Will US Restrictions on Russia Hurt Academic Exchange?
2022-03-20
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1Nations around the world have already established economic, cultural and travel restrictions on Russia.
2Now, colleges across the United States are facing pressure to put in place educational limits against the country.
3The restrictions could affect the exchange of students between the two countries.
4And they could end research projects that receive money from universities in the U.S.
5For many American colleges, the first concern has been to bring American students studying in Russia or Ukraine home.
6About 1,400 Americans studied in those nations in 2018, but the numbers have dropped sharply during the pandemic.
7When Russia invaded Ukraine, Middlebury College in Vermont suspended a study abroad program in Russia at the end of February.
8The school urged the 12 students to return home immediately for safety reasons.
9Among them was Zavier Ridgley of Tulane University in New Orleans.
10Ridgley said he was sad to leave. He called the program in Moscow "the opportunity of a lifetime."
11Other schools, like Dartmouth College of New Hampshire, are canceling future study programs in Russia.
12And some are ending financial and educational ties in the country.
13Soon after the invasion, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, said it was ending its partnership with a school in Moscow called Skoltech, an English-language technology university it helped start in 2011.
14MIT officials called it a rejection of "the unacceptable military actions against Ukraine."
15The University of Colorado said it was giving up all investments, including $3.5 million, in Russia.
16The move came after Colorado state leaders urged the school to cut ties.
17In the state of Arizona, all public universities said they were ending ties with Russia.
18And Arizona State University said its business school will end connections with a training center in Moscow.
19State leaders in Ohio and Virginia have also asked their public universities to end investments in Russia.
20Stanford University, however, is not ending its $1.6 million Russian contract for computer-based business courses.
21The university said it is in "full compliance" with the U.S. restrictions.
22The 2021 Open Doors Report said about 5,000 students from Russia studied in the U.S. last year.
23In addition, just under 2,000 Ukrainian students were in the U.S.
24Following the invasion, a few American lawmakers pushed for visa restrictions against Russian students.
25One even called for sending Russian students home.
26Speaking to CNN last month, Representative Eric Swalwell said the U.S. should consider sending "every Russian student out of the United States."
27Supporters of international education say losing those students would end a chance for them to learn Western ideals.
28They say Russians who study in America are already more likely to want changes back home.
29Jill Welch is a senior adviser for a group of university presidents called the Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration.
30"Leaders need to make a distinction between Putin and Russian people who want a better life," she said, mentioning Russian President Vladimir Putin.
31"Sending anyone back wouldn't shorten the war by a day."
32That is a concern for Liudmila Fedorova, a professor at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Fedorova was born in Russia and studied in Moscow.
33"It's extremely important not to cut ties with Russia. Most of the students who do come to study English, they oppose the regime. And actually, especially now there will be many students from Russia applying for American programs."
34Fedorova told VOA that she worries about the exchange of ideas between the U.S. and Russia if study programs are shut down.
35"I know that the most important thing now is the war in Ukraine, but I am also very much concerned about my friends in Russia who fight for peace, who find themselves in danger. And there is no escape for them."
36I'm Dan Friedell.
1Nations around the world have already established economic, cultural and travel restrictions on Russia. Now, colleges across the United States are facing pressure to put in place educational limits against the country. 2The restrictions could affect the exchange of students between the two countries. And they could end research projects that receive money from universities in the U.S. 3Educational, financial restrictions 4For many American colleges, the first concern has been to bring American students studying in Russia or Ukraine home. About 1,400 Americans studied in those nations in 2018, but the numbers have dropped sharply during the pandemic. 5When Russia invaded Ukraine, Middlebury College in Vermont suspended a study abroad program in Russia at the end of February. The school urged the 12 students to return home immediately for safety reasons. 6Among them was Zavier Ridgley of Tulane University in New Orleans. Ridgley said he was sad to leave. He called the program in Moscow "the opportunity of a lifetime." 7Other schools, like Dartmouth College of New Hampshire, are canceling future study programs in Russia. And some are ending financial and educational ties in the country. 8Soon after the invasion, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, said it was ending its partnership with a school in Moscow called Skoltech, an English-language technology university it helped start in 2011. MIT officials called it a rejection of "the unacceptable military actions against Ukraine." 9The University of Colorado said it was giving up all investments, including $3.5 million, in Russia. The move came after Colorado state leaders urged the school to cut ties. 10In the state of Arizona, all public universities said they were ending ties with Russia. And Arizona State University said its business school will end connections with a training center in Moscow. State leaders in Ohio and Virginia have also asked their public universities to end investments in Russia. 11Stanford University, however, is not ending its $1.6 million Russian contract for computer-based business courses. The university said it is in "full compliance" with the U.S. restrictions. 12Russian students in the U.S. 13The 2021 Open Doors Report said about 5,000 students from Russia studied in the U.S. last year. In addition, just under 2,000 Ukrainian students were in the U.S. 14Following the invasion, a few American lawmakers pushed for visa restrictions against Russian students. One even called for sending Russian students home. Speaking to CNN last month, Representative Eric Swalwell said the U.S. should consider sending "every Russian student out of the United States." 15Supporters of international education say losing those students would end a chance for them to learn Western ideals. They say Russians who study in America are already more likely to want changes back home. 16Jill Welch is a senior adviser for a group of university presidents called the Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration. "Leaders need to make a distinction between Putin and Russian people who want a better life," she said, mentioning Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Sending anyone back wouldn't shorten the war by a day." 17That is a concern for Liudmila Fedorova, a professor at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Fedorova was born in Russia and studied in Moscow. 18"It's extremely important not to cut ties with Russia. Most of the students who do come to study English, they oppose the regime. And actually, especially now there will be many students from Russia applying for American programs." 19Fedorova told VOA that she worries about the exchange of ideas between the U.S. and Russia if study programs are shut down. 20"I know that the most important thing now is the war in Ukraine, but I am also very much concerned about my friends in Russia who fight for peace, who find themselves in danger. And there is no escape for them." 21I'm Dan Friedell. 22The Associated Press reported this story. Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English with additional reporting. 23Do you think students will be able to come to the U.S. from Russia in the future? Do you think American students will go there? Let us know. Write to us in the Comments Section and visit our Facebook page. 24Words in This Story 25opportunity - n. a chance or time in which something can be done 26financial- adj. relating to money 27partnership - n. a connection or relationship, two groups working together 28compliance - n. the act of doing something that is required, following a rule 29ideals - n. an idea or standard of perfection or excellence 30distinction - n. the separation of people or things into different groups 31regime - n. a form of government or management 32apply - v. to ask formally for something such as a job or place at a school