'Pandemic Is a Chance to Reimagine the Principles of Higher School Model' - UrFU Rector

09:31, October 1, 2020

Victor Koksharov took part in the discussion of the forum of rectors of leading Russian universities

The coronavirus pandemic makes it possible to revise the principles of organizing a network of higher education and science in Russia, said Victor Koksharov, rector of the Ural Federal University. He stated this today during the plenary session of the Global Competitiveness Forum with the participation of rectors of leading universities.

“The crisis caused by the pandemic has shown that the time is ripe for a transition from a weakly interacting set of universities and research institutes-quasi-competitors to the development of a network of higher education, - said Koksharov. “We need unified approaches to the formation of individual educational trajectories, taking into account the specifics of the organization of the educational process in each region and university and with the methodological support of leading regional universities.”

According to the head of UrFU, one of the main effects of the pandemic is the increased stratification between universities due to the emergence of new and exacerbation of old problems. Among the latter, Koksharov highlighted the technological and organizational unpreparedness of many universities to switch to distance learning, unequal access of students and teachers to remote learning opportunities, as well as outdated, redundant and expensive infrastructure in regions with an insufficient number of applicants.The 8th Forum of Leading Universities - Global Competitiveness, organized by the RAEX-Analytica rating agency, took place today in Moscow with the participation of rectors and experts in the field of science and education.As a result of the forum, the efforts of UrFU in working with large industrial enterprises and business were noted - the university received a diploma in the nomination "For cooperation with employers".