Higher education in Russia

Higher education in Russia.

Russia is widely known in foreign countries thanks to effective higher education system. The capital of Russian Federation is Moscow. There are many prestige technological universities and institutes in Moscow. They are Moscow Power Engineering Institute, Electromechanical Institute, Aviation Institute, MSTU, Civil Engineering Institute and many others. The head of each institute is Rector. As a rule there are several departments in an institute. Each department has a number of specialties and is headed by a dean. The academic year in this country's higher schools begins on the first of September and is divided into two semesters. The course of study usually lasts 5-6 years. Students take exams at the end of each semester. If the results of examinations are good students get grants. Twice a year students Have holidays - Two weeks in winter and two months in summer. Most higher schools have their own student's hostels and some of them have large and excellent sport centers.

The MSTU is one of the oldest and largest educational establishments in our country. It is well known both in our country and abroad. Many outstanding scientists studied and worked at the MSTU, among them Tupolev,. Zhukovski, Shukchov, Korolev and many others. The names of our famous cosmonauts and designers, the graduates of our School, are very popular all over the world.

The MHTS was founded in 1830 on the basis of a trade school: Irf,1868 the School was officially reorganized in to the Moscow Higher Technical School. Before the Greater October Revolution the School had only two departments - Mechanical Technology and Chemical Technology with the students' body of about 300. After the Revolution some more new departments were established and the number of students enrolled greatly increased. In 1930 the MHTS was divided into several separate educational establishments and has been further developed on the basis of its oldest course - Mechanical Technology. In the same year the MHTS was named after Bauman. In 1987 on the decision of the Soviet Government the MHTS was reorganized into an advance educational establishments. As a result the structure of the institute was changed. At present the University has the following faculties:

Machine Building Technology

Radioelectronics and Laser Technology

Informatics and control systems

Special Machinery

Robotics and Complex Automation

Power Engineering

Fundamental Sciences

Engineering Business and Management

Biological and Medical Technology and other

Each speciality is administrated by the Dean and is, in its turn, running a number of specified courses supervised by eminent scholars, graduates of the MHTS mostly.

In general, tuition in the MSTU is free of charge. The main feature of the MSTU is that its curriculum has always included both theoretical subjects and practical training. The course of study lasts five years and ten months. The teaching program is centered on four main aspects: lectures, seminars, laboratory work and industrial training.

During the first year students study basic sciences: mathematics, physics, chemistry, drawing etc.

During the second year they study general engineering subjects: strengths of materials, theoretical mechanics, theory of machines and mechanisms, etc.

In the third and fourth years students concentrate on specialized subjects.

In their final year the students must submit a diploma project demonstrating their ability to analyze and formulate problems of practical or academic interest. The project is prepared under the supervision of an individual tutor and is defended before the State Examination Board. Having defended the diploma project, the graduate attains a diploma of engineering.

Having completed the diploma course, prospective students may go on to read for a post-graduate course which lasts further three years and leads to the Candidate of engineering sciences Degree.

To develop students' creative abilities a number of research institutes and laboratories equipped with up-to-date facilities were also set up in the Institute.

I study at the Faculty of Radioelectronics and Laser Technology. In the past it was called "The Instrument Building Faculty". It was established and began to offer its first full-time Precision Mechanism course in 1929. The faculty was headed by professor Drosdov who advanced a new concept of instrument design, giving rise to the organization of a new school of instrument building: The Instrument Building Faculty has been at the forefront of developments in the fields of science and engineering.

Among the courses offered by the Faculty: Opto-Electronics Devices,. Applied Optics,.. Automatics Informing and Testing Systems, Instrument-Building, Design and Technology and Radioelectronic Devices.

All upper year students study such subjects as: elements of instruments, fundamentals of electronics and pulse technique, radio engineering, theory of automatics regulation and control, information theory, theory of optoelectronic systems, theory of still and motion-picture photography and many others.

Tuition consists of a program of lectures and seminars. Practical training is carried out in laboratories and workshops of the Institute but industrial experience is gained at plants and works.

Final tests and examinations take place at the end of each term. The whole course of studies is completed by the diploma project. The student makes the choice of topic of this work after consultation with his scientific adviser. The adviser supervises and accesses the work of the student.