The idea of ​​a Russian-American Christian liberal arts university was first conceived by Russian teachers and scholars who visited Christian colleges and universities in the United States of America in 1990. The quality of education and the introduction of moral ideas and values ​​into the learning process made such a strong impression on Russian teachers that they turned to the leadership of the Coalition of Christian Colleges (now the Coalition of Christian Colleges and Universities) with a proposal to create a similar educational institution in Moscow.

After several years of work (which began on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean in September 1992), during which the activities of the future institute were discussed and planned, in the spring of 1995 the RAHI opened its doors to students, starting its activities with a series of evening courses, the purpose of which was to familiarize the Russian youth with the concept of Christian higher liberal education. In the summer of the same year, the "Institute for the Study of English" (as RAHI was called at that time) successfully conducted language courses for 100 students.

During the 1995-1996 academic year, the institute again organized a series of evening courses. In July 1996, the Institute for the Study of English offered its summer program to 120 students. Based on the obvious success of the conducted "trial" classes, in the 1996-1997 academic year, RAHI began its full-fledged work. The two faculties of the full-time department that were opened - "Business and Economics" and "Social Work" - received 43 students.

In September 1997, 45 more were admitted, bringing the total number of students to 85. An English department was formed under the direction of Dr. David Broersma. At the end of the 1997-1998 academic year, Johannes Furter replaced Dr. Stanley Clarke as Provost. Susan Clark, who served as director of student affairs and public relations in Moscow, after returning to the United States, began working as an assistant to the president of the RAHI.

By the beginning of the fall semester of 1998, the total number of students was 103, including 35 first-year students. Many of them came to Moscow from other cities and regions. Despite the rapid growth and development of the RAHI, the life of the institute was quite stable; the university was registered in Moscow and received a license for the right to conduct educational activities. One of the important factors for the success of the work was the increased number of full-time teachers and employees. Dr. Pamela Indal, formerly of English and Social Work, was appointed Chair of the Social Work Department and managed the development of this rapidly growing department until her departure in the spring of 1999. The Department of Information Technology has also undergone significant changes due to the expansion and renovation of the computer laboratory and computer class of the institute. All these innovations corresponded to the general aspiration of RAHI - to become a full-fledged humanitarian university, basing its activities on Christian principles.

The 1999-2000 academic year could be described as preparation for the most important stage in the life of the institute - the passage of state accreditation in the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation. During the autumn and spring semesters, a number of meetings and sessions were held at the RAHI in order to determine the changes that need to be made to the curricula to bring them in line with the requirements of the state standard.

At a meeting of the Board of Directors in May 2000, the creation of the RAHI Information Systems Center (RAHI CIS) was officially approved, the foundation of which was laid two years earlier by the creation of an internal network and connection to the global Internet. This step in the development of the institute is in line with the overall objectives of RAHI - to provide good technical support to the work of teachers and staff and to develop distance learning (DL) and vocational education programs.

The 2000-2001 academic year was full of changes and significant events. Dr. Larry Orth was appointed Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost of the Institute. The curriculum of the institute has changed; the curriculum has undergone changes in order to pass self-certification and state accreditation. On May 19, 2001, the first issue took place. Twenty graduates left the RAHI: 11 students from the Faculty of Business and Economics and 9 from the Faculty of Social Work.

In the 2001-2002 academic year, a new direction was added to the program of the Institute - "Philology". The peculiarity of this direction is that students specialize both in translation and in teaching English. The faculty studies German as a second foreign language.

The appointment of David Broersma to the position of Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Vice-Rector of RAHI is the beginning of a new stage in the development of the institute. David Broersma has a wealth of experience as since 1997 he has headed the Department of Linguistics and Literature at the Russian Academy of Arts.

RAHI is registered as a private (non-state) educational institution and has a license from the Ministry of General and Vocational Education of the Russian Federation to conduct educational activities in the field of higher professional education. On November 12, 2003, by the decision of the Collegium of the Ministry of Education for Accreditation of Russian Universities, RAHI received state accreditation. The presence of accreditation enhances the status of the institution. Now students can receive a number of social benefits, in particular, a deferment from the army is provided. Upon completion of RAHI, a state diploma is issued. This means that university diplomas are widely recognized, and its graduates are becoming more in demand, including by government agencies.

In 2003, graduates of the Institute organized the Association of RAHI Alumni.

2010: Closing of day programs

November 12-13, 2010 at the meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Russian American Institute, held in Chicago (USA), it was decided to change the direction of the university and focus on the development of new educational programs that will help strengthen the entire Christian community in Russia. The Board of Trustees has no doubts about the relevance and role of the Institute in Russia. Moreover, the Council is ready to support existing and new educational initiatives, including the expansion of the English language school and continuing education courses for Christian counselors in order to prepare them to meet the real needs of society. The leadership of the Institute is looking for new opportunities to strengthen Russian civil society and the Christian community through programs that would be appreciated and supported by the Russian side. In addition, the leadership of the Institute is considering initiatives to build relationships between the next generations of leaders in Russia and the United States and to develop educational programs involving the Russian Orthodox Church and evangelical churches. This revision of the Institute's mission calls for the closure of existing undergraduate full-time programs. This process will gradually take place during the 2010-2011 school year. Due to the sharp and significant decline in the birth rate in the early 90s, Russia is experiencing an unprecedented decrease in the number of applicants (by almost 50%), which has led to government decisions aimed at protecting state universities. In turn, this caused the impossibility of the existence and further development of small private universities. Given the new opportunities and taking into account the changed situation, the Board of Trustees has decided to close the full-time undergraduate programs. Dr. John E. Bernbaum, President of the Russian American Institute, expressed his understanding of the current situation as follows: state of education in the Russian Federation. This day is the beginning of a new stage in the development of the Institute.”

Interview with President John Bernbaum

Editor: When was the Russian American Institute founded and under what conditions did it take place?

For the first time, the idea of ​​creating a Russian-American Institute in Moscow was voiced in 1988 by Peter and Anita Deineka and their colleague from Wheaton College Ivan Fas. The first seeds were sown when the Deinekas, befriending the then Minister of Science and Education of the USSR Yevgeny Kazantsev, facilitated the arrival of a delegation of Soviet teachers to the United States in September 1990 to get acquainted with Christian liberal arts colleges and universities.

My wife Marge and I, as representatives of the Union of Christian Colleges and Universities (UCCU), were asked to host this delegation and accompany it for 10 days. We visited three Christian colleges (Messaya College, East Mennonite College and East College) and also organized workshops on private liberal arts education.

The following month, in October 1990, at the head of a delegation of 12 Christian teachers from the SKU, I arrived in the USSR on a return visit. After visiting Russian universities in different parts of the country, we returned to Moscow to go home from there. The date October 26, 1990, I will never forget - on this day I was to meet with the newly appointed Minister of Education Vladimir Kinelev, who was to implement all the radical reforms in the field of higher education on behalf of Boris Yeltsin. As our meeting drew to a close, he said, “Dr. Bernbaum, will you yourself come here to found a Christian college in Moscow, like the Christian colleges in the United States?” For me it was a sign from above - it changed my life forever.

Ed.: Why did the Institute choose business and social work as the main areas of study?

During the first meetings of the newly formed Board of Trustees in 1994-95, we asked the Russian members of the Advisory Committee what academic programs they would like to see in the early days of the Institute. They made a compelling case for creating “very pragmatic” programs—business (so that graduates could start their own businesses, hire workers, and bring financial know-how to their churches and communities), and social work, because there were so many social needs that ministers even with a seminary education could not meet.

Ed.: Teachers of the Protestant and Orthodox denominations work at the Institute. How do you manage to combine it?

The uniqueness of our institute lies in its multi-confessional character. Our teachers, staff and students belong to the Protestant, Orthodox and Catholic churches, they have learned to value the opinions of others and respect different traditions of church worship. Since the Christian community in Russia (judging by weekly temple attendance) makes up about two percent of the population, cooperation between believers is of fundamental importance. Every day we demonstrate the power of freedom of conscience and religion - the cornerstones of civil society.

Ed.: Your institute is a unique educational institution on the territory of the Russian Federation. What are the similarities and differences between your institution and Zaoksky Adventist University and Lithuanian Christian College?

When our institute opened its doors in September 1996, it was, as far as we know, the first private Christian liberal arts institution of higher education in Russia. At that time, there were about 125 Bible colleges and institutes that prepared young Russians for service in the church, but there were no universities, after which the laity would become the “presence of Christ” in the labor market. We had to fill this niche.

Unlike Zaoksky Adventist University, the Russian-American Institute accepts students from various Christian churches. We received three offers from American denominations who offered us to build an institute building if we agreed to become a university belonging exclusively to their denomination, these were very tempting offers, since we do not have a very large sponsorship base, but we did not go for it. We have learned a lot from the example of Adventists, but we see our mission in a slightly different light.

Lithuanian Christian College (LCC) is another very high quality institution from which we have learned a lot as it also offers a five year program of study. But, I repeat, our missions are different. Our institute is a bi-national institution of higher education, it provides education in both Russian and English, and applicants must be practicing Christians. Unlike us, LHK offers education exclusively in English and accepts non-Christian students. We do not provide Western-style education, as the LHC does, the Russian American Institute is looking for ways to combine the strengths of the Russian and American education systems.

Ed.: The Russian-American Institute has recently moved into its own building near the Babushkinskaya metro station. What advantages does this location give the institute?

The beauty of the Institute's new building, its size and facilities to meet the requirements of a wide variety of programs, have enabled the Institute to offer students a wide range of courses and seminars throughout the year. Before, when we acted only as tenants, such opportunities belonged to the realm of fantasy. In addition, the Institute is no longer burdened with rental costs. For the Slavic culture that appreciates strong ties, the fact that we have built a building of such a level and scale here is of great importance, this indicates that we seriously intend to stay here and continue working together with our Russian colleagues in the field of education. The new building allows the Institute to grow and gradually increase the number of students to 500 if the Council decides to move in this direction.

Ed.: What role has your personal faith played in your position as head of the Institute?

The feeling of vocation has always been central to me as the head of the Institute. For many years I have had a burning desire to teach young Christians, calling them to be the “salt and light” of modern society. God gave me the aspiration to become a teacher when I was still in high school. Of course, it never occurred to me that I would become president of a college in Russia. I really enjoy what I do and although my job has never been easy, I can't imagine myself anywhere else. I am sure that the protagonist of the amazing history of the formation of the Institute is

God, and it is a great privilege for me that He uses me in this work, and that I see it grow in such difficult conditions. I have seen so many miracles, been witness to so many incredible events, that I simply cannot imagine a more exciting job! It is filled with stress and challenges, but relying on God every day has helped me overcome all difficulties, and I am very grateful for this opportunity to serve.

Ed.: What past work experience has helped you the most in your current position in the leadership of the Institute?

Looking back, I see how the Lord used a variety of experiences to prepare me for this role, which I not only did not aspire to, but did not even dream of! My doctoral dissertation on European and Russian history gave me status and weight in the Russian scientific world. Four years of work in the US State Department gave me additional knowledge in the diplomatic field. Another piece of the puzzle was my 20 years at the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities, where I gained invaluable experience working to create non-traditional and distance learning programs for different parts of the world. I was like an entrepreneur in the field of education. However, not only my merits affected here, it was the result of the efforts of many people - Russians and Americans, who worked together as one team. It was the team spirit that inspired me during these 20 years!

In my later years at UCCU, I was offered the opportunity to serve as president of the college several times, but each time I dismissed the idea because I felt called to work outside my own country. I never imagined that I would be offered the position of president of a newly opened college in Russia with no students at all, no faculty, no building, and no funding. As my daughter once said: “This is what we expected from you, dad! This is the life you have chosen – a life on the edge.”

Ed.: What other important factors have influenced the development of the Institute in the last 13 years?

The Russian-American Institute would not exist now if it were not for the Board of Trustees, who helped its formation and generously supported it financially over the years. I have worked in the field of higher education for over 30 years and have never met such a Board of Trustees in my practice. Its members played a key role in fundraising and attracted a huge number of volunteers to partner with us. The council helped me to find our key sponsors, who then became our close friends, who faithfully donated significant amounts to continue the education of students and the construction of the building. In addition, we have an excellent administrative team, consisting mainly of young Russian Christians, who, despite their youth, do an excellent job with their responsible positions. Our administrative building, together with the teaching staff, helped the Institute reach a high quality level. Add to this the American teachers who teach full-time at the Institute, and more than 100 professors from the USA who came here during their sabbatical for summer modules, one semester or academic year, to understand what a great teamwork this is!

Ed.: As the new decade begins, do you have a new “five-year plan” for the Institute?

The Board of Trustees and the administration of the Institute have been discussing various scenarios for the future of our university for several years, however, we have become convinced that in Russian conditions long-term planning is of very dubious value. The transition period after the collapse of the USSR was not only difficult, but also much more difficult than Western analysts predicted. The dynamics of the development of Russian society, as it turned out, is very difficult to predict. As a result, we simply need to be flexible. We try to remain a factor of creation in this context, no matter what it costs us.

The political situation also affects the Institute - as relations between our two countries warm or cool, officials at all levels of government receive instructions from the Kremlin and treat us accordingly. For example, in the early 1990s Western professors were welcomed with open arms, and this spirit of cooperation has now almost disappeared. The same can be said about the United States. For many US officials, Russia is no longer of particular interest. However, I am sure that Russia and the United States will someday become good friends again, because we have a lot in common. Now we have good relations in many areas - culture and art, scientific research, technology, education, etc. - everywhere, with the exception of politics and the military sphere. When, in time, we overcome these political and military barriers, the Institute will be in the best position to serve as a bridge between these two great peoples.

In some states, in addition to the university system, there is a system of colleges - educational institutions that offer vocational training, preparation for entering universities in America and other programs. At the same time, some colleges in the USA offer full-fledged programs of the first higher education.

Private universities in America determine their own admission policy and admission requirements - and they are often tougher and more extensive than in public universities, the main criteria of which are based on academic performance. Also, the cost of studying at private universities in America for foreigners and local residents is higher than in public ones, but they also offer more scholarships.

Completely free universities and colleges in the US do not exist even for Americans - however, for them the cost of education is significantly cheaper than for foreign students and they have fairly wide opportunities to receive financial assistance from a university or non-governmental organizations. Foreign students entering American universities can apply for scholarships to study in the USA, which will partially or fully cover their expenses.

Paradoxically, it is true that the most prestigious universities in the US - the universities that occupy the highest positions in the rankings of US universities - can be more affordable for foreigners at the expense of significant scholarship funds. So, tuition fees at Princeton University start at $40,000 per year, and taking into account scholarships or grants, it can be a little less than $7,500; at Yale, $44,000 can be reduced to $5,600 in the same way. Of course, to count on such attractive options, the student must demonstrate significant previous merit and high potential.

The most famous US universities are among the permanent winners of the rankings of the world's leading universities. Among them are such prestigious US universities as Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Princeton, MIT and others.

Technical universities in the United States specialize primarily in science, technology, engineering and mathematics - these subject areas are called STEM in English-language sources. In recent years, the demand for technical specialists and the level of their payment has been growing in the United States, which is why Forbes calls the money spent on paying for their programs one of the best investments in the coming years.

The most significant number of technical degrees are awarded by such US universities as Colorado School of Mines, Missouri University of Science & Technology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Oregon University offers market-demanded programs in robotics, space exploration, and renewable energy.

The most attractive states for international students are New York, California and Texas. The most attractive universities in the US for foreigners, according to U.S. news:

• Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts - about 50% of foreigners from the total number of students;
• Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - about 50% of foreigners from the total number of students
• New York University - 30% of foreigners from the total number of students.

Russian-speaking students who choose American universities often seek to enter the universities of New York and Boston.

An excellent addition to an American diploma will be the opportunity to do an internship in an American company after graduation. In turn, internships and work experience in the United States will help you find a permanent job in this country and stay permanently.

The USA is an incredibly diverse country geographically, so everyone can choose the climate and landscape to their liking. Studying at an American university is a great opportunity to plunge into the cosmopolitan atmosphere of American society and travel around this vast and hospitable country.

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American University in Moscow

Eduard Lozansky, President of the American University in Moscow, presents the project "Actual Problems of Cooperation between the Russian Federation and the United States of America" ​​for the Silver Archer Award - USA

Telecommunication technologies, along with others, are developing at a tremendous speed in the modern world. Every day more deeply penetrating various spheres of public life. Helping people around the world to develop and improve. Technological progress has opened up access to those benefits that, until recently, were available only to a small part of the world's population. In particular, to such an important and valuable good as education. In our case, we are talking about a distance form of education.

Biography

Soviet physicist, American-Russian publicist and public figure. Academician of the Russian Academy of Social Sciences, founder and president of the American University in Moscow. President of the World Russian Forum, an annual hearing in the US Congress on US-Russian cooperation.

In 1961-1966. studied at MEPhI. Graduated from the postgraduate course of the Institute of Atomic Energy. I.V.Kurchatova (specialty - "theoretical nuclear physics"). He was a researcher at the Institute of Atomic Energy. Kurchatov and at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna. At the same time, he taught at the Armored Academy named after R. Ya. Malinovsky. In 1976 he moved permanently to the United States, received American citizenship, lives in