The inefficiency rating gives us a clear signal: universities will be merged

The list of ineffective universities published by the Ministry of Education, which included our educational institutions, caused heated discussion and slight panic. We need to figure out what to be afraid of and where such ratings come from. To begin with, this supposed blacklist is extensive. For example, it lists the Moscow Architectural and Literary Institutes as ineffective. There are many regional universities - here is Kemerovo State University. But! In percentage terms, of those operating in the region, perhaps the most universities on the list of ineffective Siberian regions are in the Altai Territory.

The number of universities “with signs of inefficiency” included the Altai State Academy of Culture and Art, the Altai State Academy of Education named after Shukshin (Biysk), the Altai State Pedagogical Academy, as well as the only university of the Altai Republic.

The victims are screaming - how can this be! Yes, there was another rating, third, fifth or tenth - and we are among the leaders in them! I think that it is in vain to look for complete objectivity in both the current and other ratings. All research of this kind serves a specific policy, in this case, state policy. A course has been announced for the consolidation of universities - this course will be carried out. And this rating is just one of the tools for preparing public opinion and the university community itself. Why were the most numerous law faculties and economics faculties, working as regional branches of unknown Moscow half-universities and half-vocational schools, not included in the inefficiency rating? Yes, because the authorities don’t care about them. The goal here is different.

According to experts, the state wants to free itself from budgetary costs for training specialists who do not fit into long-term plans for economic development. Potential teachers, cultural and social workers will remain “overboard”. It was on them that the universities of our traditionally “budget” region were focused.

And the remark today sounds like this: “The inefficiency rating gives us a clear signal: universities will be merged. In every sense of the word, they will merge and close. Because the state no longer needs teachers and choir directors separately. It’s better not to produce them than to feed state employees.” into the world in general - this is the calculation. It may sound cruel, but isn’t it at all fair?”

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