Russia's admission to the Bologna process should be regarded within the context of Russia's national interests and the development of Russia's foreign policy aimed at cooperation and integration with Europe. This statement was made by Chairman of the State Duma Education and Science Committee Alexander Shishlov (the YABLOKO faction) at the meeting of the Russian Public Council for Development of Education on March 6, 2003.

The Bologna Declaration "European Higher Education Area" was signed in June 1999 by the ministers of education of 29 European countries. The Bologna process has the following goals: to raise the quality and competitiveness of European education on the world market and create a system that would provide comparable national education programmes. According to Shishlov, Russia, Belorussia and Ukraine are the only large European states that have not been integrated in education.

The Bologna process will make it possible to raise the mobility of students and teachers, provide them with opportunities to change the country and university to replenish their knowledge during their studies. The advantage of the Russian higher school is the fundamental nature of its educational programmes. To exploit this advantage and attract students from other countries, it is necessary to participate in the building of a common European system, noted Shishlov.

According to Shishlov, the participants at the meeting of the Russian Public Council for Development of Education supported the efforts of the Ministry of Education of the RF and the State Duma Education and Science Committee to promote Russia-s involvement in the Bologna process and recommended that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the RF provide maximum support in this field.

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