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RUSSIA'S BUSINESS EDUCATION SYSTEM SHIFTING TOWARDS AMERICAN MODEL

MOSCOW, August 25 (RIA Novosti) -- Last year, an experiment to determine relationship between the state and Russia's business education system was completed. The experiment, launched by the Russian Education Ministry in 1999, was a success. Over 30 leading Russian business schools proved their viability. Every year, 3,000 Russian MBA (Master of Business Administration) graduates come to work in the Russian market.

About 80% of the Russian business education market is in Moscow, 10% in St. Petersburg, and 10% in other Russian cities. The year 2004 was planned to become the year that MBAs spread across Russia. However, due to the well-known circumstances (in particular, the reorganization of the Education Ministry in May 2003), this did not happen.

Leonid Evenko, president of the Russian Association of Business Education, said that the process that was launched last year was suspended due to objective reasons (including student holidays), but in September 2004, all the earlier agreements will come into force. "In the development of business education, Russia will gradually advance towards the American model," he said, "where public organizations play a conspicuous role." The Russian government, Evenko explained, is seeking to hand over some controlling functions from the state to the public and professional circles today.