Hello, this is Gleb Kondratyev. You’re reading a new post about “Vesna’s” manifesto — our vision for Russia’s future. Today, we’ll discuss an area that is currently in a dire state — science and higher education. I was a student for only two years, so I can’t claim to be an expert, but I did make some observations during that time.
Let’s start with the biggest disgrace. In universities, it’s not just that students’ rights are violated — they are openly mocked. All student self-government bodies are controlled by university administrations, and they have no real authority. Election procedures are often violated as well. Even in the once “liberal” Higher School of Economics, there are no direct elections to the university student council.
A student in a Russian university faces humiliation daily. I witnessed how many students at the same HSE endured blatant bullying from one of the instructors simply because that instructor, G.V. Minikh, was a high-ranking official who flaunted his enormous income. My favorite example, though, is when men with a criminal demeanor physically dragged out students who dared to question Rector Sadovnichy during his speech.
In such conditions, the most advantageous strategy for a student is to support the administration in everything and ingratiate themselves, hoping for favors. It is from such conformists that puppet-like individuals emerge, ready to do anything for those in power, simply because they are in power.
This disgrace needs to be stopped. A university is a corporation where students, instructors, and researchers share equal rights. A student should feel like they belong in their university and have a say in most issues concerning the institution’s life. The same applies to student participation in the management of dormitories, faculties, and academic buildings. Violations of student rights should become a scandal and a stain on the university’s reputation.
Instructors also deserve to work in comfortable conditions, free from bureaucracy and excessive reporting requirements. Their work demands significant intellectual and often physical effort, so it should be paid accordingly.
Finally, I cannot fail to mention the plight of scientists in Putin’s Russia. I think the best illustration of their situation is the treason cases that are easily initiated against researchers for simply communicating with colleagues abroad.
Just recently, physicists Maslov and Shiplyuk were arrested, while their colleague Dmitry Kolker was detained directly from the hospital where he was being treated for stage four cancer. He died after spending the last two days of his life in pre-trial detention. Another infamous case is that of the “Russian Elon Musk,” Valery Pshenichny, who was tortured to death in custody.
The conclusion is simple. Of course, developing our science requires financial investments, legislative reforms, and serious changes in management. But first, we need to stop imprisoning and killing Russian scientists.
