In Russia, there is a surplus of people with higher education, and the massive tendency of high school graduates to pursue a university degree contradicts the needs of the labor market, said the Minister of Education and Science, Valeri Falkov. According to him, the current situation represents a problem for the country’s economy.
“The demand for higher education, formed over decades, practically pushes all school graduates towards universities. This is not good and it’s not right. There is no need for total university education”, stated the minister at the HR EXPO PRO forum.
Falkov stated that, for this reason, a “rebalancing” is currently taking place in Russia between vocational and higher education.
The minister’s statements come against the backdrop of the authorities’ campaign to guide students towards vocational schools and technical colleges. Following the onset of the war in Ukraine, Russia has faced a severe shortage of skilled workers, and President Vladimir Putin has called for the provision of industrial enterprises with young specialists.
Subsequently, numerous schools began to refuse the transition of students from the ninth grade to the tenth, recommending them to choose colleges and vocational schools.
The State Duma has allowed admission to technical colleges based on just two exams – Russian language and mathematics. However, four exams are required to continue studies in the upper classes.
In addition, the government has eliminated almost 50,000 fee-paying places from universities, particularly in specializations such as economics, management, public administration, and law.
According to the study “Education Indicators: 2026”, conducted by the Higher School of Economics, in 2024 Russian universities had approximately 4.4 million students, compared to 3.9 million in colleges and technical schools. Of those admitted to universities, 41% were school graduates, 34% came from the labor market, and 19% came from the vocational education system. In total, 54% of Russian youth pursue higher education.
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