correlated in thoughts of society. According to researches performed by HSE, 90% of schoolchildren`s parents want their children to obtain higher education. Socioeconomic and humanities as well as medical specializations are the most popular subjects. Thus, after a while, 30% of jobs won`t require higher education and the market will be flooded with specialist, who aren`t ready to work with their hands. “There is jobs deficit now. For the last two decades Russia has caught up USA in the field of higher education. About 5 millions of students are studying at universities of our country”, - Yaroslav Kuzminov pointed out.

But at the same time, according to Yaroslav Kuzminov, Russia is a champion concerning the number of extramural students. “Half of students of higher education institutions gain knowledge in absentia form, that isn`t found in any other country. Therefore, in spite of such impressive number of students, the quality of higher education isn`t at high level, because an external student hardly gains good qualification”, - he pointed out.

In his opinion, dishonest of students is one more trouble of the Russian education. Acquisition of knowledge is in priority for students from Western countries, but many Russian students are only able to simulate the process of studying in order to obtain diplomas. “D-students and those students, who don`t get on well in studying because of part-time jobs, which aren`t related to their specializations, and such students only deprive motivation of those ones, who want to study. This is the biggest problem of domestic education, which should be solved”, - Yaroslav Kuzminov said. 

According to him, well- qualified workers are also necessary. “Unfortunately, people, who don`t want to study, prefer to work with hands today. But we need well-skilled specialists in the field of production”, - Rector of HSE pointed out.

According to the guest of the synkletos, it is necessary to enhance prestige of blue-collar jobs in order to solve this problem. “By the example of the Western countries we should substitute educational institutions for applied bachelor degree courses, where students will be able to master specific technologies. We will have well-qualified specialists with diplomas, which enhance their social status”, - he pointed out.

Yaroslav Kuzminov emphasized branches of industry which would be the drivers of Russian economic growth as follows: agriculture, intellectual services, house-building, highway engineering and defense industry. And there was no need to expect much from textile manufacture, automobile production and from production of appliance electronics.

Rector of HSE didn`t enumerate the most demanded professions in future and advised parents to focus primarily on child`s ability. “A true professional will be in demand everywhere”, - Yaroslav Kuzminov pointed out.

 In conclusion of the meeting, Evgeny Kablov expressed his gratitude to the guest for the interesting and informative report as well as he wished the guest further fruitful work.

It should be noted, that Yaroslav Kuzminov got acquainted with scientific and production base of the institute.