Universities in Russia to undergo a transformation to a fresh educational model by the year 2027, according to MinBurn's plans.
Russia is in the process of transitioning to a new higher education model, moving away from the Bologna system and focusing on digital competencies, industrial skills, and a selective reduction in the scope of academic majors. The new model, which has been under development since May 2022, emphasises a two-tier system: basic higher education and specialized higher education followed by postgraduate studies.
The concept of the new education system was first presented by Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov in February 2025. The shift towards a more specialized and state-prioritized educational landscape has already shown promising results, with initial pilot programs demonstrating high effectiveness, according to Deputy Minister Dmitry Afanasyev.
One key aspect of the new model is the integration of mandatory IT courses into main programs at 106 universities participating in the Priority-2030 development program. These IT modules aim to provide students with dual qualifications—both in their main specialty and in IT skills such as software development, data analysis, and web technologies. The integration of these IT modules is set to begin from September 2025.
Another significant change is the reduction of the number of academic majors for which students can receive loans. This measure, authorized by recent legislation introduced to the State Duma, targets fields like law, economics, and management. This aligns with President Putin’s call to restrict higher education scope and prioritise training graduates for industrial careers to address labour shortages.
The amendments to the Law "On Education" reflecting these changes, including the introduction of mandatory IT courses and restrictions on academic majors eligible for loans, have already been introduced in the State Duma as of May 2025. The corresponding amendments are planned to be submitted to the State Duma for consideration in the fourth quarter of 2025.
The new model is being thoroughly discussed within the community of university rectors, including Polina Motyzhevskaya, the rector of one of the six universities participating in the pilot project for the transition to the new higher education model in Russia. The pilot project, which began in May 2023, is expected to conclude by 2026.
Russian universities are expected to transition to the new higher education model by 2027, according to Deputy Minister Afanasyev. The transition marks a significant shift in Russia's educational landscape, prioritising digital literacy, industrial relevance, and a more focused academic structure.
The new higher education model, as presented by Minister Valery Falkov in February 2025, is set to prioritize policy and legislation related to education-and-self-development, with a focus on politics and general-news such as the amendments to the Law "On Education" and the reduction of loan-eligible academic majors. This shift aligns with President Putin’s focus on industrial careers to address labour shortages, and the integration of mandatory IT courses into main programs at 106 universities, starting from September 2025.
