About the project

Since 2021, MGIMO has been actively participating in the national state programme "Priority-2030". The main aim of the programme is to create new scientific knowledge, technologies and inventions to be implemented in Russian economy and social field by the leading Russian universities. The Russian Schools Abroad project (RSA) is one of five strategic projects implemented by the MGIMO-University within this programme.

The Russian Schools Abroad project responds to the existing need of Russian-speaking citizens and foreigners for qualified secondary and extracurricular Russian-language education outside the Russian Federation. As a driver of the development of the educational ecosystem of MGIMO schools in the international arena, RSA acts both as an educational integrator, ensuring the presence of Russian-speaking education abroad, and as an open communication platform to discuss contemporary didactic innovations and learning cultures.

The project aims to open at least 15 RSA schools by the year 2030. In 2022, the first two schools are to be opened - in Tashkent (Republic of Uzbekistan), Bishkek (Kyrgyz Republic).

The Russian Schools Abroad project focuses on key problems in Russian-language education abroad - its lack of accessibility, the quality of educational programmes, the shortage of professionally qualified teachers, and the unsatisfactory status of final educational documents.

In the context of growing uncertainty and instability, RSA offers the development of additional educational opportunities for Russian-speaking families with children and for all those interested in the Russian language and culture, namely:

Providing quality educational content in both the humanities and mathematics, as well as additional educational activities to educate young people in a paradigm of transforming experiences of different cultures and life-long learning, unlocking the individual potential of every child. A student of RSA is a person of peace, educated, active, proactive, and open to other cultures.
Dissemination and development of modern high-tech educational practices and didactical innovations through the highest professional level of RSA specialists and teachers, including experts of the Interdepartmental Department of Educational Systems and Pedagogical Technologies of MGIMO under the guidance of V. Yasvin and teachers of the Gorchakov Lyceum of MGIMO.
The possibility of passing the State Final Examination (GIA) in the formats of State Unified Exams for Grade 9 and Grade 11 with receiving an official Russian State Certificate.
Provision of a modern secure digital environment through the use of a unified digital educational platform.
Ability to customize the implementation format of each individual educational project of the RSA and to sel ect educational programmes taking into account the current situation, the cultural specifics of the country and the region, as well as the needs of the end user.

The main vector of the "Russian Schools Abroad" project is to create an international network of partner educational institutions. On the basis of this network, educational programmes for basic and additional secondary education according to the Gorchakov Lyceum of MGIMO model (MGIMO-Component, grades 8-11) and EP (examination point) officially accredited by Rosobrnadzor and authorised to conduct the State Final Examination (GIA) in a particular country are opened in each country within the project. In this way, the project implements a unique format of the 'double certificate' programme, which makes it possible to obtain an educational document on school graduation fr om both the country in which a particular student resides and a Russian State certificate of basic general or secondary (complete) general education.

Key facts

15 schools are to be opened abroad by the year 2030
Admission with a pathway to MGIMO and other leading Russian and foreign universities of the humanitarian and economic profile
230+ students in Russian Schools Abroad
70+ highly professional teachers
15+ courses in Russian language
Double certification educational programmes
A personalized approach to children's learning based on the analysis of learning and motivation data
An active community of enterprising, creative, academically oriented children and adults
An innovative learning environment offering a variety of academic tracks and role models
Preparing for an international career with practical knowledge
Advanced preparation for the Final Russian State Exam (GIA)
A digital education platform
International volunteering
High academic results: 6 honours certificates in 2022 and the first ever 100 points Final State Exam result (Russian language) in 2021.

Russian Schools Abroad are drivers of MGIMO's educational ecosystem of schools. They are not just educational institutions, they are a communication platform, integrators for crystallizing advanced educational methodologies for those who think or want to think in Russian. The project is implemented within the framework of the state programme "Priority-2030", which provides an opportunity to generate new scientific knowledge, including the field of school pedagogy, and then share this knowledge.

Anatoly Torkunov

Rector of MGIMO, Full Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Anatoly Torkunov

Rector of MGIMO, Full Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Our staff are mentors, not just teachers. Each of them adheres to the philosophy of continuous professional development, careful selection of programmes, educating children in the paradigm of life-long learning and openness to the world.

Roman Kotov

Adviser to the Rector of MGIMO

Roman Kotov

Adviser to the Rector of MGIMO

The Russian Schools Abroad project is an intellectual product of the highest quality. Our task is to learn how to multiply it, how to make it in demand.

Artem Malgin

Vice-Rector for MGIMO Strategic Development — Chief of the Rector’s Office

Artem Malgin

Vice-Rector for MGIMO Strategic Development — Chief of the Rector’s Office

The educational environment and academic design of the Lyceum classes is flexible and adaptive. It draws on the effective practices of teachers and responds to the current needs of the student read more

Ilya Demakov

Director of the Gorchakov Lyceum

Ilya Demakov

Director of the Gorchakov Lyceum

The lesson is an important, but far from the only part of the complex process which is called education - i.e. the process of bringing up and teaching schoolchildren. The educational process is a huge work of teachers, educators, parents and, of course, above all, the students themselves. The primary task of a modern school is to provide a personal and comfortable educational environment for development, in which the most complex social and pedagogical work is effectively carried out.

Vitold Yasvin

RSA project supervisor, Doctor of Psychology, Doctor of Pedagogy, Laureate of the Russian Federation Government Prize in Education, Head of the Interfaculty Department for Educational Systems and Pedagogical Technologies

Vitold Yasvin

A good teacher is one who possesses and constantly improves not only pedagogical, but also project, methodological and research competences. A special master's programme at MGIMO's Odintsovo branch, which is available, among other things, to teachers in the Russian-speaking education ecosystem and the Russian Schools Abroad project, is aimed at improving the level of these competencies.

Marina Pinskaya

RSA Scientific Advisor, Scientific Supervisor of Master's programme "Modern Pedagogy and Educational Design", Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor

Marina Pinskaya

RSA Scientific Advisor, Scientific Supervisor of Master's programme "Modern Pedagogy and Educational Design", Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor

Thanks to its unique curriculum, MGIMO-Tashkent Lyceum graduates will have a competitive advantage when applying to Russian universities in the future. As part of their studies at the Lyceum, students will master the Russian and Uzbek curricula, and upon successful completion will receive general education certificates from both countries.

Alisher Tillaev

Director of MGIMO-Tashkent Lyceum

Alisher Tillaev

Director of MGIMO-Tashkent Lyceum

Through the cross-country blending of programmes, our pupils will have unique meta-skills and personal qualities. Due to the cooperation with MGIMO, these competencies will be deepened, including the fact that the professional development programmes are already in place for our teachers under the wing of this well-known university.

Nuria Turdakunova

President of Lomonosov School (Bishkek)

Nuria Turdakunova

President of Lomonosov School (Bishkek)

Appearance of Russian-language state educational programs in Turkey creates prerequisites for deepening cooperation between our countries in humanitarian field, promotion of Russian language and education, and the cultural dialogue between our people.

Marina Karlova

Widow of the Hero of Russia, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Turkey Andrei Karlov, Honorary President of the Andrei Karlov Memorial Foundation

Marina Karlova

Widow of the Hero of Russia, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Turkey Andrei Karlov, Honorary President of the Andrei Karlov Memorial Foundation