Bezborodov Alexander Borisovich

Bezborodov Alexander Borisovich

Biography

2024: Dismissal for poor university performance

Rector of the Russian State Humanitarian University (RSUU) Alexander Bezborodov left his post on June 21, 2024 of his own free will. According to RBC, the reason for the resignation was the worsening indicators of the university and scandals related to its activities. In recent months, the leadership of the Russian State Humanitarian University has faced criticism from students and teachers, which also influenced the decision.

Alexander Bezborodov, who headed the Russian State Humanitarian University since 2018, decided to resign before the contract expired. Earlier, Vedomosti reported that in recent years the Russian State Humanitarian University has shown a decrease in its positions in the ranking of Russian universities. In 2021, the university ranked 45th among the 100 best universities in the country according to RAEX, and by 2024 it dropped to 54th place. These indicators became one of the reasons for the resignation of Bezborodov, as well as an indicator of the need to revise the university's management strategy.

Another factor that influenced the decision of the rector was the scandal around the Ivan Ilyin Training Center, headed by philosopher Alexander Dugin. In April 2024, a petition appeared on the Change.org website against assigning the Ilyin Center, which was signed by 31.8 thousand people. In the appeal, students called the philosopher "a supporter of fascist ideas" and criticized him for justifying the Nazi regime.

Alexander Bezborodov stated that the petition was organized by "Ukrainian agents," and students have nothing to do with it. The university leadership refused to rename the center. Alexander Dugin called criticism of the Russian State Humanitarian University an operation of Western special services. The Kremlin stressed that Ivan Ilyin was repeatedly quoted by President Vladimir Putin, but did not interfere in the discussion.^[1]

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