During a return visit, he discovered the way of life has changed dramatically and university life also is in a stage of transition. Longwell-Grice experienced and observed college life, Russian style. However, he had many opportunities to interact with students, faculty and administrators. To gain admission to the university of their choice, Russian students must pass a competitive examination given once a year, Longwell-Grice said. In the past, failure meant waiting another year to repeat the exam, but now those students can still attend if they pay their own tuition.
Universities have much more freedom in what they teach.
It's no longer the party line, but conversely, funding has been cut back and money is tight. Administrators are interested in establishing exchange programs with the West, Longwell-Grice said. Jobs used to be assured for university graduates. Now nothing is guaranteed, and professors network to help their students find positions. Classrooms in Russian are quite different, Longwell-Grice discovered.