Think getting a degree is hard in the US? Try doing it in Russia!!!!!

For the first part of our class this week, we attended a presentation in the library, by a very bright scholar. She was a previous student of Dr. Smirnova, and was visiting our College from Russia. She had many credentials and was very impressive. She conducted a very well put together presentation about Research in Russia. She first went through all of the steps of doing research and thoroughly explained each one. She also had spoken about her 'formula' for conducting research successfully.


The end of her presentation was about education in Russia.  I was shocked. First of all, EVERYONE goes to some level of higher education after high school in Russia. Also, that higher education has been free for the students for years!!!!! The importance of education is obvious, most people live on the support of their parents until they are in their mid 20's. Everyone at the university level in Russia is required to do research. Whether you are in your first year or fifth year of the university, you have a research assignment throughout your higher education career.


Their rules are more strict over in Russia- for your PhD, you must write two dissertations, where here in the US, you only need to do one. Your first PhD is around 200 pages, your second PhD is 400-600 pages!!! They have a higher standard in Russia for higher education with a strong support system with the government and with families. She did mention that teachers were tremendously underpaid, but she believes that will be changing in the near future. I was very impressed by everything she spoke about, it was nice that Dr. Smirnova exposed us to this presentation to learn more about education in a different country. You know, you never really think about how things are in other countries until you hear someone talk about the differences. It must have been quite an adjustment for Dr. Smirnova to move here and become accustom to our education system, truly amazing to me!!!! 

Kind of makes you think twice before you start to complain about the school work you are asked to do doesn't it?