What Happened to the Soviet University? explores how one of the largest geopolitical changes of the twentieth century-the dissolution of the Soviet Union- triggered and inspired the reconfiguration of the Soviet university. The reader is invited to engage in a historical and sociological analysis of radical and incremental changes affecting sixty-nine former Soviet universities since the early 1990s. The study departs from traditional deficit-oriented, internalist explanations of change and illustrates how global flows of ideas, people, and finances have impacted higher education transformations in this region. It also identifies areas of persistence. The processes of marketisation, internationalisation, and academic liberation are analysed to show that universities have maintained certain traditions while adopting and internalising new ways of fulfilling their education and research functions. Soviet universities have survived chaotic processes of post-Soviet transformation and have self-stabilised with time. Most of them remain flagship institutions with large numbers of students and relatively high research productivity. At the same time, the majority of these universities operate in a top-down, one-man management environment with limited institutional autonomy and academic freedom. As the homes of intellectuals, universities represent a duality of opportunity and threat. Universities can nurture collective possibilities, imagining and bringing about different futures. At the same time, or perhaps because of this, the probability is high that universities will continue to be perceived as threats to governments with authoritarian inclinations. One message to take away from this monograph is that the time is ripe for former Soviet universities to loosen their last remaining chains.

About the Author
Maia Chankseliani is Associate Professor of Comparative and International Education at the University of Oxford. She holds academic degrees from Tbilisi State University (Georgia), Warwick University (UK), Harvard University (USA), and Cambridge University (UK). Her research on tertiary education focuses on the societal, institutional, and policy forces that shape tertiary education and the potential of tertiary education and research for transforming societies. Her work has been inspired and supported by an accumulation of conceptual, empirical, and methodological resources that she has developed throughout her career in academia, policy-making, non-profit sector, and international development.

Reviews
This book makes an important contribution not just to comparative and higher education, but also to the history of education and other social science fields. * George Chanturia, International Review of Education *
This is an admirable work of thoughtful scholarship that will be of interest to all who care about universities both in the region under study and elsewhere, where public universities increasingly face related issues. * Wayne Dowler, Slavic Review *
This book is not just another addition to the literature on Soviet higher education. It is a unique resource that offers a comprehensive understanding of the impact of Soviet higher education and its evolution in an increasingly globalised society. It is an exceptional tool for scholars and policymakers seeking a deep understanding of the development of Soviet universities, offering valuable insights into the complexities and challenges of educational reform in post-Soviet nations. Through its comparative and international study, the book offers valuable insights into the management of educational transitions and the implementation of effective policies. The book's interdisciplinary approach and comprehensive analysis of evolving educational systems create a compelling narrative against a historical backdrop that will captivate a diverse readership. * Dinara Sultan, The Compare *
This book is not just another addition to the literature on Soviet higher education. It is a unique resource that offers a comprehensive understanding of the impact of Soviet higher education and its evolution in an increasingly globalised society. It is an exceptional tool for scholars and policymakers seeking a deep understanding of the development of Soviet universities, offering valuable insights into the complexities and challenges of educational reform in post-Soviet nations. * Dinara Sultan, Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education *



Book Information
ISBN 9780192849847
Author Maia Chankseliani
Format Hardback
Page Count 208
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press
Weight(grams) 476g
Dimensions(mm) 241mm * 166mm * 17mm