Offense in Place of Defense

Offense in Place of Defense

Why do complaints about professors’ inappropriate behavior turn into retaliatory defamation lawsuits? Dmitry Dubrovsky   Photo: Are there tools to protect the rights of students—and faculty—in the event of conflict? (Photo by Bill Oxford on Unsplash)  ...
“Cooperation Is Undesirable”

“Cooperation Is Undesirable”

The last remaining joint Russian-American higher education venture has been abandoned. Dmitry Dubrovsky   Photo: Bard College motto—A Place to Think. How did one of the world’s most well-known art and design universities end up on Russia’s list of “undesirable...
Crimean Universities: Isolation or Boycott?

Crimean Universities: Isolation or Boycott?

How scientists are held responsible—and pay the price—for the actions of their governments. Dmitry Dubrovsky   Photo: The Vernadsky Crimean Federal University replaced the Vernadsky Taurida National University. The sign had to be changed. (Dmitry Sklyarenko, CC BY...
A New Way of Allocating Research Grants

A New Way of Allocating Research Grants

How will the elimination of the most popular public research grant program affect Russian science? Katerina Guba and Aleksey Zheleznov   Photo: Last year, RFBR supported 15,000 research projects. This year there will hardly be that many. (Raita Futo,CC–BY-2.0)...
How “The Chosen” Are Chosen

How “The Chosen” Are Chosen

Russian science is increasingly characterized by an emphasis on “picking winners,” with special groups receiving preferential government support. Irina Dezhina   Photo: Whom to support? Those who are starting a career in science, or just young in age? The Russian...
Safeguarding Universities or Suppressing Dissent?

Safeguarding Universities or Suppressing Dissent?

How the fight against the “threat” of student unrest at Russian universities is detrimental to academic rights and freedoms Dmitry Dubrovsky   Photo: Many students attended the January rallies in support of the arrested Alexei Navalny. (Bestalex, Creative Commons...