Before full scale invasion into Ukraine, the Russian Federation officially \u00abrecognized\u00bb so-called \u00abDNR\u00bb and \u00abLNR\u00bb (Donetsk and Luhansk People\u2019s Republics). President Putin recognized\u00a0 \u00absovereignty and independency of people\u2019s republic\u00bb by his decrees # 71 and 72 from February 21, 2022. It means he officially recognized his full responsibility for these quasi-states. His decrees did not become the trigger for the full scale war but they launched \u00abintegration processes\u00bb as Russian authorities call them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n How Moscow \u00abcares\u00bb about higher education in Donetsk and Luhansk People\u2019s Republics\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n The Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education issued on May 5, 2022 the <\/span>Order \u2116 439<\/span><\/a> \u00abAbout Organization of Interaction of Higher Education Institutions of the Russian Federation with Higher Education Institutions of Donetsk People\u2019s Republic and Luhansk People\u2019s Republic\u00bb.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Order defines 24 higher education institutions of the Russian Federation which will be \u00abcurators\u00bb of 22 \u00abhigher education institutions\u00bb in \u00abDNR\u00bb and \u00abLNR\u00bb. Russian higher education institutions should conclude special agreements with their counterparts on occupied territory. The following priorities of cooperation are listed: \u00abjoint implementation of education programs\u00bb, \u00abincreasing the qualification of teachers and professors\u00bb, \u00absecuring the methodological support\u00bb, \u00aborganization of internships\u00bb.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Order stipulates that graduates of higher education institutions in DNR \\ LNR could receive \u00ab<\/span>double use diplomas<\/b>\u00bb. It means that students in \u00abpeople\u2019s republics\u00bb are openly encouraged to enter the Russian labor market.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Mikhail Kushakov, the so-called \u00abminister of education and science of DNR\u00bb. Photo: dontimes.ru<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/div>\n The implementation of the Order # 439 is coordinated by the respective department within the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education, with special unit on interregional and international cooperation. Three deputy ministers are responsible for its implementation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n So-called \u00abDNR\u00bb began \u00abintroducing\u00bb Russian educational, validation and qualification practices far earlier. Mikhail Kushakov, the \u00abminister of education and science of DNR\u00bb, declared in August 2019 about \u00abtransition to Russian standards of general education\u00bb from September 1, 2020. It is remarkable that before 2015 he managed so-called \u00abTransnistrian State University\u00bb situated on the territory of \u00abP<\/span>ridnestrovian Moldavian Republic\u00bb, unrecognized breakaway state controlled by the Russian Federation since 1991.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00abDNR\u00bb started transition to Russian standards of final evaluation or tried to copy them since 2016\\2017. The transition to Russian standards was envisioned in \u00abthe concept of the reform of education and science in DNR until 2030\u00bb adopted in 2016, in accordance with the information of the State Security Service of Ukraine. Educational documents issued in so-called DNR\\LNR were <\/span>de jure recognized<\/span><\/a> by the Russian Federation in 2017.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In 2019\\2020, graduates of educational institutions of \u00abDNR\u00bb accredited in the Russian Federation received over 2,5 thousand Russian diplomas, in accordance with the State Security Service of Ukraine. Their number exceeds 8 thousand diplomas since 2014.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00abIssuance of official documents of the Russian Federation to organizations and institutions on the Ukrainian territory confirms that <\/span>Russia controls occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk oblast, manages local processes and strengthens its activity<\/b> while masking it under bodies of so-called \u00abDNR\u00bb and \u00abLNR\u00bb, as the <\/span>State Security Service reported<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In 2016, \u00abRussian or Ukrainian language\u00bb is indicated as an obligatory exam by presentation materials about \u00abstate final exams\u00bb in \u00abDNR\u00bb. Later \u00abyoung republic\u00bb indicated only \u00abRussian language\u00bb exam.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The order of the so-called \u00abMinistry of Education and Science of DNR\u00bb from 22.12.20 approved the procedure of final exams or attestation. It copied the Russian standard of the Single State Exam (SSE) and stipulated two obligatory exams (the Russian language and mathematics) and two voluntary exams (subjects to be selected by students themselves: chemistry, biology, physics, history, literature, geography, informatics, social sciences). At the same time, \u00abhigher education institutions of DNR\\LNR\u00bb received Russian accreditation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In 2022, \u00abpeople\u2019s republics\u00bb reached the new level of \u00abintegration in the education\u00bb. After mid-May 2022 Russian higher education institutions initiated active consultations with their \u00abpartners\u00bb in \u00abDNR\\LNR\u00bb.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Here are examples. \u00abMinister\u00bb Kushakov met with delegation of Higher School of Economics (Moscow) on May, 20, 2022. Academic councils of Russian Economic University named after Plekhanov and so-called \u00abDonetsk National University of Economics and Trade named after M.Tuhan-Baranovsky\u00bb conducted joint meeting on May 23. Rectors of the Moscow State University named after Lomonosov and so-called \u00abDonetsk National University\u00bb signed an agreement of cooperation on May 24.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00abIntegration\u00bb and \u00abcooperation\u00bb evolve very quickly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n First online meeting about cooperation between the \u00abDonetsk National University of Economics and Trade named after Tuhan-Baranovsky\u00bb and the Russian Economic University named after Plekhanov was held on May 18, 2022.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In a couple of days, on May 20, 2022, academic councils of both universities approved \u00abnetwork educational programs\u00bb for concrete academic subjects.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The rector of the University named after Plekhanov presented these programs at the media forum in Postov-na-Dony on July 4, 2022. Besides \u00abdouble use diplomas\u00bb, programs include exchange of library resources, student exchanges etc.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Then, working groups of the Smolensk branch of the University named after Plekhanov and its \u00abpartners\u00bb in \u00abDNR\u00bb discussed the receipt of \u00abdiplomas\u00bb by graduates from Donetsk on June 8, 2022.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Declared cooperation between the Moscow State University and the \u00abDonetsk National University\u00bb also reached high speed. Rectors signed the agreement of cooperation in Moscow on May 24, 2022. Joint meeting of academic councils of universities was held on May 31. The road map of cooperation was approved as an addendum to the agreement of cooperation. Five working groups were set up in the following spheres: main educational programs; academic research; training and re-training; communication work. Coordination also involved various departments within both universities. Meetings of representatives of economic, journalist and law departments of both universities were conducted from the 24<\/span>th<\/span> to the 30<\/span>th<\/span> of May.<\/span><\/p>\n More dangerous is the involvement of \u00abeducational institutions of DNR\\LNR\u00bb into the activity of pseudo-cultural institutions of the Russian Federation as it is about Russian indoctrination of the Ukrainian youth on occupied territories.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Branches of \u00abRussian Historical Society\u00bb opened in LNR \\ DNR on May 25-26, 2022. Russian delegation was headed by Konstantin Mogilevsky, the director of foundation \u00abHistory of Motherland\u00bb. This \u00abnon-commercial organization\u00bb was created by the decree of President Putin. Its Supervisory Board is headed by Sergei Naryshkin, the director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Newly created Donetsk branch of the \u00abSociety\u00bb was headed by \u00abthe dean of the faculty of history of the Donetsk National University\u00bb.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Viktor Sadovnychy, the rector of the Moscow State University, and Svetlana Bespalova, \u00abthe rector of the Donetsk National University\u00bb, conclude an agreement of cooperation. Photo: donnu.ru<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/div>\n \u00abDNR\u00bb branch of another Russian pseudo-cultural organization \u00abRussian Military Historical Society\u00bb was founded on June 10, 2022.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00abThe First educational forum of educational institutions of Russia, DNR and LNR\u00bb was held in Rostov-na-Donu on June 3-5, 2022. Forum resolution emphasized \u00abthe support of student media centers\u00bb. In accordance with the Russian Ministry of Science of Higher Education, the goal of the forum was \u00ab<\/span>to shape unified educational space, develop training activity, youth policy, and volunteer movement as well as to preserve the historical memory\u00bb<\/b>. \u00abHistory teachers\u00bb from \u00abDNR\u00bb and \u00abLNR\u00bb received \u00abdiplomas\u00bb certifying their completion of \u00abhigher qualification courses\u00bb. Courses were conducted on the basis of the Southern Federal University in Rostov-na-Donu.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Russian government informed about preparation of the agreement on \u00abmutual recognition of education, qualifications and academic degrees\u00bb of the Russian Federation and \u00abDNR\u00bb on June 1, 2022. The draft agreement about \u00abmutual recognition of diplomas\u00bb was supported by <\/span>the order of the Russian government # 1351-r<\/span><\/a> from 28.05.2022<\/span><\/p>\n Dubious perspectives of \u00abhigher education\u00bb on occupied territory\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Russian authorities launched integration of higher education system of \u00abpeople\u2019s republics\u00bb with Russian environment very quickly \u2013 within one month. Key measures can be summarized as follows:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The latter process is tackled from two angles. First, the Russian ministry applied the scheme of \u00abdouble use diplomas\u00bb tested in Crimea when \u00abdiplomas\u00bb of graduates from \u00abDNR\u00bb \\ \u00abLNR\u00bb were recognized by Crimean occupation authorities. Second, the Russian government is going to legalize \u00abeducational qualifications\u00bb received in \u00abDNR\u00bb \\ \u00abLNR\u00bb. It is unclear whether these measures will increase the prestige of Donetsk \u00abuniversities\u00bb or, on the contrary, will undermine the world wide prestige of the Russian higher education.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n However, previous Crimean experience is not encouraging. In order to legalize abroad Crimean diplomas about higher education, the Russian Federation had to create special proxy or shell organizations. They desperately needed such \u00ablegalization\u00bb as students from India or countries of the former USSR kept entering Crimean universities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The task formulated by the order # 439 of the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education seems to be far more complicated than \u00abCrimean problem\u00bb of 2014. \u00abDNR\u00bb \\ \u00abLNR\u00bb are not yet annexed by the Russian Federation as it happened with Crimea.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n At the same time, current Russian agenda for \u00abDNR\u00bb \\ \u00abLNR\u00bb largely follows the Crimean path, as it was formulated by <\/span>the Russian federal law # 84-F3<\/span><\/a> from May 5, 2014. Though this law does not yet cover \u00abDNR\u00bb \\ \u00abLNR\u00bb, the Russian authorities do not make exceptions for them. Such an approach is different from the situation in Crimea in 2014 when Crimean students were given the opportunity not to pass single state exam.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Russian Federation aggressively draws in its cultural and educational framework those people who live on Ukrainian territories occupied after February 24, 2022. \u00abHeads\u00bb and \u00abmayors\u00bb appointed by Russian occupants demonstrate unprecedented speed in adopting relevant decisions. For example, Tetyana Kuzmich, the so-called \u00abhead of department of education and science\u00bb of Kherson region, declared that the tuition in Kherson schools would be conducted on the basis of Russian standards after September 1, 2022. Russian manuals will be supplied to the region by the end of August whereas teachers will go through special re-training courses in Crimea or online.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Methodological seminar on professional issues for teachers in Novoazovsky district of \u00abDonetsk People\u2019s Republic\u00bb. Photo: \u00abthe Ministry of Education and Science of DNR\u00bb<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/div>\n It is very likely that the pressure on teachers in Donetsk and Luhansk regions will grow. The so-called \u00abMinistry of Education and Science of DNR\u00bb reported about conducting \u00abmethodological seminars\u00bb for teachers on occupied territories in Novoazovsky district. Special emphasis was put on teaching \u00abhistory of Russia\u00bb and \u00abpatriotic education\u00bb.<\/span><\/p>\n It is not worth ignoring these \u00abintegration attempts\u00bb on occupied territories, though perspective of expanding \u00abeducational standards of DNR\u00bb or introducing \u00abdouble use diplomas of the Russian Federation\u00bb may seem ridiculous. Silent sabotage and resistance by Ukrainian teachers and educational managers are the main reason these Russian attempts fail. As an outcome, Russian occupants started using open violence against them as the <\/span>abduction<\/span><\/a> of Maksym Vinnyk, the pro-rector of Kherson State University, demonstrates.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/investigator.org.ua\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/mixail_kushakov.png\")
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