Here we will describe Student bodies at Universities. The several web pages of stu- dents‟ unions have been examined, they contains more or less the same information, so two of them have been chosen as examples: Student Union of Vjatka State University and Student Union of Samara State Aerospace University. The usual regulations of
Student Union in Russia contains following parts (Vyatka State University 2014):
1. “General provisions.
2. The main tasks and activities of the primary trade union organization of stu- dents.
3. Organizational bases of activity of the primary trade union organization of students.
4. Elected body of the trade union organization of students and their competency. 5. Rules of student’s faculty organization.
6. The Audit Commission of the primary organization of students.
7. Property and business activities of the trade union organization of students. 8. Suspension of the activity of the primary trade union organization of students.
9. Final Provisions“
We will describe the work of Student union (The primary trade union organization) more thoroughly on the example of trade union organization of students of Samara State Aerospace University.
The key characteristics of Student union (The primary trade union organizations) are
- It “independently decides on its organizational structure, frequency of meetings …, the formation of elected bodies, work schedule”
- “…..The union groups…… are formed in the study groups. Union groups are united in union offices of faculties. ... Union offices of faculties are united in the student Union of University”
- “The primary trade union organization has the right to conduct business, to create enterprises from the institution to engage in other activities that do not contradict the legislation of the Russian Federation.”
Main objectives and activities of primary trade union organizations [Student Union of University] (Ibid. 1):
- “Unification and coordination of union members to achieve common goals of trade unions;
- Protection of the rights and interests of the union members of the trade union organization ….;
- Provision of ….student union members with the legal and social protection.”
The primary trade union organization (Student union) (Ibid. 1‒2):
- “negotiates with the administration of the University;
- makes collective agreements and promotes their implementation;
- provides legal, financial, advisory assistance to the members of the Trade Un- ion;
- carries out public control over observance of legislation, rules and standards of living and learning of union members;
- represent the interests of union members (on their behalf) in dealing with indi- vidual disputes;
- is involved in the settlement of collective disputes in accordance with applicable law.”
“…..The union groups…… are formed in the study groups. Union groups are united in union offices of faculties. ... Union offices of faculties are united in the Student Union of University”.
The structure (bodies) of primary trade union organization (Student union of university)
(Ibid. 2‒4):
- Conference is “the supreme body of the primary trade union organization” - The trade union committee “carries out all the current activities of the primary
organization in the period between the conferences, is accountable to them, en- sures implementation of their decisions …”
- “…Auditing Commission oversees the correctness of payment of contributions by members of the union, the union budget execution, the efficient use of finan- cial and material resources, efficiency and accuracy of allocation of union bene-
fits, financial assistance to members of the Trade Union, the requirements of fi- nancial accounting activities. …”
The bodies of (primary) organization of trade unions are elected. (Samara State Aero- space University 2014: 2‒4.)
4.3. Differences between Russian and European Higher Education systems.
As I have mentioned above there are many opponents of implementation of Bologna process. First of all the system of education is seen as one way of transmitting culture and values. As it is proclaimed in the Bologna Declaration, the Bologna process was aimed at promotion of European culture, values and identity. So many opponents think that new educational system will contradict our educational culture and destroy our edu- cational values. The second reason is that the introduction of a new educational system is a difficult and time-consuming process; there are many differences between the Euro- pean and Russian systems of Higher Education. The first difference is that European Higher Schools have a two-level system of training whereas in Russia there is only one level (one level system was until the year 2010, two- level-system was introduced in the all universities in year 2010). There is a fixed curriculum in Russian Universities, while European students may choose courses to attend. The European system is unified and the academic mobility is well developed, while Russian students are supposed to study at the same University they entered. Also Russian and European Higher Schools have different systems of assessment of students‟ progress and different system of measuring of educational volume. Actually the most important difference between these two sys- tems is displayed in the degree of managerial autonomy of university. European univer- sities have high degree of managerial autonomy in all the areas of management. Russian universities have low degree of managerial autonomy in all the areas of management. (Kastueva-Zhan 2007: 4‒5; Bologna Declaration1999.)
We should admit that globalization is a self- evident process that takes place in all spheres of society, including the sphere of higher education. Nowadays universities should compete for students not only at the regional market but also at national or even at international labor market. Speaking about globalization in higher education great attention should also be paid to the Bologna process, because it is the most current event
in the whole European system of higher education. The Bologna process was an answer to the political and economical situation in Europe and initially it was aimed at creating common European Higher Education Area, but nowadays it exceeded the boarders of Europe. (Crosier & Parveva 2013:11.) Russia joined it in 2003, so in future Russian universities will have to compete with European ones, which were modernized and got used to challenging environment.
4.4. Contemporary situation in Russian higher education: problems and possible solu-