On October 14, 2022 a round table “RussianSchools Abroad as a Global Network Project of the Multipolar World” of the track “Pre-University. Working with Talented Applicants" took place. The event was held within the frameworks of the PriorityFest x RISA XIV of the RAMI Convention's Festival of Best Practices in Priority 2030 programmes.

The discussion was attended by V.A. Yasvin, Research Director of the Russian Schools Abroad Project, Doctor of Psychology, Doctor of Pedagogy, Professor, Laureate of the RF Government Prize in Education, Head of the Interfaculty Department of Educational Systems and Pedagogical Technologies of MGIMO; A.S. Khromih, D. in History, social studies teacher of the Gorchakov Lyceum, MGIMO; A.H. Tillayev, Director of MGIMO-Tashkent Lyceum; N.P. Deryagin, invited member of the Working Group on content creation of the Scientific-Educational Memorial Complex named after the First President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov. The moderator was R.I.Kotov, MGIMO Vice-Rector for Educational Programmes, General and Secondary Professional Education, Head of the Russian Russian Schools Abroad strategic project of the state programme "Priority 2030" aimed at supporting Russian universities.

Vitold Albertovich Yasvin made a presentation entitled "The Russian Schools Abroad (RSA) as a network educational project for a multipolar world". Active work on the project started in October 2021. "At the same time," notes V.A. Yasvin, "we came up against the fact that there are virtually no analytical materials or scientific articles devoted to the phenomenon of the Russian Schools Abroad, so we had to develop the educational concept practically fr om scratch. Such trends as digitalisation, environmentalism, uncertainty, and human-centeredness were taken as a reference point. The position fr om which the concept can be built is the importance of human and personal potential. "When you drive on a motorway, personal potential is not particularly needed, the path is clear, but when the road is bumpy and there is uncertainty all around, personal potential comes to the fore," V.A. Yasvin illustrates the thought.

The methodological basis for the content of RSA can be the ecological-cosmic educational paradigm based on the works of Russian cosmic philosophers (N.A. Berdyaev, I.V. Kireevsky, V.S. Solovyov, N.F. Fedorov, K.E. Tsiolkovsky, etc.), the "living ethics" of N.and E. Roerich, as well as the teaching of noosphere by V.I. Vernadsky, space pedagogy of K.N. Wentzel and the concept of interdisciplinary study of "nature - man and humanity - nature" by B.G. Ananyev. This approach fully corresponds to modern views on the crucial importance of forming ecocentric type of consciousness of the planet's population instead of anthropocentric one.

The educational process in RSA can be based on the provisions of developmental education, activity-based approach, project activities, the foundations of which have been developed by prominent national psychologists and educators, first of all by L.S. Vygotsky, V.V. Davydov, L.V. Zankov.

A school cannot exist if it does not deal with the problems of education and socialization. The RSA essense lies in the concept of humanism, which, against the background of the changes taking place in the world, is becoming extremely relevant. Furthermore, it is important to work with the RSA teacher - to conduct training programmes for teachers, to communicate the concept and the general paradigm of the project. "Education should be honest and unobtrusive - children catch falsity instantly," emphasises V.A. Yasvin.

Alexander Stanislavovich Khromykh gave a report on "History and the current state of Russian schools abroad," with a comprehensive historical overview on the subject from the inception of the first Russian school abroad in 1858 in Palestine in the territory of the Ottoman Empire. A. S. Khromykh distinguished four main historical stages of the Russian schools abroad: the first from the mid-19th century to 1917; the second from 1917 to the mid-1940s; the third from the mid-1940s to 1991; and the fourth from 1991 to the present. The formation of Russian schools abroad took place in waves, in close connection with foreign and domestic political events in Russia.

In fact, the state's expanded support for the development of Russian schools is now enshrined in the Concept of Humanitarian Policy of the Russian Federation, which came into force on 5 September 2022. Features of each stage are discussed in detail by A.S. Khromikh in the chapter "History of Russian schools abroad" in his monograph "Contemporary pedagogy and educational design", edited by Academician A.V. Torkunov, Rector of MGIMO, which is expected to be published in December 2022 as part of the "Russian Schoolы Abroad" project under the "Priority 2030" state programme to support Russian universities.

Alisher Khasanovich Tillaev joined the discussion online and shared his colleagues' practical experience of implementing the concept of lyceum classes abroad in a report entitled "Analysis of the experience of educational cooperation in organising Russian schools on the example of opening Russian Schools Abroad on the model of "MGIMO Lyceum Classes" in Uzbekistan". The results were really impressive: this year, the Lyceum International House Tashkent, wh ere MGIMO Lyceum classes were opened, topped the ranking of educational institutions in the Republic of Uzbekistan and took 1st place. One of the features of the lyceum is the foreign teachers who run regular programmes. Next year, the MGIMO Lyceum network in Tashkent plans to graduate more children than the MGIMO Lyceum in Moscow, which also testifies to the popularity of this educational institution in Tashkent.

"Our project has the advantage of a 'double certificate' programme," Tillaev said, "that is, a graduate receives a certificate fr om the Republic of Uzbekistan and a certificate from the Russian Federation. This gives them a broader choice of educational institutions. Since 2021, the MGIMO-Tashkent Lyceum has housed an exam centre wh ere students can take the Russian Unified State Examination. This year, 65 lyceum students graduated with both Russian and Uzbek diplomas based on the results of the secondary general education programme in a network form in Uzbekistan. Six of them confirmed their right to a red school-leaving certificate and a medal, having achieved the required number of USE scores. "The growth of interest in studying and taking state exams according to Russian standards is evident," notes A. H. Tillayev.

Nikolai Pavlovich Deryagin expressed his full solidarity with the conceptual ideas presented at the beginning of the meeting by V.A. Yasvin, in particular with the concept of eco-space education as the basis for the formation of Russian International Schools. "Now the emphasis in educational institutions is on teaching, mentoring takes a back seat. But education is mentoring plus training! - notes N.P. Deryagin. Considering this aspect, N.P. Deryagin sees RSA as broader than just "a school wh ere children are educated". RSA is seen as a socio-cultural centre that unites both Russian citizens and citizens of the host country through joint project activities - creative, charitable, etc.

The “Russian Schools Abroad” Project

Reference Information:

The “Russian Schools Abroad” Project (RSA) is one of the five strategic projects implemented by MGIMO under the "Priority 2030" state programme to support Russian universities. The project meets the urgent need of Russian-speaking citizens and foreigners for qualified secondary and additional education outside the Russian Federation. In 2022, the first two schools were opened - in Tashkent (Uzbekistan), Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan). By 2030 at least 15 RSA schools will be opened abroad.