Russia has launched a large-scale campaign abroad, targeting to enrol about 15,000 foreign students into its educational institutions.

The program, which seeks to boost the popularity and improve the international ratings of Russian universities, is expected to be implemented until 2021.

The Head of Fellowship of International Youth and Civil Organization, Mahomed Aliyev, told a round-table conference held in the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation, that foreign students studying in the country had some advantages.

Under an amended legislation, foreign students do not necessarily need to go back home to extend their visas and they also have the right to employment in Russia.

They can now extend their visas without leaving Russia at the request of the university.

Questions relating to student employment and especially simplifying the procedures of issuing educational visas for foreign students had earlier been discussed and resolved by the Ministry of Education and Science, the State Duma deputies and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

There was also the request to the Ministry of Education and Science for organizing legal aid to foreign students (graduates and post-graduate students) so that they could learn their rights and obligations as soon as possible while staying in the country.

Alexander Tolstobrov, the representative of Federal Migration Service, said his department had been supporting foreign students from different countries under the new legislative amendment.

The round-table participants acknowledged that the number of foreign students was growing and this was due to measures taken by the Ministry of Education and Science and the Foreign Ministry to make the Russian higher education system more accessible for foreigners.

Earlier, experts from the Centre for Strategic Research had expressed concern about the considerably low visibility of Russian Universities on the world market.

They spoke of the need to develop Russian education export opportunities.

Source: GNA