A rally against the annexation of Samara State University (SSU) to Samara State Aerospace University (SSAU) took place in Samara on June 7. It was attended, among other things, by SamSU students and graduates.

Photo: Kommersant / Igor Chernikov

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Photo: Kommersant / Igor Chernikov

The action was organized on the initiative of the deputy of the Samara Provincial Duma, Mikhail Matveev. According to various sources, from 200 to 500 people took part in the rally.

The idea of merging universities was first expressed by the Governor of the Samara Region, Nikolai Merkushkin, in February 2015. True, it was initially planned to create a united university on the basis of three Samara universities - Samara State University, Samara State Technical University and SSAU. Then SamSTU greeted Mr. Merkushkin’s proposal with restraint. The teaching staff of the university voted against the merger. The merger of universities, according to the head of the region, will first of all provide an opportunity to qualify for powerful federal support, which is especially important now when the situation in the field of higher education is changing. In April it became known that the merger of universities will take place on the basis of two universities - SSAU and SamSU. On June 22, 2015, the Minister of Education and Science of the Russian Federation Dmitry Livanov signed an order to merge SamSU and SSAU. According to the published document, SSAU and SamSU are being reorganized “in the form of joining SSAU SamSU as a structural unit.” The new university will receive the status of a national research university.

Elena Donkina

Rally against the merger of universities in Samara