Academic Dismissal in Russian Higher Education Institutions: Defining the Problem

Abstract

Ivan Gruzdev, M.A. in Sociology, analyst at the Internal Monitoring Center, National Research University —Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russian Federation. Email: van@gorod.org.ru 

Yelena Gorbunova, M.A in Sociology, analyst at the Internal Monitoring Center, National Research University —Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russian Federation. Email: evgorbunova@hse.ru 

Isak Froumin, Ped.D., Professor, Director of Research and Development at the Education Institute, National Research University —Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russian Federation. Email: ifroumin@hse.ru 

Institutional changes in the educational system (university financing reform) and demographic changes in the society reducing the proportion of student-age population have made the problem of academic dismissal one of the priority areas in higher education research. Dismissal of students from Russian higher education institutions has been studied through analyzing the results of questionnaires and interviews conducted among dismissed students. It has been established that Russian higher education system fosters a special type of academic dismissal, which is a coercive procedure performed by universities, or professors, towards students. Academic dismissal in Russia has a qualitative distinction from the dropout phenomenon characteristic of the Western world, when a student leaves a university voluntarily. Most commonly, students drop out because they are poorly integrated into university life; thus, dropouts may be prevented by implementing socialization and orientation programs. Specific features of academic dismissal in Russia require introduction of special dismissal level control principles. It has been discovered that dismissed students are very likely to resume their education (only 4% of respondents give up on higher education), which reveals the need to improve criteria of academic assessment and to develop non-dismissal institutional discipline measures. Exploration of academic dismissal reasons and mechanisms is of practical importance for enhancing efficiency of educational policies in higher education institutions.