Any future student who is going to enter a university should choose an institution that not only provides training in the necessary specialty, but also has a license and has passed accreditation. It is important for an applicant to find out before admission whether it is possible to trust an educational institution, or rather, it is better to independently verify the accreditation of the university.
Higher education institution
Most often, parents are engaged in choosing a future place of study for their children, but not all of them know that modern universities are significantly different from those that were 10-20 years ago. Previously, all higher education institutions were state-owned and issued appropriate diplomas. Now, there are many commercial institutions that must receive a license from the state for educational activities and a certificate of successful accreditation by a university.
Higher Education Levels
The current education system under the new law has several levels:
- Incomplete higher education is the lowest level of the university. Education lasts at least two years, and after that a diploma of incomplete higher education is issued. With this document, you can continue your education at any time and get a second or third degree.
- Bachelor is the second level of higher education. After school, studying at a university lasts at least 4 years, after a school or college - no more than 3. The first courses prepare the student as a specialist in a wide range, and in the last one it is already possible to choose a specific direction for the specialty. A bachelor’s diploma provides employment opportunities in a wide specialty. And opens up great opportunities in life. After completing this step, you can continue to study for a master's degree.
- Master is the third stage of the university. Training lasts at least six years. The student receives knowledge of a narrower profile and deep content. The diploma gives the right to continue studying abroad and has legal force in employment abroad.
Some universities have remained on the regular educational system, when training lasts 5-6 years. They issue a diploma of completed higher education in a particular specialty (medical educational institutions, military, engineering). A specialist diploma does not have an international standard, which does not give the right to find a job and study abroad.
The document on incomplete higher education allows you to occupy exclusively the position of subordinate. People with a bachelor's degree can become heads and chairmen of various categories. Graduate students - apply for the post of supreme judge or director. Accreditation of universities allows you to issue bachelor, master or specialist diplomas. That is why it is so important for an educational institution, applicants and students.
License
According to the law on education, in order to have the right to educational activities, a university must obtain a license from an authorized body. It is issued for an indefinite period, but at any time it can be withdrawn by the state due to any violations by the institution. This document should be in all non-state educational institutions created after 1991. Until this year, all higher educational institutions had a license and were state-owned. Many of them exist now.
Accreditation
State accreditation of a university is the status of an institution that has received a license to conduct educational activities.After it is confirmed or received by state bodies, an educational institution acquires the right to issue students who have completed their education with a state diploma.
How to choose the right university
Previously, applicants were guided solely by the availability of training in the necessary specialty, since all educational institutions were state-owned and issued appropriate diplomas of completed education. Now, you need to look a lot to make sure that the chosen institution meets the legal order on educational activities.
According to the law on education, a higher educational institution created after 1991 in order to be eligible for educational activities is required to undergo accreditation and obtain an appropriate license from the Ministry of General and Professional Education of Russia. The rest are state universities, and so have the right to educate students. When studying the documents of the selected institution upon admission, it is important to pay attention to the license number, if there is a letter G, then it is state. The document does not have a validity period, but only if the educational institution works without violations. If they are identified, the license may be revoked.
Moreover, it is important to consider that only a university with state accreditation has the right to issue diplomas of the appropriate form. Therefore, the presence of a license and certificate is very important for the student. After all, he can get the opportunity to continue his studies and employment in Russia and abroad, or be content with a purely formal piece of paper about education.
We have already noted that a certificate is issued during accreditation. This document was introduced in 1997, so you need to be careful when checking documents for university accreditation. The date indicated in the certificate shall not be earlier than this period.
If the educational institution is not state, then it is necessary to check the date of issue of the certificate and its validity (from 3 to 5 years). The certificate should not be expired.
Some non-state universities that do not have a certificate of accreditation issue diplomas at the end of their studies.
Financing of a state institution should be made from the state budget. Therefore, the student can count on free education. But only if it arrives on a competitive basis. Evaluation criteria - academic performance and exam scores.
Non-governmental institutions should warn of their license and accreditation, but they may be silent about it. That is why upon admission it is necessary to make sure the reliability of your choice.
How to check if an educational institution has passed accreditation
In order to verify the availability of status of interest, you need to contact Rosorbnadzor. The website of this supervisor has a complete list of universities whose accreditation is or has been revoked. There is also a search system on the registry of organizations engaged in educational activities under programs that have state accreditation. It is only necessary to enter the name of the institution in the appropriate box and the system will give the result.
The website of the university itself should contain all the information about the availability of all rights to educational activities and the issuance of a state diploma.
You can also ask to show approving documents in person, no one has the right to refuse. A self-examination of the accreditation of the university will allow you to decide exactly whether to trust the institution or not.
Training options
The selected institution may have one or more forms of training:
- Full-time. Every day on weekdays, the student must attend lectures, seminars and take exams for each academic semester.With this form in state universities with accreditation there is an opportunity to receive a scholarship while being on free budget education.
- Correspondence. Allows you to learn independently at home. The student should be present at the session only to receive assignments and take exams at the end of each semester. The rest of the time is to independently pass the training materials, engage in projects, term papers and prepare for exams. This form of training allows you to work and study at the same time. Accreditation is given to universities in the presence of several forms of training, usually it is full-time and part-time.
- Part-time. Combines the two previous options. Students attend classes on weekends or in the evening. Exams are taken in their free time.
- Remote. It differs from the rest in that the student does not contact directly with classmates and teachers. Communication with the latter occurs via the Internet or video. Transfer of materials for study and passing the exam - by e-mail or special educational systems. The advantage of this type of training is that education can be obtained from anywhere in the country.
Diploma
Only universities with state accreditation and a license for educational activities can issue a state-issued diploma. Depending on the form of education and the level of higher education, you can get a bachelor, master, specialist or incomplete education certificate from a university. And each type has the corresponding rights and opportunities that it provides to a graduate of a university.
Diploma:
- The bachelor gives the opportunity to enter a foreign university for a master's degree and for employment abroad.
- The undergraduate will help to find a job abroad in the specialty.
- On incomplete education gives the right at any time to enter a higher educational institution to obtain the following degrees.
The state diploma is printed on special paper with watermarks and consists of a crust and a paper liner. Each university has its own stamp in the diploma. Each document has its own number and series. The presence of a state mark in the form of an apostille gives international rights to use it when entering universities or when applying for work abroad.
The process of accreditation and licensing of universities
As soon as an educational institution is about to open, it needs to obtain a license for its activities. For this, an application is written to a special organization, copies of documents for the educational institution and the proposed program are attached. After verification, the university is granted initial approval and the right to conduct educational activities. Then licensing control is carried out every two years and re-licensing every five years. The latter is necessary to confirm the level of training.
Accreditation gives the right to issue graduates of state international standard diplomas. Determines the status of a university as an institution, university or academy. This status may change with each survey. But it is important to confirm the result once every five years.
To do this, Rosobrnadzor collects an expert commission and conducts an audit of the institution in order to ascertain the quality of the education provided. Accreditation of medical universities is carried out by medical specialists and experts. Before verification, the institution receives a notification of the upcoming commission and preparation time. At the time of verification, students and teaching staff are tested, the university’s sites are examined, where comprehensive information on the forms of training, the offered specialties and the availability of documents permitting the training activity should be indicated.
The educational institution has the right to receive information about the timing of accreditation and to change it, to conduct an independent examination, to check again after elimination of deficiencies, if you disagree with the decision of the commission, go to court. At the same time, it is obliged to provide reliable information in the documents and bear responsibility for them, pay accreditation in due time and keep a receipt for future submission, ensure affordable conditions for the examination.
Higher education statuses
State accreditation of a university, depending on the number of specialties taught and the quality of knowledge transferred, allows you to call it an institute, academy or university.
The university teaches specialties of various categories from a primary school teacher to a surgeon's doctor. The diploma obtained in this institution is very much appreciated, it is prestigious.
The Academy is the second most prestigious educational institution status. The academy gives scientific or creative specialties. The issued diploma is considered the most prestigious in the field of art.
Institute is the most familiar university status. It allows you to study in one specialty.
However, statuses may change over time. A university can become an academy or institute. And vice versa, if the institution manages to expand its capabilities and the number of taught specialties.
The advantages of universities with accreditation
Training in institutions that have confirmed their status and received a license will delay service in the army until the last year inclusive. Diplomas issued by a non-accredited institution do not guarantee employment in Russia and abroad. In addition, with such a document they will not be hired by state institutions and will not be allowed to study further.
What to do if a university is deprived of accreditation
If an educational institution loses its status in the process of teaching, a student cannot graduate with a state standard upon graduation. In this case, he has the right to pass the final exams in another institution that has a state. accreditation and get his diploma. If the branch has not confirmed its status, a student can pass exams and receive a state diploma at the main university, provided he has the necessary documents.
If the accreditation is withdrawn during the school year, the educational institution should announce this to its students and offer conditions for compensation for damage. If a student is left without a diploma, he can go to court and return all the money paid for the training.
Rosobrnadzor
Many students dream of studying in the capital. In this case, you should familiarize yourself with the list of Moscow universities with accreditation:
- Moscow Financial and Industrial University "Synergy".
- Moscow Automobile and Road State Technical University.
- Russian New University.
- International Academy of Assessment and Consulting.
- Moscow Institute of Television and Radio Broadcasting "Ostankino".
Of course, this is not all the institutions that have the documentation of interest. You can check your choice on the website of the national accreditation agency in the field of education. To facilitate the search, there are windows for choosing cities and educational institutions.