Translated material
Window to Europe
In November 2014, the European University in St. Petersburg was 20 years old: on November 28, 1994, state registration of the university was held [1] . One of the creators and the first rector of EUSPB, sociologist Boris Maksimovich Firsov answered questions to the questions of the Trv-hunger . Talked by Natalia Demina .
- EU marks 20 years. What do you consider the most important achievements of the university over the years?
- Three concepts generalize my ideas about the modern university. One of them is the democracy with which we all associate optimistic hopes, but we see that the movement of Russian society in its direction (as towards the horizon) is still moving away exactly as much as we managed to approach it. The second concept is autonomy , the synonym for the independence of the subject of democracy, be it individual or collective, its ability and internal readiness for self -government. Finally, the third concept is a corporation as a way of uniting people to achieve a goal.
The specifics of the corporate form of unification, since we are talking about the academic community, I associate with the action of this ethos, a set of values and norms separated by scientists. To corporate rules, I experience a special singing, as one of the authors of the “Professional Code of Soviet Sociologists”, written during the years of restructuring under the influence of the conscious duty of scientists to promote the formation of a sense of professional honor and dignity, to approve the norms of high research culture, and create a human center. I sincerely rejoice and are proud that the European University in St. Petersburg can be considered an example of such an environment.
Such an environment, without ignoring the external social ties of its members, nevertheless gives a chance to form a certain community that will live according to its own laws and rules. It is not possible to completely open social relations completely. On the one hand, hired work is maintained for a large number of mental workers; On the other hand, the emerging civil society should rely on the support of its fellow citizens.
- What was the most difficult for you and other rectors for you and other years?
- The most difficult was the movement towards constructive autonomy and independence and the stubborn, difficult struggle for it, the desire to overcome the press of social circumstances and give the opportunity for personal initiative to teachers and listeners of the university, convert, so to speak, a production team of self -propelled matter, based on the dynamics of the birth of new social practices .
- Does you surprise you that the word "European" is now acquiring such relevance? What does the university have to cut down again in a sense, or rather, not let the window slam the window to Europe, and to the top of the world?
- Yes, I am surprised by the suspicion that they try to inspire the country's population to all European. But it seems that opponents of European experience, traditions and achievements do not form the majority in our society. This forms the basis of my optimistic hopes and only strengthens in a conscious sense of belonging to European culture. The window you ask about will never slam.
Photo by EUSPB
1. On the celebration of the anniversary of the EUSPB see http://eu.spb.ru/index/news- Archive/2014/14409-20