SURVEY OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN CHEMISTRY IN THE USSR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000600050101-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 18
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 10, 2011
• Sequence Number: 101
• Publication Date: January 3, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
SUBJECT Survey of Higher Education in Chemistry in the USSR NO. OF PAGES 4
DATE
ACQU I SUPPLEMENT TO
DATE DISTR.3 X,4~ s51
NO, OF ENCLS.
1, Selection of Students
In the USSR; membership in the Communist party, or the Komsomol,
always entitled applicants for admission to an Aducation
to special consideration end rrivilovep as di: proletarian origin
and personal connections.- - If the applicant met all other require-
ments, his financial situation was uni ortant, since scholarships and stipends
could be easily obtained. In 1939, uniform tuition fees were
introduced for all college-level educe one institutions. All students with a
good acacl-4~ nuekgr,,nd were eligible for the varin?e scholarships then in exis-
tance, with arty and Komsomol members having preference. The most
outstanding students (about one and one half per cent) received the so-called
Stalin Scholarship which was from four to five times larger than the ordinary
scholarship.
Secondary school grades did not play an important role. However,, if a student was
not an "Otlichnik" (excellent student) in the secondary school, he had to take an
entrance examination before being admitted to a university or institute. About
30% of all applicants were in the "Otlichnik" class. The competitive type entrance
examination played an important role in the admission of son-Otlichniks and men.
Communists. It We the authorities an opportunity to weed out all unacceptables
The well known univeraltiee and techn't:ai inatitute6
of a stlldent'A h:ic_ n".,~ __ were aiMdya ZSrBt on Yh~ list
o. uoaquently, entrance requirements for such institutions
were higher because of the larger number of applicants. The next most desirable
institutes were medical schools and following these came agricultural and teachers'
colleges.
2. Textbooks
The technical textbooks in the UM were of very good quality and were adequate in
number. The quality of paper and print was poor, however. The ratio of new texta
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CONFIDENTIAL/"
to old was progressively increasing each year. There were some books in Chemistry
and Physics that were translated from German, English; and French. The majority,
however, were of domestic (Soviet) origin. There were adequate problems and illus-
trationseet forthinthe texts, all of good quality. The technical books very rarely
contained errors of substance.
3. Quality and Methods of Presentation of Chemistry Courses
There were about 1,000 students admitted annually at Kiev University. They were
divided into ten or eleven major courses such as Chemistry, Physics, Law, etc. The
chemistry course (or class) contained an average of 90 students. Lectures would be
given to the class as a whole, while for laboratory work the class would be broken
up into groups of 18 to 20 students each. All stn pats received36 hours of instruc-
tion in theory and laborstow-; '_rsin,nTM aids rrre of fair ouality and were
adequate in supply. They were vol.]. utilized. No private tutors were available;
however a student could obtain individual advice through consultations with his intruc-
tor. Each group of 18 to 20 students in the laboratories had an assistant professor
assigned for fniidance and supervision. Some graduate students were used as technical
aides in the laboratories only.
4. Formality of Instruction
The formality of the professors depended upon their individual characteristics.
However, they followed a pattern of strict observance of set rules and procedures
inasmuch as deviation meant criticism and trouble.
5. Scope of Instruction
Area demands had no influence on the scope of instruction with the exception of certain
language requirements, fora student could be sent anywhere in the USSR after gradua-
tion. Insofar as industrial requirements were concerned, these were taken into consid-
eration in setting up the college programs for the respective courses.
6. 2uality of laboratory Instruction and Facilities
Laboratory classes numbered from 18 to 20 students. Each class received from 12 to
24 hours of laboratory instruction a week, or from 1/3 to 2/3 of total study. Graduate
students were used for technical assistance in the laboratories. Each student was
required to successfully complete certain laboratory problems and to write a report
covering his work. Failure to submit such reports made a student ineligible to take
the term or final examination.
7. Curriculum
Each chemistry student spent time on the following subjects as shown:
Analytical Chemistry - 600 hours per year
Inorganic Chemistry 200 hours per year
Organic Chemistry - 200 hours per year
Physical Chemistry - 250 hours per year
The individual work constituted about 75% of all leborat?.orr nt_,ud' Chile oc~
i:lrzvugn ar;ni:r. An .~~t.Yll___ "~; ~~s Ana given
p aacivttn. Defcrt. nt'rt.?ir iacor`e{_ory ,;ork a student had to pass
a test rovi he had the necessary, theoretical background
Each chemistry student had to have six weeks of general practical training during
his summer vacation of hie third year and six weeks of special practical training
during the summer vacation after his fourth year.
8. System of Examinations
All examinations were oral, with the exception of entrance tests and laboratory work,
and were given at the end of each term. They covered all theoretical work studied and
were objective. They were not standardized, varying with the individual professors.
Political influence was present in marking, Party and Komsomol members receiving special
consideration. A, four grape system was used, the marks being excellent; good, satin.
urma lefact0rv, The
successful completion of the course. eu sure played a decisive part in the
CCNFIDr NT JAL
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There were many leading scientists teaching at the University of Kiev and various
institutes in Kiev up to 19k1 when I left. Nary are still there. Some of these were
as follows:
-3-
9. Employment of Leading Scientists in Education
Nikolay N Boglyubov - Mathematics
Vladimir Yavorskiy - Organic Chemistry
(fnu) Shtukin - Organic Chemistry
(fnu) Kuryshko - Organic Chemistry
Efim Yakovlich Gorenbeyn - Physical Chemistry
?i^,14.,ir A Plotnikov - Physical Chemistry
A. V. Palladin - Bic-Chemistry
idorlon I+1 i1 =odor van - Organic Chemdsz k?ry
J 5olomonvich - dalyasnyy_ Organic Chemistry
(fnu) Rumyantsev - Chemistry (Z. A. Rua~yantseva, Organic Chemist?)
Anotoly Petrovich Sementsov - Pharmacological Chemistry
Leading professors were often required to furnish advice and consult with industrial
organizations, and administrative agencies. AJi. professors had a work load at their
schools of about 400 hours a year. Instructors conducted graduate research and; in
addition, had extra duties such as civic lectures, classes, etc. About half of their
school work was spent on research; Some instructors were complete failures but held
their positions because of Party membership or NKVD associations. Many, however, were
good scientists, some, outstanding.
10. Research and Theses
At the beginning of every fiscal year a meeting was held by the staff of each
faculty department at the University of Kiev. At this meeting each scientist would
submit suggestions for research tc be conducted. All such euggeetiona.had to be
practical in nature and have an economic significance; they could not be purely
scientific. In addition, there was a financial ':-imitation; the research program had
to corrasnond to the amount allocated to the department. After 1936 a special fund
was allocated for university research work. Out of this fund various departments 'were
in turn allotted a certain amount. As an example, the Department of Analrtical
Chemistry received a fund of ten thousand rublos. This perc.itted five scientific teams
to work on research in the department, each team being comprised of from three to five
scientists, all staff members.
11. System of Coordination among Universities
Up until 1936 there was too little planning and coordination among universities and
institutes. This was true of departments within a university and even of faculties.
There was no central body responsible for avoidance of duplication of research and it
was a weakness of the system. Attempts made to improve this situation were moderately
successful. For example, a bulletin*was made up each year covering research approved
and under way by all universities. Then, too, results of research of universities
and institutes were published and made available to all university and institute
libraries. Military research as 'ell as industrial research institutes had their own
system of controlling their work.w(sa issue of this bulletin available upon rrquest flrom
Scientific Brana, 00 C)
aar it -h iioia stEre-sted .'^v departmental etaifv and wrs
subject to the approval of the Chairman of the department. The scientist had to
justify his work both from the practical and economic standpoint. An example of one
such project was one in analytical chemistry; 'Development of the Methods of Ana1JSis
of Organic and Inorganic Technically Significant Compounds - to be practically applied
in that accurate and epee li~ methods could be adopted in the production of imrn,rs ?r
compounds
research as such, all of their work be in lout. t No under aduate worked
g ins, 1"tructional prcbleas.
12. Facilities for Conducting Classified Rcscar~h
aci1jt
n
___
ic~ for conavcting classified research.
The ersi
pment wns insufficient and oo nany people were involved.
to tiinr ~~th2 Uniyercalt:* of KiAV d Eowevcr, TS ane 'I time
~" ~~ mae[e a css.seifielvei
50X1-HUM
50X1-HUM
50X1-HUM
50X1-HUM
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13, Chemical Institutes in Kiev
-y vl Kiev die not include a
chemical institute. Such chemical institutes in Kiev were affiliated with the Academy
of Sciences; namely. Yavorskiv+a me t+.,+e
.14. Theoretical Theses
No theses of purely theoreti--a1 inte2~_-t were arrF?1n1 ie .,-, . . -
50X1-HUM
50X1-HUM
'risen made by them. While the certain aissertations
great majority of themes originated in the universities
and institutes
some were re
t
b
,
ques
ed
y outside sources and came through the usual
channels of the corresponding ministry
All th
,
eses were published if they were not
classified. A board of judges and official opponents was appointed for each disser-
tation which was than ??ti,it,,,,, -
15, Graduation Requirements
A student had to have "satisfactory" grades in all subjects required by the specific
curriculum in which he was enrolled to graduate. A thesis or research project report
was not necessary for undergraduates since they obtained a diploma only and not a
degree upon graduation. Political influence was always a factor for the party functir-
aries at a university to step in in the care of any question as to whether a Party or 50X1- H U M
Komsomol member would graduate. A student
d t
"
"
.t
o be
loyal
not only to enter and
remain at any educational institution but Also to graduate. He had -3 have "satis-
factory" marks in political
:__--
es
necessary courses were 3us11 tudenta who failed
y given an opportunity to make up these failuzes.
16. Graduate Assignments
Every university, institute, and educational institution had a quota to fill from
their graduates. These quota assignments were made to certain areas or industries in
accordance v'th an all-union plan. The university administration, the so-called
"triangle" (university director, Party advisor, and trade union advisor) had the
control of the allocation of graduates within this quota. The majority of chen4 y
graduates were sent to various industries. It was exceptional for industrial training
to be given in coordination with academic training except for practical work during
summer periods. It was also exceptional for graduates to be assigned to other
institutions of higher learner.,;., the ptir:,s usually being Party or Komsomol members
who were retained for grader. and rr;? . ors.
After graduation, those r, c.:r. cu as instructor. ,ad to participate in various seminars
in which new theories, inventions and discoveries ,arc discussed in order to keep
them informed. There were. of course, always the ~acliz'ied.reports of domestic (Soviet)
research to assist the '?'t#tilii:Li _ ;127= _ _ .. _. , - .. _
E.
..: :L:tiCn ..Ci.?it:e?
various industrial, ministerial libraries.
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ass der ,Z1its,h,t t Sondcrabdruck
F. B / fur aralYrische Cheneic' . I28, Band
ergmann, lanchen "
lprirrgcr?prrla 13I1e/f,1948,
Berlin and Acidelberg.
f.Yber die `'erwendung von flbssi
zur Untersuchun gen Amalgamen
fjunnfi g organischer Verbindungen.
1? tafire lIPSfi-n-nung t-roniafiseher \itrowrbindungt,n.
1'in
? n,>zcrtl NIBOLAUS Lon UNF,TZ
nan'liuge
rn ant
19.J1di1217.)
Fliissigc :lrnalgame, die t?on 'n
I~'estirnmung anorganischcr Verhin