Institute m University is different. Determination of the concept of "university". What gives a university degree

Today, the choice of universities is very diverse from higher schools, institutions to academies and universities. There is a difference between all higher educational institutions, which for many applicants does not play any role. And yet, the differences, for example, between a university and an institute are quite significant.
Distinctive features of the university.

The university is an educational institution of the highest category, which trains highly specialized researchers in various fields of knowledge, and also provides a mandatory service for the retraining of scientific, pedagogical and scientific employees in a wide range of knowledge. At the university, in addition to special subjects, general education is also studied. The university also conducts research work covering a wide range of sciences. Universities can be state and national. To obtain the status of a university, an educational institution must meet certain criteria:
should be both a leading research and methodological center in the areas of its extensive activities;
there should be at least four graduate students for every hundred full-time students;
ongoing scientific research should affect at least five various areas Sciences, and the cost of financing these tests for one five-year period should be at least 10 million rubles;
the majority (from 60%) of professors-teachers must have titles or academic degrees;
higher institution in the status of a university, it must apply in its activities only modern innovative technologies and teaching methods.
Distinctive features of the institute.
The institute trains personnel in a certain field of knowledge, and it can also provide advanced training for employees in a particular field of activity, but this service is not mandatory. In addition, the institute, like the university, conducts applied and fundamental scientific research, but in one area of ​​knowledge. Institutes, as a rule, have a certain specialization: medicine, Agriculture and others. To obtain the status of an institute, an educational institution must:
to have at least two graduate students per hundred full-time students;
the cost of financing research activities for one five-year plan should not exceed 5 million rubles;
about 50% teaching staff must have a title or degrees;
usage modern technologies and innovative methods in the training or retraining of specialists.
And if during the year after graduation at the institute at least 25% of graduate students were able to defend themselves, then he can already apply for a higher title - the academy.
Any educational institution that has its own state status must necessarily confirm it every five years. The status is confirmed at the accreditation board of the Federal Assembly for supervision in the field of education and science. A comprehensive assessment of the activities of an educational institution is carried out. The main indicators that affect the determination of the status of a university:
composition of teachers,
number of graduate students
research activity,
specialized education.
If during the audit the educational institution was lowered in status, then the leadership of this university must submit all Required documents for registration and obtaining a reduced status. It will be possible to raise the status only after a year.
According to the Minister of Education A. Fursenko: out of 1000 universities existing in Russia, there should be only about 50 universities and up to 200 academies or institutes. (social)

An institute is an educational institution engaged in the training, retraining and advanced training of specialists in a particular field of work. In this structure, training can be carried out even in one specific profession. Research work at institutes should be carried out in one or more areas. And for every 100 students, there may be fewer than a couple of graduate students. The teaching staff of this educational institution may consist of 25-55% of persons with scientific degrees and academic titles.

Under the conditions of the institute, there are no strict requirements for the protection of graduate students. However, if at least 25% of the specialists defended after postgraduate studies, the institution has the right to apply for renaming into a university. In the case of a gross inconsistency with the rules, a reverse transition is not ruled out.

The average annual financing of institutions varies from 1.5 to 5 million rubles. IN educational process Institute must necessarily include innovative methods of teaching, self-education and research. In some cases, this institution may be part of the structure of another educational institution.

University features

The University is an educational institution that trains specialists in various fields, the number of which is at least 7 specialties. In the conditions of the institution, training, retraining, and raising the level of professionalism of highly qualified specialists, scientific and scientific and teaching staff can be carried out.

According to the charter, universities should be engaged in fundamental and applied research in at least 5 scientific fields. For every hundred students there are at least 4 graduate students. The teaching staff must consist of at least 60% of academic degrees and titles.

After graduating from graduate school at the university, there should be at least 25% of defended specialists. Financing of this structure is about 10 million rubles. in year.

At the university, in addition to the use of innovative teaching methods, there must be access to electronic library resources. An institute may be included in the structure of this educational institution.

Thus, the main differences between the two educational institutions are that the institute is an integral educational unit, while the university may include several institutes. At the institute, specialists are trained in one, sometimes in several areas, at the university - in different areas. Scientific university activity, unlike institute activity, should develop in different directions.

When an applicant faces the question of choosing an educational institution that can meet the educational needs of a future student, there is often a doubt about which university is better - an institute or a university. And is there a fundamental difference?

An institute is a specialized educational institution where, just like at a university, you can study under higher education programs. Most often, institutions are narrow-profile, i.e. carry out professional training of specialists for a particular industry - economics, law, psychology, medicine, construction, culture, management, as well as in the specialties of related industries. This is the main and main difference of this type of university.

At the institute, you can complete a bachelor's program or enter a master's program, as well as become a graduate student. In addition, colleges, pre-university training centers, student centers can operate at institutes. Institutes can exist both on their own and carry out their activities at universities, being its integral part or division.

The concept of university

In turn, the university is an earlier version of the educational institution: historically, universities have a longer existence as organizations that provide fundamental education. The first "universal" educational institutions appeared in the 9th century and were available only to the elite, but today their number has grown many times, allowing them to provide professional training to all applicants applying for a university education.

A modern university is an educational organization of higher education that provides training for specialists in a variety of fundamental and applied sciences. The number of faculties at the university can usually be at least 7, and the specialties themselves can be many times more.

In an educational institution of this type, one can receive training in a wide variety of areas, often in professional activity unrelated to each other, be it marketing, law, linguistics, design, psychology, banking, management, Information Technology. This is the universality of the educational institution called "university".

The main points of difference between the institute and the university

Despite the fact that any educational institution is required to have its own charter, as well as a state license and accreditation confirming the right to conduct educational activities, institute and university have differences established at the legislative level. The main criteria for which types of educational institutions differ is the number of departments and areas of training, the percentage of graduate students in relation to the number of students, the period of existence of the university, the range of training formats, the level of education of the teaching staff, the attitude of the educational institution to innovation, the amount of the amount allocated educational organization for financing scientific research. In total, there are more than a dozen such criteria, but the most important of them, which primarily affect the status of a university, are listed above.

At the same time, there are common points. Both institute and university:

Provide training for students in undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate programs;

Engaged in professional retraining of personnel;

Conduct training courses.

Structural educational differences

It should be noted that the status of an educational institution is determined by law and is confirmed once every five years by a special attestation commission of Rosobrnadzor. The lowest level in the hierarchy of educational institutions is occupied by the institute, while the university is the pinnacle of development of any university. Educational organization higher education has the right to be called a university if:

For 4 of its graduate students, there are no more than a hundred students studying;

At least a quarter of graduate students completed their postgraduate studies with a Ph.D. degree within a period not later than one year from the date of graduation;

The university has a developed material and technical base for the implementation of both research and scientific and practical activities in at least 5 professional industries and scientific areas, and also makes certain expenses to finance these studies;

The university actively introduces the latest educational methods and innovative technologies, improves the educational process and modernizes educational programs;

The educational institution has at least 7 diverse areas of training.

In turn, an institution is considered an educational institution that:

Has at least 2 postgraduate students per 100 students pursuing higher education at other levels;

Has at least 30 full-time teachers (for universities under 5 years old);

Carries out scientific activities within the framework of his specialization;

Uses innovative educational methods within the established scope.

Differences in the teaching staff between the university and the institute

There is another important criterion by which an educational institution belongs to one of the mentioned types. This is the teaching staff, or rather, its quality and quantity. As for institutions, the number of full-time teachers should be at least 30 - for educational institutions aged 3 to 5 years, and the number of candidates and doctors of science in percentage terms - at least 55%. The requirements for universities are stricter: teachers - holders of academic degrees - in an educational institution of this type should be at least 60%, and the number of teachers in the state in comparison with institutions increases significantly. This provides more serious training in the disciplines of the taught specialties and a greater depth of research work of students. In addition, thanks to stronger financial support at universities, it becomes possible to attract third-party experts to scientific developments and projects.

Thus, the characteristics of the educational institution from the point of view of the teaching staff are as follows:

Institute - subject to 55% of teachers with academic degrees;

University - subject to 60% or more teachers who have defended a candidate and / or doctoral dissertation.

Employment with a university or institute diploma

There are two fundamentally different opinions about whether the status of the educational institution in which a specialist undergoes professional training affects employment prospects. Some are convinced that there is no difference between an institute diploma and a university diploma, because the future employer is primarily interested in the work experience of a potential employee. However, this belief is more often held by applicants and graduates who do not aim to achieve special career heights. Indeed, the institute, just like the university, provides basic vocational training, training in one or another educational institution guarantees a diploma. At the same time, in a number of narrow areas of activity, education received at a particular institute specializing in the professional training of workers for this area can be valued. These can be cultural institutes, medical institutes, transport institutes, technical institutes.

At the same time, the university has great opportunities for quality education, among which, as mentioned above, are more modern material and technical base, stronger teaching staff, and opportunities to improve the educational level. That is why future students who are aimed at serious career growth, planning to achieve special achievements in their career, should strive to enter an educational institution with the status of a university. This is not only a matter of prestige and reputation, but also the prospect of deeper training and the possibility of obtaining more versatile and practically applicable knowledge from experts in the sciences taught.

Faced with the problem of choosing a university, applicants and their parents are confused. The name of the profession that you will receive will be the same in all universities, but the semantic content and skills will differ.

What is a university

This abbreviation refers to all universities, institutes, academies. As a result of the training, a document is issued on obtaining a bachelor's, specialist's or master's degree. For those who wish, universities provide an opportunity to continue their studies and scientific activities. Higher education institutions differ in the level of accreditation (it must be IV) and the percentage of teachers with scientific degrees. They are also distinguished by the presence of graduate students and a high level of qualification.

What is an institute

To understand the difference between an institute and a university, you need to take a closer look at what these universities are.

An institute is an institution for higher education, advanced training, or research in a particular field.

Most often, institutes provide training in narrow-profile specialties. There are a great many institutions: legal, medical, and so on. All specialties relate to the main area and serve one specific activity. An institute can be a separate and separate institution, or it can be a part of one university. The legislative framework clearly spells out the difference between an institute and a university:

What is a university

This type of educational institutions is more voluminous and represents many different specialties, sometimes not even interconnected by one specific activity.

Differences between university and institute in the services provided. The university has postgraduate, doctoral studies and more opportunities for self-realization in the scientific field. The university is chosen by people who want to continue to explore the issue of interest for a long time, to create scientific discoveries and earn degrees. Most universities provide such opportunities, which is the difference between an institute and a university. Also a distinctive feature is the high quality of teaching and a large list of famous former students who have achieved success in the field in which they received education.

To obtain this status, a university must meet the requirements prescribed by law, and they determine the difference between an institute and a university:

Institute or university? Key Similarities

In addition to differences, there are also similar points, because of which these educational institutions are often confused:

• Both the university and the institute provide education at the IV level of accreditation, which is higher education- prepare bachelors and masters.
• They have postgraduate and doctoral studies, as well as the possibility of advanced training.
• There are opportunities for research and scientific work.

Main differences

Universities need more students, learning opportunities, faculties and specialties. To obtain the status of an institute, it is only necessary to train specialists of one direction, one specialization. This is the main difference between an institute and a university, because the university provides training in more than seven specializations. At the university, you can get any profession, they are often unrelated, be it design, law or information technology.

The institute provides a narrow profile of knowledge, and the university, through its activities, provides a wider coverage of the skills of the future profession and areas of life in general. But at the same time, studying at the institute helps to learn one profession from all sides, which is useful for such a specialty as medicine. Knowing the difference between an institute and a university, you can safely choose a university depending on your goals in life.

It is typical for universities to have every opportunity for students to obtain the necessary scientific information: large libraries along with electronic ones, courses for the student's choice and electives. In institutes, the material and technical base is weaker.

From all of the above, it follows that the institute is weaker in terms of its capabilities and professional significance, but all this can be changed if you apply for accreditation, fulfill all the requirements and become a university.

Requirements for obtaining university status

University status is not given once and for all. To maintain it, the university needs to undergo accreditation, improve the qualifications of teachers and follow the rules. An institute can become a university and vice versa.

According to the law, there are General requirements for university status:

What is better to choose?

Many applicants think that any higher education is equally valued, and employers pay attention only to work experience. But it's not. It is necessary to understand well what is the difference between an institute and a university. In many areas, education received in specific universities is valued. This applies primarily medical institutions, transport and cultural organizations. For these areas, a high-quality narrowly focused professional training which can only be given by specialized institutions.

If the profession requires a breadth of views, the development of a large number of skills and abilities, then you should choose a university. Many specialties allow you to find the ideal profession for yourself, so that in the future work will bring joy. A large selection of electives will make learning more interesting and help you learn something new.

Most applicants are not interested in advance what is the difference between an institute and a university, and at the end of their studies they regret the time and money spent. To begin with, it is worth choosing the desired profession, and only then select a higher educational institution for the goals and objectives.

There is an opinion that the prestige of a diploma directly depends on the status of the university. The more solid, the higher the quality of education and the more in demand a diploma. Which is higher - academy or university? This question is asked by many when choosing an educational institution. After all, the majority seeks to get into the most prestigious universities country.

So, let's decide what is common between them and what key differences can be identified. Then it will not be difficult to determine which is higher - an academy or a university.

Higher education anyway

And the academy, and the university, and the institute are higher educational institutions (abbreviated universities). And the university, in turn, is a place where they receive higher education in a profession of interest. There are two types of universities in Russia: public and private. Some of them may have their representative offices and branches in other localities or even in other countries.

In addition, universities carry out retraining of specialists with higher education or advanced training of employees.

The university may have both technical and humanitarian faculties. So, one university can graduate chemists, lawyers, and musicians at the same time. Universities have the right to graduate senior and junior specialists, bachelors, masters and postgraduates.

academy

According to legend, the word "academy" appeared in the time of Plato. By scientific definition, an academy is a higher education institution that, like a university, provides training in the areas of first higher professional education and postgraduate education. The first school opened by the philosopher was in a beautiful grove dedicated to the Greek god Academ. Plato also decided to name his educational institution after this god - the academy.

Then what is the difference between an academy and a university? The fact that the academy trains specialists in one branch of art or science. As a rule, the field of training is clearly reflected in the very name of the educational institution (for example, the Russian Academy of Arts or the Moscow Academy of Economics and Law).

However, regardless of whether the academy is private or public, there may still be other areas of specialist training that differ from the industry directly indicated in the name. So, in many you can see both legal, economic, and scientific faculties under the wing of one educational institution. Sometimes there are universities attached to academies. For example, the Academic University at the Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg.

What the law says

As you know, in Russia there are three forms of higher education: university, institute, academy. The difference between them is clearly stated in federal law"About higher and postgraduate vocational education". Part 9 of Chapter II contains a number of requirements that an educational institution must meet in order to obtain the status of an academy, university or institute. To this end, special assessments are carried out on a regular basis. Consequently, any Russian educational institution that today has the status of a university, institute or academy can change it. So, for example, St. Petersburg, which until June 1998 was the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

It is worth noting that one of the requirements for an educational institution applying for the status of a university is the availability of training programs in seven large groups of different areas (specialties). There is no such criterion for academies and institutes. If an educational institution provides training in less than seven specialties, then it will not receive the status of a university. Therefore, it follows directly from the law that it is the university that has the highest status. A university is higher than an academy or an institute.

What will you choose

But this does not mean at all that studying at an academy or institute will be worse, and a diploma less prestigious. After all, the main thing in education is the level of knowledge that students receive, and not the form or status of the educational institution.

Decide for yourself what is best - to be part of a hundred thousand students of prestigious university in a country where only 2-3% of teachers are assigned to your specialty, or study in a small academy in which 90% of teachers are specialists in your field? The answer suggests itself.

Therefore, to the question of which is higher - an academy or a university, one can safely answer that there is no difference in the quality of education or the prestige of a diploma between them. Graduates of Russian universities should not worry about the status of their educational institution. Despite the fact that according to the legislation the university occupies the highest rank, no benefits are provided for its graduates. The employer does not care where you studied - at the academy, university or institute. He cares about your level of knowledge. And the status... It's just a status.