Sergey Baryshnikov: “Two stories merge together”

- Mr. Baryshnikov, what’s your estimation of the reorganization? What are its benefits and drawbacks?

- First of all I’d like to remind that following the inauguration one of the first orders of the RF President was that on the education reform. This points to the great attention of the government to this issue, not surprisingly though. This order quite clearly sets up a direction to follow so the consequent events in different ministries stayed within this direction.

However, I’d like to draw the attention to the fact that the Ministry of Transport had embarked on reorganization in advance as it seemed to be a long-felt need. The Ministry of Transport turned to be at the very edge of this policy. I would also say this is particularly true for RosMorRechFlot which started reorganization several years ago. Water transport sector was the first to begin education reform starting with joining secondary educational institution to higher schools.

Two years ago, at the RosMorRechFlot meeting dedicated to education it was decided to think over the viability of consolidation and merger of higher schools. In particular, Valeri Mikheev, head of the Admiral Makarov State Maritime Academy and me voted for the merger of the Academy and St.-Petersburg State University of Waterway Communications (SPSUWC). These 2 years was needed to make the merger procedure less painful for the staff and the students and to improve the situation in education instead of worsening it. Besides, property issues were solved during this period.

The order of RF Transport Minister Maksim Sokolov to commence the merger procedure was issued on September 11, 2012. The schedule was developed and all the procedures were carried out in compliance with the legislation. In the result the merge occurred on December 28, 2012.  The two educational institutions merged into the Admiral Makarov State University of Maritime and Inland Shipping. With this the institutions strengthen each other which enables us to move forward.

Our physical facilities have merged as well. Considerable funds used to be invested in different sectors of both institutions. The Makarov Academy has considerably developed its famous training base. The University, in its turn has a lot of unique laboratories including a 120-meter long pool, the largest among the educational institutions, hydroengineering laboratory etc.

The most important thing is our parallel work on teaching the same professions and now, having joined our efforts, especially in terms of navigation disciplines, we can reach a totally new level and train more qualified specialists for the industry.

We are going to replace student education with cadet training gradually, over several years. It is just to contribute the qualification of shipboard personnel.

I remind that we have moved over education under 3^rd generation standard according to which the basic training of sea and river specialists is the same – 75% of navigation and 25% of specialization. Those who entered the institution earlier will graduate according to former standards with three specializations: marine navigation, marine and inland waterway navigation, waterway navigation.

With the new standards we expand the range of application for graduates in our country. We wish to train personnel for Russian companies like Sovcomflot, Gazflot, North Western Shipping Company etc. instead of working for foreign crewing companies. The above companies are the most advanced and developed and they are really concerned about the personnel high qualification.

 - Will the reorganization entail the reduction of the teaching personnel and the general staff?

- The number of students is the sum of the two institutions hence we need an adequate number of teachers and auxiliary educational staff. So there was not and could not be any reduction.

 - Could you, please clarify, will the total number of students and cadets be the same in the future?

- The same. However we are just going to leave non-core specializations which appeared in challenging times when we had to survive with insufficient financing. As for field-oriented specializations we are determined to raise the number of students and to introduce new specializations.

 - What do you call non-core specializations?

As for St.-Petersburg State University of Waterway Communications, we have closed the specialization of culturology and are getting rid of some other ones. 

 - After all, will there be cadets or students in the University? As we know the cadets of the Makarov Academy were on full state support that is free accommodation, meals and uniform. Will it remain in the newly set Makarov University?  

- A document has been recently released according to which the cadets are the student of the navigation specializations and they will be provided with accommodation, uniform, meals etc. Students of non-navigation specializations will still not wear uniform and will be called students.

The first thing to establish within the university is an institution to be called Maritime Academy. According to the new law, no academies should be among the institutions not engaged in additional professional education. So all operational specializations for cadets will be concentrated in the Maritime Academy within the Admiral Makarov University. Thus we will separate operational and coastal specializations.

 - Will the Maritime Academy have its own head?

- Yes. First pro-rector of the University Nikolai Alekseev will head the Academy.

 - What is going to be with a popular specialization of transport management?

- This specialization was in both institutions so it is reasonable to integrate it.

Of course, a lot of work is yet to be done as it is not so easy though we have the experience of integration carried out several years ago. The new University now has 6 secondary educational institutions as SPSUWC and SUMIS have 4 and 2 of them respectively. Integration was once made to create a vertically integrated educational complex so that a graduate of a secondary educational institution could then master the programs of a higher professional education and postgraduate education. This system worked for several years until the new law appeared according to which only one draft deferment was available. Only 10% of students used to returned to the full-time education after military service. Today those coming to the higher institution from the secondary one are provided with the second draft deferment so this issue is solved for the navigation specializations.

However, the Ministry of Education has abolished the reduced term of education for those coming to the higher level from the secondary level. Earlier they could study for 4 years instead of 5 years. But now ‘greenhorns’ not knowing forecastle from a stern study together with a specialist certified for middle-rank jobs. With the reduced form the state could save at least 20%  of training expenses.

 - What will happen with the secondary educational institutions?

- The decision on their merger is to be made by the academic council.

 - Will the admission board work next year?

- Yes, but probably there will be several grounds.

-  How large is the planned admission for the next year?

- Joined admission will make 1,500 persons. Today we teach 20-25 thousand students and cadets.

 - What will become of the physical facilities of the institutions: buildings, trainin shore base, sailing ships?

-  Everything will be preserved. The sailing vessel Mir and the yachts will be integrated into one large club to develop this direction.

 - Were there any resignations?

- Yes, there were few and they left voluntarily.

I have visited all the training grounds to meet with the staff and cadets. I answered all their questions. When meeting with cadets I asked their commanders to leave the classrooms and the cadets could ask any questions they wanted. Such meeting are going to be held regularly -  about two times a week.

Interviewed by:

Nadezhda Malysheva

Margarita Babkova