Many of the day-to-day features and processes of present-day Russia and the CIS have their roots in Soviet times. Amongst these is the strong – but different in many ways from Western models – Higher Education system, and also still the significant cultural detachment and closedness.
An important characteristic of “Russian” education is the unified and fairly severe standards in terms of course content, study methods and grading. Depending upon the type of organisation, practically all undergraduate courses in the CIS can be classed as study programmes.
The majority of international students need time to adapt to the way of life in another country, and need help with this issue. Alongside the specialised services that exist in British universities, assistance at this level should be available up until the student leaves the UK.
Sheffield Hallam University has been rated the number one university in the world for its virtual learning environment, and in the top three worldwide for student satisfaction with both its student support
Two University of Cambridge spin-out companies were recognised in the third annual ACES awards, which recognise the best in academic entrepreneurship from across Europe.