EU without Harhordin

Rector of the European University (EU) in St. Petersburg Oleg Kharkhordin resigned

On the evening of June 23, on the official website of the EU, a message appeared that at the general meeting of founders and trustees of the University, the rector Harhordin said that he was ahead of schedule, and the general meeting adopted this resignation. “Oleg Kharkhordin expressed the hope that his resignation would ensure the further development of the university as an educational organization that meets the highest world academic standards,” the official message said.

As a source in EU told the NT correspondent, this was a complete surprise for everyone: it was believed that the general meeting would discuss the results of the past year and plans for the future. Although at the beginning of the meeting of the general meeting, many of those present drew attention to the fact that Nikolai Vakhtin, co -founder and professor EU, came to the meeting dressed as in mourning - all black. It was Nikolai Vakhtin by the rector of Kharkhordin that handed over the brothers of the board: the resignation of the current rector comes into force on July 1, 2017, and before the election of the new rector, these duties will be fulfilled by Vakhtin.

For Nikolai Borisovich, this is already a familiar work: from 1996 to 2003, he was the first vice-rector of EU St. Petersburg, from 2003 to 2009 he held the position of rector. And then, in 2008, EU survived the first threat of liquidation: the St. Petersburg authorities accused the university of failure to fulfill the fire rules and demanded its closure, but the leadership of the university and the public managed to defend the university. As stated in the official message on the EU website, "Nikolai Vakhtin will ensure the continuity of educational activities and the university development strategy."

According to the NT source in EU, Oleg Kharkhordin, apparently, was believing his decision that his departure from the rector’s post would give a signal “upstairs” that the university was ready for change. Perhaps because the voluntary resignation will show those who “roll” this judicial wave at the university that the university is not going to arrange a “front”. Although the change of the rector of the university at such a difficult time for him is unlikely to help resolve all problems.

The fact is that now literally thunderstorm clouds were thickened over the European University: at the request of Roskomnadzor, the license was stopped. In addition, the St. Petersburg authorities represented by the Committee on the use and protection of monuments (KGIOP) have already fined a university for violating the operating conditions of the protected monument-the Kushelev-Bezborodko Palace, which is located the university. EU paid a fine, but did not agree with the charges and, in turn, filed a complaint with the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation against the unlawful actions of the Dzerzhinsky District Court of St. Petersburg. Now EU is conducting several court cases, in the near future, over the course of July-August, 4 court hearings in the courts of various instances are waiting for the university. The next meeting is July 13 at the Moscow Arbitration Court of Appeal. The status (possible suspension of the action) of the university’s educational license depends on the court decision in this case. At the moment, the university completed the training of second -year students and issued them documents on the end of the state -owned EU, which in these conditions can be considered as victory. But further training of current freshmen remains a big issue, in addition, the university is prohibited from recruiting new students.

At the end of the general meeting, his chairman Mikhail Piotrovsky “expressed confidence that the European University in St. Petersburg would remain in leading roles in Russian and international higher education.”