European University at Saint Petersburg
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| European University at St. Petersburg | |
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| Европейский университет в Санкт-Петербурге | |
| Image:Logo eu Alumni.jpg | |
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| Established: | 1994 |
| Type: | Private |
| Rector: | Nikolai Vakhtin |
| Faculty: | 50 |
| Students: | 170 |
| Location: | St. Petersburg,  Russian Federation |
| Campus: | Urban |
| Website: | http://www.eu.spb.ru |
The European University at St. Petersburg[1] (Russian: Европейский университет в Санкт-Петербурге) is an independent graduate university formed in 1994 and is widely recognized as one of the leading academic institutions in the humanities and social sciences in Russia today. In 2002, its political science department was ranked as one of the top 3 in Eastern Europe and the best in Russia[2].
The university is situated in the centre of St. Petersburg near the Neva river at 3 Gagarinskaya Street in the 18th century Small Marble Palace.
As a graduate university, the European University primarily trains Ph.D. candidates and those pursuing an M.A. degree. The (M.A.) diplomas of the Department of Political Science and Sociology are issued in association with the University of Helsinki. The enrollment, as of January 2007, was 170 students.
An English-language international M.A. programme (IMARS) in Russian studies attracts students from North American and West European universities.
Support for the University is provided by the Ford Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, and the Soros Foundation. It offers master's degrees in economics, ethnology, history, political science, sociology, and the humanities.
It received a European Commission grant in 2007 for € 700,000 for a project aimed at improving monitoring of elections in Russia. After a reported threat from a government official, the project was closed by the University on January 31.
[edit] Closure of EUSP in early 2008
On 18 January, a fire safety inspection was conducted by the Federal Fire Safety Service at EUSP.
In 21 January an inspection by the Federal Registration Service commenced.
On 4 February 4 spring semester started at EUSP.
On 6 February 6 2008, the Fire Safety Service submitted its report containing 52 violations to the Central district court.
On 7 February 2008, the Dzerhzhinskii regional court in St. Petersburg ordered the University shut down immediately and for a duration of 90 days[3][4] , on the basis that the university's buildings were unsafe for students because of fire hazards.
On 8 February, court bailiffs sealed classrooms and auditoria at EUSP, forcing the university to suspend classes.
On 18 February 2008, the Dzerhzhinskii regional court upheld its earlier decision mandating closure for a period of 90 days or until all violations have been corrected.
On 22 February 2008, the European University signed a contract by which the Institute of Economics and Finance will provide EUSP with the space necessary to conduct classes from 25 February until July 1 of this year.
On 26 February 2008, the rector of the European University received an official letter from the Committee on Science and Higher Education of St. Petersburg dated 21 February, informing him of the revocation of the university's licence, which was specific to the its closed premises on 3 Gagarinskaya St., in accordance with the law on the basis of the closure by fire inspectors. On the same day, the rector of the European University applied for a new licence in order to be able to continue operations in the recently rented premises until they can be resumed at the university's own building once a court permits it to do so. While the licence is revoked, both teaching staff under contract and students, who are funded by scholarships, cannot receive their payments.
On 27 February, the rental agreement for temporary premises signed on 22 February was cancelled[5] (after fire inspectors began inspecting the Institute of Economics and Finance, which consequently backed out of the agreement) and EUSP started looking for new premises to rent. Without premises, in which EUSP was able to continue its activities, no new licence could be issued or even applied for.
On 6 March, EUSP officially applied for a temporary licence for premises it managed to rent to the Committee on Science and Higher Education of the Saint Petersburg Government (headed by A.D. Viktorov) and the Expert Center for Evaluation of Continuing and Secondary Education (headed by N.A. Veshev) handing in documents including a copy of the lease agreement for temporary rental of premises for educational activities outside EUSP. The package of documents handed to the aforementioned bodies included a cover letter signed by EUSP Rector Nikolai Vakhtin, in which he requested the issue of a temporary license for educational activities. The head of the Committee A.D. Viktorov has repeatedly emphasized previously that given the exceptional character of the situation with EUSP, the license can be issued within a few days.
On 12 March the Committee on Science and Higher Education of the Saint Petersburg Government rejected the application for a temporary licence for the rented premises, citing missing endorsements from the fire and sanitary inspections. EUSP decided against calling for such inspections necessary to obtain these endorsements and withdrew its application and dissolved the rental agreement with the Lensoviet Palace of Culture (a venue used for various social and educational purposes)[6]. Initially the premises where not publicized in order to avoid unwanted interest, but after the rejection of EUSP's application was made public.
On 17 March, EUSP's rector received a phone call from St. Petersburg Governor Valentina Matvienko (the first contact from her since the university's closure), where the latter announced that the improvements of fire safety at EUSP would satisfy fire inspectors and that the court would subsequently decide in EUSP's favor and the university would be able to resume normal operations within a few days[7].
On 21 March, the Dzerhzhinskii regional court allowed the university to recommence its operations on the same day 21 March 2008[8] in a 3-minute morning session. By the afternoon the Committee on Science and Higher Education of St. Petersburg had reactivated the European University's licence and court marshals had removed the federal stickers which were barring entrance from most of the university auditoria and classrooms, rendering the premises fully operational.
Classes and other educational activities resumed on Monday, 24 March.
[edit] References
- ^ European University at St. Petersburg (Official website)
- ^ European Political Science - Spring 2004, issue no. 3.2, by Simon Hix European Political Science Spring 2004
- ^ Russian Court Shuts Down University That Offered Politically Sensitive Courses, by Anna Nemtsova Chronicle of Higher Education Tuesday, February 12, 2008
- ^ Russian university that advised on election monitoring closed as fire risk, by Luke Harding The Guardian Monday, February 11, 2008
- ^ Ousting the Ideological Enemy, by Yelena Biberman Russia Profile.org Thursday, February 28, 2008
- ^ Европейский университет не попал в кружок, by Anna Pushkarskaya Kommersant Thursday, March 13, 2008
- ^ Governor Says Uni Will Open, by Galina Stolyarova The St. Petersburg Times Tuesday, March 18, 2008
- ^ Helsingin Sanomat 22.03.2008 [1]
