Russia plans to more than triple the number of foreign students studying at its universities over the next eight years, with a 50% increase by 2019, under a new state programme for the export of educational services, University World News reported.
A key part of the plan involves introducing new courses to attract more international students.
Under the conditions of the “Development of the export potential of the Russian education system” programme, recently approved by the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, the number of foreign students studying at domestic higher education institutions on full-time courses should be increased from the current 200,000 to 310,000 people by 2019 and up to 710,000 students by 2025.
It is planned that almost half of these students will study on additional educational programmes that will be introduced at Russian universities during the same period.
