This article analyses changes to the language policy in Russia in 2017, and their effects on the state (national) languages of Russia's republics within the education system. In July 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a speech at the Council on Interethnic Relations, addressing the language rights of the Russian-speaking population and stressing the existing limit of the power of Russia's 22 ethnic republics to introduce compulsory study of their official languages. The President's statements provoked widespread prosecutorial inspections in the republics' schools and a new round of public discussion about language policy. Public discontent in Tatarstan, Bashkortostan and Komi led to protests against both ethnic Russians and the native speakers of languages recognised as co-official with Russian ('state languages of the republics'). The authorities of some republics publicly disagreed with the position taken by the federal government. In other republics, however, the President's speech did not trigger any public discussion. In many republics, it looks like the regional authorities will ultimately accept the decision of the federal government and speakers of republican languages will not actively defend their languages. Effectively, the balance of rights of the federation and the republics for the establishment of state languages, achieved in the 1990s, was violated.
This paper describes Germany's policy and regulation of in the sphere of identifying and supporting gifted and talented schoolchildren and students. Particular attention is paid to the programmes of financial support for them, especially children and students from families living under difficult financial circumstances. The identification and support of such children and young people is analysed separately with respect to pupils schoolchildren) and students. The paper outlines the various German laws, foundations (scholarships) and other means aimed at supporting the gifted and talented. The German experience is estimated as successful and can be borrowed by other countries that currently are without such policy and regulation. ; The article was prepared within the framework of the Academic Fund Program of the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE) in 2016–2017 (grant No 16-01-0024) and supported within the framework of a subsidy granted to the HSE by the Government of the Russian Federation for the implementation of the Global Competitiveness Program. ; Szymon Jankiewicz - syankevich@hse.ru ; Nadezhda Knyaginina - nknyaginina@hse.ru ; Szymon Jankiewicz - Dr., the Head of the Center for Education Law of the Institute of Education at the National Research University Higher School of Economics (Russia, Moscow). He specializes in public law, legal regulation of education in Russia and abroad, financing of the education system, problems of inequality in education, and balance between accountability, autonomy and rights of the participants of education relations. ; Nadezhda Knyaginina - Junior research fellow of the Center for Education Law of the Institute of Education at the National Research University Higher School of Economics (Russia, Moscow). Her main research topics are inequality in education, access to education, accountability in education. ; Szymon Jankiewicz - National Research University Higher School of Economics in Moscow ; Nadezhda Knyaginina - National Research University Higher School of Economics in Moscow ; Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz (1971). BGBl. I S. 1409. Retrieved from https://www.bafög.de/de/bundesausbildungs--foerderungsgesetz---bafoeg-204.php ; Catholic Foundation for talented students "Cusanuswerk." (n.d.). Retrieved February 6, 2017, from https://www.cusanuswerk.de/ ; Christlich-Soziale Union in Bayern. (n.d.). Retrieved February 6, 2017, from http://www.hss.de ; Deutsche Gesellschaft für das hochbegabte Kind [German Society for Gifted Kids]. (n.d.). Retrieved February 6, 2017, from http://www.dghk.de/ ; E-fellows.net - scholarships for talented students. (n.d.). Retrieved February 6, 2017, from http:// www.e-fellows.net/About-us/For-students-and-young-professionals/We-connect-the-best/ ; Foundation for Gifted Kids "Karg Stiftung." (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.karg-stiftung.de/stiftung/ ; Foundation for talented students "Dornier Stiftung." (n.d.). Retrieved February 6, 2017, from http://www.dornierstiftung.de/ ; Freeman, J. (2002). Out-of-school educational provision for the gifted and talented around the world. Report for the Department for Education and Skills (pp. 1–195). London: UK Government. Retrieved from http://www.joanfreeman.com/pdf/Text_part_one.pdf ; Friedrich Ebert Fiundation - Scholarships for Talented Students. (n.d.). Retrieved February 6, 2017, from http://www.fes.de/studienfoerderung ; Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom is the foundation for liberal politics in the Federal Republic of Germany. (n.d.). Retrieved February 6, 2017, from https://www.freiheit.org ; German Academic Exchange Service. (n.d.). Retrieved February 6, 2017, from https://www.daad.de/der-daad/ueber-den-daad/portrait/en/29143-the-internationalisation-agency/ ; German Academic Scholarship Foundation. (n.d.). Retrieved February 6, 2017, from https://www.studienstiftung.de/studienfoerderung/ ; Gesetz zur Schaffung eines nationalen Stipendienprogramms. Retrieved from http://www.gesetze-iminternet.de/stipg/index.html#BJNR095700010BJNE000600000 ; Gymnasium for talented pupils Bischöfl ichen Marienschule Mönchengladbach. (n.d.). Retrieved February 6, 2017, from http://marienschule.de/ ; Hans Böckler Foundation. (n.d.). Retrieved February 6, 2017, from http://www.boeckler.de ; Häufig gestellte Fragen zum "Stipendienprogramm-Gesetz (StipG)" und zur Stipendienprogramm-Verordnung (StipV). (n.d.). Ministry of Education, Science and Culture Thüringen. Retrieved from https://www.thueringen.de/imperia/md/content/tmbwk/wissenschaft/studium/deutschlandstipendium/faq_s_zum_stipg_und_zur_stipv.pdf ; Jewish community for Talented People "Ernst Ludwig Ehrlich." (n.d.). Retrieved February 6, 2017, from http://www.eles-studienwerk.de ; Maisch, A. (2012, January 18). "Deutschlandstipendien" für die Elite: Wir sind die 0,2 Prozent. Spiegel Online. Retrieved from http://www.spiegel.de/lebenundlernen/uni/deutschlandstipendien-fuerdie-elite-wir-sind-die-0-2-prozent-a-808168.html ; Merkblatt: Zulassung von Spitzensportlern und Spitzensportlerinnen. (2015, February). Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf. Retrieved from http://www.sportstadt-duesseldorf.de/wpcontent/uploads/2015/06/Merkblatt_Zulassung_Spitzensport2015_02.pdf ; National Centre of Excellence "Mintec." (n.d.). Retrieved February 6, 2017, from https://www.mint-ec.de/home.html ; Netzwerk Hochbegabtenförderung NRW [Network Support of talented people NRW]. (2017, February 6). Retrieved from http://www.zukunftsschulen-nrw.de/ ; Project "Jugend forscht" [Young Researchers]. (n.d.). Retrieved February 6, 2017, from http://www.jugend-forscht.de ; Protestant Academic Foundation of Germany. (n.d.). Retrieved February 6, 2017, from http://www.evstudienwerk.de ; Sankt Afra, Meissen - Sächsisches Landesgymnasium für Hochbegabte. (n.d.). Retrieved February 6, 2017, from https://www.sankt-afra.de/landesgymnasium-sachsen.html ; Special classes for talented pupils in schools in Bayern. (n.d.). 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The article is an extended and revised version of the report published in April 2020 in Russian: E. Puchkov, N. Knyaginina, I. Novoselov, Sz. Jankiewicz, Covid-19 and GIA-2020: strategies for conducting final exams in foreign and Russian universities // Modern Education Analytics. Express edition No. 4. April 20, 2020. URL: https://ioe.hse.ru/mirror/pubs/share/359132748 (15.06.2020). ; COVID-19 pandemic has changed the functioning of all levels of education systems. Schools and universities had to quickly adapt and change their procedures according to conditions created by the epidemic. Long perceived as additional and backup solutions, different distance learning technologies, particularly internet-based, became the main solution for the continuation of education on all levels. Several issues have stood out particularly with this seismic change – one of those is the issue of final examinations in universities. This issue is especially crucial in Russia, where the successful passing of a state final examination, which combines majority of the topics from the study program, is a prerequisite for graduation. This paper aims to analyze and present different strategies which were used for final university examinations in different countries and universities of the world and compare it with the Russian practices. ; Evgenii Puchkov: epuchkov@hse.ru ; Nadezhda Knyaginina: nknyaginina@hse.ru ; Ivan Novoselov: inovoselov@hse.ru ; Szymon Jankiewicz: syankevich@hse.ru ; Evgenii Puchkov – analityk Laboratorium Prawa Edukacji Instytutu Edukacji Wyższej Szkoły Ekonomicznej w Moskwie (Rosja), doktorant w Instytucie Edukacji Wyższej Szkoły Ekonomicznej. Jego zainteresowania badawcze obejmują zagadnienia relacji pomiędzy polityką edukacyjną a prawodawstwem w zakresie zrównoważonego rozwoju, umiędzynarodowienie edukacji oraz badania porównawcze prawodawstwa edukacyjnego. ; Evgenii Puchkov – Analyst of the Education Law Laboratory of the Institute of Education, Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia, Ph.D. student in the Institute of Education of Higher School of Economics. His research interests include issues of relationship between educational policy and legislation with sustainable development, internationalization of education and comparative study of educational legislation. ; Nadezhda Knyaginina – pracownik badawczy Laboratorium Prawa Edukacji Instytutu Edukacji w Wyższej Szkole Ekonomicznej w Moskwie (Rosja). Posiada tytuł specjalisty w dziedzinie prawa na Wydziale Prawa Wyższej Szkoły Ekonomicznej. Jej zainteresowania badawcze obejmują zagadnienia prawa edukacyjnego, praw językowych, polityki językowej w działalności edukacyjnej, federalizmu w edukacji, jakości edukacji, standardów edukacyjnych i regulacji zapewniania jakości edukacji. ; Nadezhda Knyaginina – Research Fellow of the Education Law Laboratory of the Institute of Education, Higher School of Economics, Moscowholding Specialist Degree in Law from Faculty of Law of Higher School of Economics. Her research interests include issues of educational law, language rights, language policy in educational activities, federalism in education, quality of education, education standards and regulation of quality assurance of education. ; Ivan Novoselov – asystent badawczy Laboratorium Prawa Edukacji Instytutu Edukacji w Wyższej Szkole Ekonomicznej w Moskwie (Rosja). Posiada tytuł magistra prawa finansowego, podatkowego i celnego, uzyskany na Wydziale Prawa Wyższej Szkoły Ekonomicznej. Jego zainteresowania badawcze obejmują zagadnienia z zakresu prawa edukacyjnego, finansowego i budżetowego oraz studiów porównawczych z zakresu prawa edukacyjnego i finansowego. ; Ivan Novoselov – Research Assistant of the Education Law Laboratory of the Institute of Education, Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russiaholding Master Degree in Financial, Tax and Customs Law from Faculty of Law of Higher School of Economics. His research interests include issues of educational law, financial and budgetary law and comparative studies of educational and financial legislation. ; Szymon Jankiewicz – doktor, prodziekan Wydziału Prawa, kierownik Laboratorium Prawa Edukacji Instytutu Edukacji w Wyższej Szkole Ekonomicznej w Moskwie (Rosja), doktor (kandydat nauk) prawa finansowego Instytutu Prawodawstwa i Prawa Porównawczego przy Rządzie Federacji Rosyjskiej oraz magister prawa finansowego, podatkowego i celnego na Wydziale Prawa Wyższej Szkoły Ekonomicznej. Jego zainteresowania badawcze obejmują zagadnienia prawa edukacyjnego, prawa finansowego, regulacji finansowych i budżetowych działalności edukacyjnej i instytucji edukacyjnych oraz regulacji zapewniania jakości kształcenia. ; Szymon Jankiewicz – Ph.D. Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Law, Head of the Education Law Laboratory of the Institute of Education, Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia with Ph.D. (Candidate of Sciences) in Financial Law from The Institute of Legislation and Comparative Law under the Government of the Russian Federation as well as Master Degree in Financial, Tax and Customs Law from Faculty of Law of Higher School of Economics. 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