With the start of events in Ukraine, reports of discrimination of Russian students abroad began to appear - from deductions from foreign universities to non -recognition of Russian diplomas. We checked how true these messages are.
Deductions of Russian students from universities in Europe
Four days after the start of events in Ukraine, the Ombudsman on Human Rights Tatyana Moskalkova She said On the deductions of Russian students from universities in France, the Czech Republic, Belgium and other European states in connection with the situation in Ukraine. Her words Closed Dozens of Russian media.
Alarmed Russian student of the German University of Bauhaus in Weimar I called To the dean’s office, to find out whether rumors about the deductions that he read in the Russian media are true. The university hastened to publicly reassure all Russian students, Supponingthat "University is on your side." Many European universities came in the same way, which, contrary to Moskalkova’s statement, organized support measures for their students from Russia.
In the UK universities Binded With Russian students, to provide them with emotional assistance. For example, employees of Cardiff University They call Students from Belarus and Russia to check if they are all right. “We have a debt to all our students, where they may be, and you can’t lay responsibility for students for the actions of their president,” said Vice-Chancellor University, Professor Colin Rirdan. And the President of the British University Association, Professor Steve West said: “We will support all our students, wherever they come from. Education unites us and promotes mutual understanding. The rulers who try to destroy it need to be stopped. ”

Newkasl University wrote In a press release that "now our thoughts with everyone who has suffered from the conflict: with citizens of Ukraine, forced to leave their homes for the sake of security, as well as with Russian citizens who courageously confront war, exposing themselves to great risk." In such a statement by the University of Sanderland It is said: “We are working to help our Ukrainian and Russian students, as well as all members of the university community, which have been affected by recent events.”
In Belgium, the rector of the Levensky Catholic University Luke Versi Refuted Rumors about the exclusion of students from Russia accused Russian pro -government media of spreading fakes. Vilnius University also condemned misinformation and declaredthat discrimination on a national basis is unacceptable. Rector of Masarikov University in Brno He performed with a speech in support of Russian students, and the dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences of Carlov University in Prague saidthat "" students from Russia and Belarus are still happy at the faculty. "
European Association of Universities Disputed Applications on the expulsion of Russian students, and the organization "Universities of France" threatened A court claim, if accusations of discrimination are repeated. Berlin University named after Humboldt and Berlin Technical University also They saidthat, although they suspended joint research projects, Russian undergraduate students, magistracy or doctoral studies will not affect this. Representatives of the ERASMUS+ Student Exchange Program+ also Reportedthat information about deductions is not confirmed.
The media mentions only two calls to deduct Russian students. First I acted From a professor of Sussex University Paul Nightingale, but he touched exclusively children of Russian oligarchs and, most likely, was rhetorical. The second appeal belonged to the US Congressman Eric Suolvella, who Offered To drive out Russian students in revenge for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The idea is wide criticized The media and colleagues of Suolvella, and today there is no evidence that universities have supported the proposal.
Applications of students themselves, students abroad are added to the refutations of universities and educational associations. Firstly, in the comments under the post of Moskalkova on Instagram, Russian students of European universities They wroteWhich, on the contrary, receive words of support and proposals for help from their educational institutions. Student of the Czech Technical University, from which, according to Moskalkova, supposedly offered to expel Russian students, said: “In Russia, information is subject to the fact that we are expelled from universities - this is completely not so. We ourselves scared when we saw this news, and went to understand. Yesterday a letter came, in which they clearly and clearly explained that they would simply not deduct anyone. ”

Lecturer of the University of Sheffield in the UK, Russian Ilya Yablokov confirmedthat the expulsion of students from British universities due to nationality is simply impossible "because there are working laws." He suggested that some residents of Russia believed in Moskalkova’s words, because “many in Russia do not understand how life is arranged beyond its borders. They are known to the thought that in other countries everything is like ours. Accordingly, you can create lawlessness and out of the blue to drive a person from study or work. ”
The student of the technical University of Dortmund spoke in a similar way: “In Europe, expeling someone due to nationality or without good reasons-a jurisdiction. If tomorrow I will receive an order for deductions, then I just take all my clothes, go to court, I definitely win it, and the university has financial and reputational losses. So, when people write such fakes, they probably measure the whole world on their own. They, apparently, think that if they can expel students on the same day due to campaigns to rallies, then here it also rings. But here it does not rush. I can’t even imagine how to trample the rector who will sign such a suicidal order. ” Refined Russian students from universities in 16 countries refuted Messages about deductions, while many announced moral and even financial support from universities, classmates and teachers.
Not true
Russians can no longer participate in student exchange programs or receive foreign grants for training
Some sources writethat due to hostilities in Ukraine, refusals of cooperation with Russia from foreign universities, scientific communities and international funds that issued grants and scholarships to Russian students to study abroad began to sound.
Some scientific exchanges have really announced the termination of cooperation with Russian institutes. So, for example, the German DAAD Foundation, which is engaged in student exchange, wrote On the termination of consideration of applications from Russian applicants for grants and scholarships. German universities also suspend all the design activities with Russia financed by DAAD. “We must admit that we are facing a serious challenge in the field of foreign policy, defense and security. The challenge that we have not seen in Europe in this form since the Second World War and which destroys the foundations of European values ” - said DAAD President, explaining the decision to stop cooperation with the aggressor country.
So far, there have been no official statements that the Erasmus+ Student Exchange program is turning its activities in Russia - neither from the EU representative office in Russia, nor from the European Agency for Education and Culture, whose authority includes financing Erasmus Mundus programs. Russian office Erasmus+ wrote On Instagram that the issue of stopping the exchange program is not on the agenda. And the student network Erasmus emphasizedthat “young people in Russia are not its government. They also suffer from the consequences of decisions that negate the work done by civil society organizations in Russia. Russian students abroad should also receive support at this difficult time for them. ”

Some Russian education figures warnthat the risk zone included numerous British Council programs, Goethe Institute, the Servantes Institute, the Frances Alliance and other organizations that provide scholarships for the training of Russian students abroad. These programs are financed by the governments of these countries through funds and, most likely, will close. As a result of this, Russia may lose ways to pass the TOEFL and IELTS exams, which in the overall format were carried out precisely by these funds, which means that it will become more difficult for Russian students to enter Western universities. Nevertheless, so far there were no applications for the termination of these organizations. And, by words Several agencies and scholarship funds that help Russians enter hundreds of various foreign universities, in any country, Russian applicants and students did not encounter problems in obtaining scholarships and grants.
Most of the untruth
Diplomas of Russian universities are no longer recognized in the world
March 13, 2022 Telegram channel of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine wrotethat diplomas of Russian universities are no longer recognized in the world. On the same day, the news fell into headlines Media and parted by Forums And social networks.
In the message of the Verkhovna Rada Explainedthat the associations of the Triple Crown (AACSB, EFMD and AMBA) decided to remove accreditation from the universities of Russia. The AACSB website really published statement On behalf of the four associations: “We made a collective decision to suspend all the activities on membership and accreditation of Russian institutions until the new notice. For students, accreditation remains in force. Scientific degrees that were assigned to them earlier will still be considered issued by accredited educational institutions. ”
By application The Russian Association of Business Education, this only means that the issuance of new accreditation and reactionation is frozen, and “current accreditation, which were received by leading Russian business schools, remain in force. He confirms the status of accredited, they have every right to post information on accreditation on their websites, as well as report their customers. ” One way or another, the suspension of the activities of the Triple Crown associations does not affect the recognition of diplomas of Russian universities. That is, this measure applies only to the status of individual universities, and not to students and their diplomas themselves.
Not true
Addition 21/03/2022: Although the statements of the University of Tartu and some other Estonian universities concern only applicants, not students from Russia, the topic gained popularity in the context of the oppression of Russian students foreign universities, and we also decided to include it in a selection.
Some universities in Estonia will ban the receipt of Russians
Many publications wrote about decision Tartu and some other universities in Estonia do not accept applicants from Russia who are not residence permit or long -term visa in the EU country.
Vice -Rector of the University of Tartu au Valka really She saidthat in the 2022/2023 academic year the university will not accept new students from Russia and Belarus. The decision was supported by the Tallinn Technical University: “The last straw was the statement of the rector of Russian universities that supported the Russian attack on Ukraine,” - said Vice -Rector TTU Hendrick Wall.
At the same time, universities Emphasizethat so far we are only about 2022/2023 of the educational year. In addition, restrictions will not affect:
- Citizens of Russia living in Estonia with a long -term visa or residence permit in the EU countries;
- Refugees from Russia and Belarus;
- Russian students who are already studying at Estonian universities and want to continue their studies in undergraduate, and, if desired, in the magistracy.
However, many protested against restrictions were expressed by many Students, Sociologists and employees of Estonian universities. About two hundred teachers from five universities in Estonia, including Tartu University, Wrote In a collective letter that this step will be perceived as a signal of isolation. “In the interests of Estonia and the whole world, on the contrary, the first place should be occupied by support for the foundations of democracy and the spirit of freedom in Russia and Belarus,” the letter said.
April 4, 2022 in the Senate of the University of Tallinn They will decide, whether to take citizens of Russia and Belarus for the 2022/2023 academic year. At the same time, the rector of Tallinn University Tyna Viik saidwhich does not support restrictions, since they contradict the basic values of the democratic state.
And finally, Estonian President Alar Karis, who served in the past, held the position of rector of the University of Tartu, saidthat he considers the decision of the University of Tartu and hopes that it will be revised.
Most of the truth
Read on the topic:
- How Russian students are now studying abroad
- Fakes about what is happening in Ukraine
- Fakes about what is happening in Ukraine. Part 2
- Fakes about what is happening in Ukraine. Part 3
- Fakes about what is happening in Ukraine. Part 4
- Fakes about what is happening in Ukraine. Part 5
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