Valery Falkov Summarizes the Year in Higher Education and Science
In an interview with Russia 24, Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov outlined the main results of 2025.
Key points:
Growing popularity of technical fields. Universities now compete for state-funded places in engineering specialties, with mechanical engineering being the most popular;
Construction of modern campuses. Twenty-five campuses are under development in 21 regions. Two are already completed (Bauman Moscow State Technical University and Ural Federal University). Two more will be completed next year, and five more by 2027;
Priority 2030 program. Universities focused on technological projects aimed at achieving national technological leadership;
New model of higher education. Designed to address global technological changes and workforce shortages;
Regulation of tuition-based admissions. Around 13% of paid places will be reduced, mainly in private universities, to improve quality and alignment with labor market needs;
Decade of Science and Technology. Plays a key role in attracting youth to science, with the Congress of Young Scholars becoming an international event;
International cooperation. Five intergovernmental agreements on mutual recognition of education were signed. A Russia–Vietnam Year of Science and Education is launching, and 2026–2027 will be Russia–China Years of Education.
