VOA教育报道2022--Will US Restrictions on Russia Hurt Academic Exchange?

Nations around the world have already established economic, cultural and travel restrictions¹ on Russia. Now, colleges across the United States are facing pressure to put in place educational limits against the country.

The 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.

Educational, financial restrictions

For 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 sharply² during the pandemic.

When 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.

Among 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."

Other 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.

Soon after the invasion, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, said it was ending its partnership³ with a school in Moscow called Skoltech, an English-language technology university it helped start in 2011. MIT officials called it a rejection⁴ of "the unacceptable military actions against Ukraine."

The 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.

In 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.

Stanford University, however, is not ending its $1.6 million Russian contract for computer-based business courses. The university said it is in "full compliance⁵" with the U.S. restrictions.

Russian students in the U.S.

The 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.

Following 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."

Supporters 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.

Jill Welch is a senior adviser⁶ for a group of university presidents called the Presidents' Alliance⁷ 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 shorten⁸ the war by a day."

That is a concern for Liudmila Fedorova, a professor at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Fedorova was born in Russia and studied in Moscow.

"It's extremely important not to cut ties with Russia. Most of the students who do come to study English, they oppose the regime⁹. And actually, especially now there will be many students from Russia applying for American programs."

Fedorova told VOA that she worries about the exchange of ideas between the U.S. and Russia if study programs are shut down.

"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."

Words in This Story

opportunity – n. a chance or time in which something can be done

financial– adj. relating to money

partnership – n. a connection or relationship, two groups working together

compliance – n. the act of doing something that is required, following a rule

ideals – n. an idea or standard of perfection¹⁰ or excellence¹¹

distinction – n. the separation of people or things into different groups

regime – n. a form of government or management

apply – v. to ask formally for something such as a job or place at a school

1 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

2 sharply   

adj.锐利地，急速；adv.严厉地，鲜明地

参考例句：

• The plane dived sharply and rose again.飞机猛然俯冲而后又拉了起来。
• Demand for personal computers has risen sharply.对个人电脑的需求急剧增长。

3 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

4 rejection   

n.拒绝，被拒，抛弃，被弃

参考例句：

• He decided not to approach her for fear of rejection.他因怕遭拒绝决定不再去找她。
• The rejection plunged her into the dark depths of despair.遭到拒绝使她陷入了绝望的深渊。

5 compliance   

n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从

参考例句：

• I was surprised by his compliance with these terms.我对他竟然依从了这些条件而感到吃惊。
• She gave up the idea in compliance with his desire.她顺从他的愿望而放弃自己的主意。

6 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

7 alliance   

n.同盟，同盟国，结盟，联姻

参考例句：

• China will not enter into alliance with any big power.中国不同任何大国结盟。
• The new alliance was very much in evidence.新的联盟上星期很引人注目。

8 shorten   

vt.弄短，缩小，减少

参考例句：

• Minor accidents can shorten the life of a car.小事故会缩短汽车寿命。
• My dress is too long I must shorten it.我的连衣裙太长了，我得把它截短些。

9 regime   

n.政体，政权，制度

参考例句：

• Under the new regime in our office,no one is allowed to leave early.在新的办公制度下，谁也不能早退。
• The people finally rose up and overthrew the reactionary regime.人们终于起来把反动的政权推翻了。

10 perfection   

n.尽善尽美，无比精确

参考例句：

• Their works reach to a great height of perfection.他们的作品到了极完美的境地。
• The picture wants something of perfection.这幅画还有些不够完美。

11 excellence   

n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德

参考例句：

• His art has reached a high degree of excellence.他的艺术已达到炉火纯青的地步。
• My performance is far below excellence.我的表演离优秀还差得远呢。