More than 355 thousand students arrived in Russia in 2023 to study. By the end of 2024, international students will reach 425 thousand people. The main share may be students from the countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Opportunities for cooperation between the Eurasian countries in science and higher education are expanding. The idea of creating an alternative rating system for higher education institutions is proposed within the framework of the Russian presidency of the BRICS. It is assumed that this will ensure a more fair and adequate ranking of universities in different countries. A comprehensive assessment system based on scientific criteria will consider the specifics of national education systems.

According to the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia, the initiative has already received a positive response in Iran. In early March, the relevant agencies of the states discussed issues of interuniversity and scientific cooperation and, most importantly, the progress of work on the draft intergovernmental agreement on the recognition of education, qualifications, and academic degrees, including in medical specialties.

Similar bilateral agreements have been concluded with 24 OIC member states, and new draft agreements are being approved at various stages. At the same time, the number of quotas for free education of students from the OIC countries is increasing. The results of the cooperation were announced at the annual international forum “Russia – the Islamic World: KazanForum” in 2023. In particular, by the end of 2022, more than 262 thousand citizens of the OIC member states studied at Russian universities, of which more than 84 thousand were at the expense of the Russian budget.

Medicine, economics, software engineering, management, computer science and engineering, and international relations are the most popular and in-demand areas.

G.Khonnazarov, UzA