St Petersburg University provides the quality of education in law that corresponds to international quality standards
The Faculty of Law and the bachelor’s programme in law have been accredited according to international quality standards. External expert evaluations were carried out by the European, internationally oriented agency for quality assurance and quality development in higher education FIBAA and the Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education and Career Development (AKKORK).
The Foundation for International Business Administration Accreditation (FIBAA) bases its on national and international requirements and standards. Particular attention is given to European Standards and Guidelines (ESG) as well as to the promotion of practical relevance employability.
Traditionally, the procedure of accreditation includes a site visit by the expert panel. However, due to the pandemic, the accreditation procedure was online. During four days, the international expert panel interviewed: all the relevant departments and structural units involved in ensuring the educational process; academic staff; students; graduates; and employers.
The experts evaluated the faculty across the following criteria: education quality management; teaching and studying; research; resources (rooms, equipment, library funds); publications; support to prospective students, students and staff; and involvement of students and employers in designing academic programmes. Among the key criteria in assessing the bachelor’s programme were practical relevance and employability.
Following a series of online interviews, the panel studied the documentation and reached a decision about the application for accreditation. The Faculty of Law received accreditation for a maximum period of time — six years; while the bachelor’s programme in law received accreditation for the period of its duration — four years. Awarding an accreditation is the seal of a quality of education in terms of its compliance with international standards and requirements, and employability.
Receiving an opinion that offers us a perspective to look at ourselves is important. Even the questions we had been asked stimulated our consideration, not to mention the recommendations provided by the accreditation agencies. We are happy that what we do conforms to the requirements that must be satisfied in providing education in law, and our endeavours were so highly lauded.
Sergei Belov, Dean of the Faculty of Law
Today, St Petersburg University offers 4 bachelor’s programmes and 18 master’s programmes in law. The total body of students is about 1,800. Students have an opportunity to gain practical experience in the public sector, including the Arbitration Court of St Petersburg and Leningrad region, St Petersburg City Court, Constitutional Court, law firms, notary agencies, consulting legal companies in Russia and abroad, and legal departments at the top companies. The most common career paths are entry into legal practice at the top legal companies or progression into public administration. Graduates pursue a range of careers in Russia and abroad.
The Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education and Career Development (AKKORK) is a professional quality assurance organisation in the field of higher, secondary professional and additional education. AKKORK work is based on Russian and internationally recognised standards.
Being able to be one step ahead is in large part due to introducing the University’s own educational standard. The University was granted the right to develop its own educational standard in 2008 by signing the Federal Law ‘On Moscow State University and St Petersburg State University’. What makes the University’s standard innovative and unique is universal competences and soft skills incorporated by the University into competences approved by the FGOS. Among them are communication competences; ability to make a decision based on the current legal norms, available resources, and restrictions; and the ability to combine methods of information processing with the up-to-date technologies of digital economy and information security to name but a few.