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This translation was made by AI

At the end of January, the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office declared the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) an “undesirable organisation.” On 10 February, it appeared on the list of “undesirable organisations.” One of the first to notice this was the Telegram channel Kartoshka Frei, which covers studying in Europe (see post).

DAAD is a popular scholarship programme, enabling people to receive a university education in Europe. Until 2022, the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, and later the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, regularly organised exchange schemes for doctoral students, postgraduates and academic staff together with DAAD. State universities were also among those encouraging participation. DAAD covered the education or research costs as well as living expenses for participants in its programmes.

“I won’t hide that this is a trend: British Council (IELTS+Chevening), Yale, IB, and now DAAD… the Russian authorities clearly aim to block the most popular scholarships and exams for those applying abroad,” writes the administrator of the Kartoshka Frei channel (original spelling preserved).

  • Recently, the Russian authorities have designated several education-related organisations as “undesirable.” Examples include Yale University and Central European University.
  • The international IB educational foundation, which develops school programmes in different countries, was also added to the list. IB diplomas or certificates allow students to continue their education or find employment in any country where these programmes are recognised. Some state and private schools in Russia offered education under this programme, including the international gymnasium at the Skolkovo Innovation Centre near Moscow.
  • The British Council, an educational and cultural organisation that conducted the IELTS English exam, was also declared “undesirable.” The IELTS certificate is often required for admission to universities abroad or for employment purposes.

OVD-Info has published guidelines for students, academics and teachers on what to do and how to protect themselves if their educational organisation is declared “undesirable” in Russia.