Russian Union of Rectors backs Putin’s action in Ukraine

The Russian Union of Rectors (RUR) has issued a strong statement supporting the Russian army and President Vladimir Putin’s decision to take military action in Ukraine, and underlining a commitment to “instil patriotism in young people”.

The statement (in Russian) reported by Tass on 5 March is dated 4 March, the day the European Commission announced a suspension of science cooperation with Russia.

It repeats Putin’s position that the invasion of Ukraine is a “special military operation” required to “achieve the demilitarisation and denazification of Ukraine”, end the conflict in Donbass and protect Russia from “growing military threats”.

It says: “The long-term tragedy in the Donbass resonates with particular pain and bitterness in our hearts.

“It is very important these days to support our country, our army, which defends our security, to support our President, who, perhaps, made the most difficult, hard-won but necessary decision in his life.

“It is important not to forget about our main duty – to conduct a continuous educational process, to instil patriotism in young people, the desire to help the Motherland.”

The statement says Russia’s universities have always been the backbone of the state.

“Our priority goal is to serve Russia and develop its intellectual potential. Now more than ever, we must demonstrate confidence and resilience in the face of economic and information attacks, effectively rally around our President, by our example strengthening the optimistic spirit and faith in the power of reason among young people, instilling hope for an early peace.”

Professor Jan Palmowski, secretary-general of the Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities, said via Twitter: “Russian Rectors’ Union on Ukraine has it deeply wrong: the role of universities can never be to instil patriotism; in history such attempts have always led to disaster.”

EU was 'right to halt cooperation'

He said Mariya Gabriel, the European commissioner for innovation, research, culture, education and youth, was “completely right to stop Horizon Europe collaboration”, referring to her 4 March decision to halt EU cooperation with Russia in research, science and innovation.

Palmowski told University World News that the Rectors’ statement “brings even more sharply into focus the courage of those Russian academics and students who speak out against the War”, and it raises the issue of what can be done to support them.

“But this does not change the fact that at a systemic level, policy makers have been right to call off general funding schemes for collaboration (not least because our funding schemes cannot account for which partners have spoken out against the war and which do not share our fundamental values).”

He said a growing number of states had suspended research and innovation relations and higher education relations with Russia over the past week, and he expecedt this to continue. “This statement will accelerate this trend,” he said.

Hardening of rectors' stance

The RUR’s 4 March statement marks a distinct hardening of the line taken two days earlier after a meeting of the expanded council of the RUR.

That 2 March statement (in Russian) mentioned that Putin had “exhaustively explained the reasons for the difficult but forced decision to conduct a special military operation”, but did not overtly support it or repeat his justifications for the action.

It said the present situation calls for the consolidation of the university community. “The most important thing is to maintain the unity of the university community and its culture of trust, the high quality and accessibility of higher education, and the atmosphere of mutual assistance and understanding among students and professors.

“We must support each other and those who need it most – our students. Particular attention should be paid to international students studying in Russia and to Russian students who have encountered unexpected difficulties in a number of foreign countries. Our country’s leading universities are ready to accept Russian students from abroad to study.”

The rectors said: “We have a clear action plan to help Russian universities steadfastly overcome all difficulties, including those related to the implementation of international projects, the development of scientific infrastructure, and the publication of articles in foreign scientific journals. We must be close to each other, feel each other’s shoulder; then we will overcome all difficulties.

“Russian universities should not break their international ties, which have been formed over decades, convincing reliable partners of the need to continue working together to find answers to global challenges and in the name of preserving the world scientific heritage.”