Russia Backs Sending Top Students Abroad With a Catch

First time accepted submitter Clark Schultz writes "Vladimir Putin plans to send the country's top domestic students abroad in an effort to prepare engineers, doctors, and scientists with the most modern education. The initiative comes with a catch: Students must return to Mother Russia to work. Though critics say that the students may be tempted to stay abroad after receiving their advanced degrees, Putin is confident they will be properly motivated to keep up their end of the bargain. As one advocate notes, the 'brilliant' practice of educating Russians at top global universities dates back to the times of Peter the Great."

Comments

The actual catch...

[Anonymous Coward]

Just don't come back gay.

Seems reasonable

[mirix]

If they don't want to go back to Russia, they don't have to accept the grants.

I'm not really seeing a problem here?

Re:Seems reasonable

[icebike]

Actually, they have apparently been accepting grants all along, for many years, but never coming back.

The new decree (Do they not pass laws over there?) simply says:

Students who earned bachelor's degrees in Russian universities may enter leading [foreign] universities... and be eligible for financial support from the government.
If these students would like to stay overseas after graduation, they would have to pay a hefty amount to Russia that would include all the money spent on the education plus a fine twice as large as this amount.

Good luck collecting, unless they want to hire a boat load of lawyers in each country students go to. (If they thought US tuition was high, wait till they see US lawyer bills). Maybe they will get the parents to co-sign these grants so they can at least threaten to put the parents in the hot seat if young Doctor Ivan doesn't come back.

With US student loans defaulting at a rate of 10% they are just as likely to learn bad habits here.

On the other hand if you can legally wipe out all or most of your student loans by getting a good paying job in Russia (by virtue of your prestigious foreign doctorate), it just might work.
It all depends on the job and pay opportunities at home, and how much of the government loans will be forgiven. It might be pretty hard to pay back a western sized debt on a Russian sized salary unless most or all of it were forgiven by the Russian Government.

 

Re:Seems reasonable

[Mister Transistor]

Or if they want their families let go upon their return...

Re:Seems reasonable

[PolygamousRanchKid]

If they don't go back to Russia, what penalty can they suffer?

Polonium. Straight up, or on the rocks.

Re:Seems reasonable

[CommanderK]

University is effectively free, and you get a part-stipend, part-loan for your living expenses

It's not effectively free, you just pay for it later through higher taxes (schools cost money to operate, and that money has to come from somewhere).

Re:Nothing new.

[icebike]

So... what's the point of this story?
 

Well, turn it around.

If the US government paid for your education in prestigious foreign universities, and you could have all that debt forgiven by coming home to work, wouldn't you find that attractive?

Re:This is how it *should* work.

[AHuxley]

All the powerful countries played this game. Students from around the world found their way to the US, Soviet Union/Russia, France, UK for total access to top quality education.
They where to return home with expert skills (linked to the host nations brands), a glowing personal account of their academic and new lifelong friendships.
Over time it was hoped the once young students would move up in their nations public or private power structures reflecting fondly recalling their education and years abroad.
This would give exports from US, Soviet Union, France, UK an edge or direct contact via friends, academics during trade negations, loans, weapons sales, imports, shaping the left or right wing of an emerging country.
The real issue is the total leaking of expensive emerging science and engineering technology over time for 'free' to emerging countries.
"Bob" or "Sally" return home with much more than a degree - long term contacts and sensitive technology finds its way out of top US, Soviet Union/Russia, France, UK institutions over time due to 'funding' pressure.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-08/american-universities-infected-by-foreign-spies-detected-by-fbi.html
Peter the Great is the warning from history - don't let your trade become a flood of raw materials out and have overpriced fashionable trinkets as imports. http://russiapedia.rt.com/prominent-russians/the-romanov-dynasty/peter-i/
The Cold War was is littered with efforts like/under, funding
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Committee_on_United_Europe
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_Policy_Coordination
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Student_Association
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peoples'_Friendship_University_of_Russia
Modern art was CIA 'weapon'
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/modern-art-was-cia-weapon-1578808.html via International Organisations Division (IOD)

Re:Old

[Anonymous Coward]

This is common practice on lots of countries. In Venezuela this has been going for almost a century (though i don't know the current status since our problem with $$$), they give you a scholarship to study abroad with the condition to come back, otherwise they give you (or your relatives) the bill.

I remember meeting a girl from Singapore back in the early 90's while she was here getting a degree in the USA. A company in Singapore was paying for her education with the expectation that she would repay the debt by being obligated to work 10 years for the company after she graduated. Can you say indentured servant?

Re:Nothing new.

[Aeonym]

But to complete your comparison, you'd also be able to make 4 or 5 times as much money overseas because wages in the US were considerably lower. In the short term, debt forgiveness is appealing--but in the long term it's a bad deal compared to the extra earnings/savings you could accrue.

It is the standard contract

[140Mandak262Jamuna]

It is very common. In fact you don't even have to go abroad. Government of India paid me full pay and benefits of a gazetted [*] officer for my Masters in Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. With the stipulation I work of the Ministry of Defense for three years after completing the degree. If I quit earlier I had to pay back the salary received during the study period. That is all.

[*] Gazetted officers are the civilian equivalent of the commissioned officers. Induction to the service by the President published in The Gazette of the Government of India. I had the right to sign government documents and files in green ink. My batch mates are under secretaries and joint secretaries of the government now. I am a lowly slashdotter with 31 achievements.

In Soviet Russia ...

[PPH]

... student loans collect you!

Re:The actual catch is ...

[Roger W Moore]

... the world out there will NOT believe in you when they know you are from Russia

Really? All of my Russian colleagues in physics are incredibly talented and well trained and have great senses of humor too! Based on this experience I'd have zero hesitation in accepting a suitably skilled Russian grad student and I hope this programme causes more of them to apply to my institute. If they have to go back to work in Russia afterwards then that's not a bad thing - science it a global enterprise and it will undoubtedly help Russia build ties with the global community is is good for everyone.

Re:The actual catch is ...

[shutdown -p now]

I'm Russian in "the world out there", and I have no idea what the hell you're talking about. No-one had ever looked down on me because of my national origin.

Have you considered that the problem might actually be with yourself?