EURO-ECO 2010 Hanover 2 - 3 Dezember 2010	Environmental, Engineering - Economic and Legal Aspects for Sustainable Living
	European Academy of Natural Sciences, Hanover European Scientific Society, Hanover University of Bremen, Bremen

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Environmental education started to emerge in the classical universities of Russia in 1992, that is, 10–20 years later than in the countries of Western Europe and North America, even though all the main preconditions for its development already existed back in 1970. In was a common belief among the leading Soviet scientists that environmental and conservation specialists should be trained within the framework of traditional branches of science – biology, geography, chemistry, etc. – so that they became true experts in their particular field, instead of dilettantes.

It was not until the establishment of the USSR State Committee on Conservation in 1988 and the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Russia in 1991 that competent environmental experts came into demand, those capable to work in conservation committees and departments and, in particular, to take a systems approach to projects submitted for impact assessment.

The demise of the Soviet Union and its eventual collapse in 1992 coincided with the establishment of the first environmental departments and faculties in classical universities, like Kazan State University (1989), Peoples’ Friendship University (1992), and the International Independent University of Environmental and Political Sciences (1992).

The first national educational standard for “Ecology and Nature Management” bachelors was adopted in 1994. That was the Russian equivalent for the field of knowledge known as “Environmental Science” in the USA and other countries. After that national standards were developed for five-year specialist programmes in “Ecology”, “Nature Management” and “Geoecology”. The engineering branch of “Envrionmental Protection” was formed independently some years before that. Educational standards were also devised for “Bioecology” (as part of Biological Sciences) and “Environmental Engineering”, to cover the area of expertise dealing with land improvement and land regulation. The second and third generations of these standards are currently in effect.

Refresher courses and continuing training for specialists with higher education degrees have been in place since 1988, which reflected the needs of the newly formed State Committee (see above). The 1992 Federal Law «On the protection of the natural environment» required the heads of all enterprises involved in environmentally harmful activity to receive special training in ecology. According to the 1988 directive of the Ministry of the Higher and Special Education faculty members of higher education institutions were obliged to complete a short course in ecology and conservation as part of their regular professional enhancement training.

Finally, reduced environmental science courses were made compulsory for classical university students of all majors, along with Mathematics and certain Humanities courses.

An “Ecology/Environmental Science” course is currenltly studied by the majority of higher education students in Russia. The course normally covers not only the basics of bioecology, but also demography, natural resourse consumption, environmental pollution, environmental regulation and management, and other subjects.

Higher education of environmental professionals is divided into two large sectors: engineering sciences and natural sciences. Their curricula differ considerably, but also complement each other.

 

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