The prominent political expert addressed a Moscow college student conference on, "Russia and the Bologna Process: The Ways to Reform Educational Systems".
The Bologna process aims to establish a united European educational environment by the year 2010.
"The process will spectacularly promote Russian education," Mr. Nikonov said assuredly. "Russia certainly has the best of all secondary schooling, and its higher educational network is comparable to Western-but as far as postgraduate training for master's degree and doctorate are concerned, here we are at a zero level." Sergei Smirnov of the federal Education Ministry also addressed the conference. Europe is striving for unity, and it vitally needs a united educational environment. Meanwhile, a mere 30 or even 20 per cent of European universities provide real good education, said the ministerial functionary, who does not think the Bologna process has any chance for success in Russia outside higher education.
