Scientists from the European University at Saint Petersburg noticed that Rosobrnadzor inspects private universities more often and more often applies harsh sanctions to them compared to public institutions. In 2015-2016, after inspections, the service in 134 cases raised the issue of terminating the work of universities, while only two cases occurred in budgetary institutions. Journalists explained this by the use of double standards.
Director of Research at the Institute for Law Enforcement Problems at the European University at St. Petersburg K. D. Titaev, in an interview with the Internet publication "Indicator", speaking about the launch of a research project on the activities of Rosobrnadzor, noted a number of already identified significant shortcomings in the approach of Rosobrnadzor, mainly related to focusing exclusively on paper indicators and an excessive bureaucratic approach. As an example of the incompetence of the department, Titaev cited one of the full-time universities known to him with an area of 200 square meters, in which four courses of students study on paper in three areas, while there are about 100 students per course. Instead of actual training, as Titaev suggests, in this case, in such an area, only the purchase of a diploma for four years can take place, but “Rosobrnadzor, who goes there once a year or several years, sees that everything is in order. Without any bribes. Documentary support for people is at the highest level, everything is fine.” Titaev also points out that most of the employees of Rosobrnadzor are lawyers who are incompetent in matters of many special disciplines, and that in Rosobrnadzor “it is technically impossible to order an examination of a lecture on curriculum only. Therefore, if we assume that a medical university will teach students to heal , calling it “modern methods of therapy” in the curriculum, then Rosobrnadzor does not have the opportunity to find out what students are actually taught” Titaev believes.
The decision of Rosobrnadzor to revoke the state accreditation of the Moscow School for the Social and Economic Sciences(MSSES) provoked public criticism. The HSE University Academic Council came out in support of the university. According to the academic council, the university verification system played a role when Rosobrnadzor fought against the “deliberately profanity programs” of unscrupulous universities. However, now that this work has come to an end, traditional accreditation as a tool increasingly affects innovative universities that operate “above the level of state standards”. Commenting on this situation, Oleg Smolin, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Education and Science, expressed the opinion that “Rosobrnadzor does not check the quality of education, but the quality of paperwork. According to its rules, it acts correctly, it is another matter that these rules have nothing to do with the quality of education. Therefore, in my opinion, these rules need to be changed”. MSSES students published a petition demanding to close the department.
