The fight against substandard universities
The Minister was actively engaged in the “purification” of the higher education system of the country from low-quality universities. For the first time, monitoring of effectiveness of higher education institutions was held in 2012 and 2013, as reported in Rosobrnadzor, licenses lost about 800 schools and branches — mostly private universities and branches of state higher educational institutions that do not have quality education.
The reduction of budget places
Minister Livanov were accused of gradual reduction of budget places in public educational institutions. In his first interview as Minister of education, he said “the Russian newspaper” about the need to reduce the number of places in universities. From approved by the Cabinet in the summer of 2016 the documents that in 2017-2018, the number of budget places in universities could be reduced by more than 100 thousand
Support exam
Immediately after appointment, the Minister expressed support for the exam and exam during his tenure has been significantly reformed, but not abolished, as demanded by many politicians and citizens. The Minister was criticized for declining quality of education, resulting in the quality of the evidence, including the fact that the minimum points in core subjects — Russian language and mathematics is consistently decreased. The Ministry of education also was criticized for the high cost of the exam.
The reform of the RAS
In the academic environment hostility to the Minister Dmitry Livanov was caused by the reform of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), launched in 2013. The Minister called RAS is futile and unsustainable”. The reform of the RAS was identified as a non-profit organization, Russian Academy of medical Sciences and the Russian Academy of agricultural Sciences was merged with RAS and for the management of the property of the RAS and its subordinate scientific organizations was organized by the Federal Agency of scientific organizations. Livanov pointed out that the aim of the reform is to address issues of ownership and Foundation of scientific organizations and scientific component of the Academy will not be affected. During the discussion of the bill on the reorganization of the RAS in the State Duma in July 2013, the Vice-President of RAS Zhores Alferov called the reform “raider seizure” under operational management, RAS Federal property. Livanov himself from the reform bill denied
Teachers ‘ salaries
Claim to the Minister of education and science Livanov demanded from the salaries of teachers and University professors. In accordance with the may decrees of the President of Russia, the salary of teachers should be increased, but according to the teachers, this did not happen. On low wages complained and University professors.
Plagiarism in dissertations
In 2012, speaking at the government hour in the state Duma, Dmitry Livanov announced the need to combat plagiarism and bribery in universities, and in 2013 the Higher attestation Commission (HAC) began to fight plagiarism in dissertations. The cases cost places several officials from the Ministry of education and science, including the Deputy Minister Igor Fedyukina. To leave the posts of Deputy Chairman of the Duma Committee on education and head of Department in REU them. Plekhanov had Deputy Vladimir Burmatova, Director of Specialized educational scientific centre of Moscow state University Andrey Andrianov, the head of the Council of the capital’s Zamoskvorechye district Nonna Kharitonova, consultant of Department for external economic and international relations of Moscow Galina, Aliluiko and head of the office of the Commissioner for human rights in the Astrakhan region Danieru Batrachia.
