Almost five years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia continues to fundamentally reshape its education system, further dismantling academic freedom. Russian schools and universities are increasingly shaped by state-driven indoctrination, militarization, censorship, and repression. As new curricula promote “traditional Russian spiritual and moral values” and narratives legitimizing the war, universities are becoming more integrated into military recruitment efforts. At the same time, academics, teachers, and students face growing pressure, surveillance, and criminal prosecution, further isolating them from European institutions.
This event will present the SCIENCE AT RISK Monitoring Report on Russia 2026 and its latest findings on the continued erosion of academic freedom in the country. The presentation will be followed by a panel of experts discussing the broader implications of these developments for academia and education in Russia, its neighboring countries, and Europe as a whole. Furthermore, European responses that address the long-term consequences of deteriorating academic freedom will be reviewed alongside opportunities for supporting independent representatives of Russian academia both within Russia and in exile.
Welcome:
Stefan Meister, Head of the Center for Order and Governance in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia, DGAP
Philipp Christoph Schmädeke, Director, SCIENCE AT RISK Emergency Office
Presentation of the SCIENCE AT RISK Monitoring Report
Panel Discussion:
Olga Orlova, Editor-In-Chief, T-invariant
Niklas Wagner, Director for Eastern Europe, Caucasus, and Central Asia, German Federal Foreign Office
Chair:
Stefan Meister, DGAP
The event will be held in English. If you would like to participate please send your request to events@dgap.org.