The Unified State Exam (USE) will remain in place as Russia moves away from the Bologna education framework and transitions toward a distinct national system. This stance was outlined by the press service of Rosobrnadzor on Wednesday, June 8.
According to the ministry, the USE is a national assessment built entirely on Russian educational standards while honoring the country’s local educational traditions. The ministry emphasized that the USE will be retained because it addresses key social objectives, notably supporting a single educational space across the Russian Federation amid a broad mix of programs, textbooks, and teaching materials.
Rosobrnadzor stressed that the USE is not part of the Bologna system, which Russia previously engaged with but ultimately departed from.
The agency described the USE as one of the most open national examinations. Even though the process of evaluating responses is rigorous and subject to expert review, the results are processed and published more quickly than in many other countries.
The USE is said to bridge the school curriculum and the university entrance exam program, ensuring the university admission process remains transparent and standardizes applicant requirements across regions. Rosobrnadzor highlighted that the USE guarantees the right of all school graduates, regardless of their residence, to enter any chosen university, including top metropolitan institutions.
Anzor Muzaev, head of Rosobrnadzor, commented that the USE demonstrates a measurable quality in school education and acts as a mechanism for objective verification of its success.
He noted that exam stress among participants, like with any assessment, stems from some topics being misunderstood and from insufficient fluency with certain problem-solving methods. He added that those entering university for the first time faced similar challenges decades ago.
How was Russia excluded from the Bologna process?
On June 6, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education Dmitry Afanasiev announced that Russian universities no longer participate in the Bologna process. He attributed the decision to the Bologna Group on April 11, and he also noted that Belarusian universities were removed from the Bologna system.
Afanasiev was quoted saying that Russia contributes to the Bologna framework, not the other way around, signaling a shift in alignment for higher education.
In this context, deputies from the Communist Party introduced a bill to the State Duma aimed at voluntary participation by universities in the Bologna process. The explanatory note states that the bill seeks to address issues created by Russia’s entry into the Bologna framework, which, in their view, has hindered certain paths within higher education.
It is also pointed out that throughout the period of the Unified State Exam across the country, consistent task types and uniform assessment methods have been maintained. Since 2009, the USE has been the sole form of secondary leaving examinations and a primary route for university entry. This year, the unified state exam is scheduled to continue through July 2. [Citation: Rosobrnadzor press release, June 8, 2024]