One in five universities will be forced to close or merge, minister says
By Eugene Vorotnikov. Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered a reorganisation of state universities that will lead to some closures.
Dimitry Livanov, the minister of education and science, said that one in five universities could be shut down or forced to merge over the next two or three years.
Putin said: “There is a need to identify inefficient universities by the end of the current year. At the same time the programme of restructuring, including through mergers with strong universities, should be developed and approved prior to May 2013.”
He said the implementation of these plans would take place within a draft law, On Education, which is to be submitted by the government to the State Duma – the lower house of parliament – on 7 August.