SHERA Supports European University at St. Petersburg

The European University at St. Petersburg https://eu.spb.ru/en/ is an important institution for research and higher education, respected in Russia and around the world. Its scholars participate in major international conferences alongside members of SHERA and publish their work in prestigious journals and with major presses. We have all benefitted from the scholarship produced by its faculty, associates, and alumni; their work makes a significant and lasting contribution to our field.

For over 20 years, the EUSP has trained both Russian and non-Russian graduate students at the highest international level. Its educational ideal of promoting the best of Russian and Western scholarship promises to produce students who are fluent in the discourses that shape society and culture around the globe today. Foreign students who enroll in the EUSP’s programs such as its International MA in Russian Studies (IMARES) https://eu.spb.ru/en/international/academics/imares benefit from study in Russia and access to St. Petersburg’s immense cultural resources. More importantly, they gain a deep respect and appreciation for Russian history and culture in a way unparalleled by any other program.

The EUSP’s proud history and record of success make it all the more concerning that on February 10th the Moscow Arbitration Court did not support the university’s evidence of compliance with areas (registering degrees with the VAK, employing faculty practicing in their field, and maintaining a gym) that had been disputed by the Ministry of Education’s inspectorate, Rosobrnadzor. The Society of Historians of East European, Eurasian, and Russian Art and Architecture (SHERA) supports the EUSP’s decision to appeal the court’s finding. We trust that further court hearings will remove the current obstacles and allow the university to continue its vital work of teaching and scholarly research.