Addressing the congress opening gala in the central building of Moscow State University, Mr Putin said that high quality education was among the few factors still enabling Russia to stay among the leading countries of the world. He called for the preservation of the best traditions and standards of classical Russian schooling.
He also called for the integration of research and education into the knowledge market, and stressed the importance of updating the military educational system.
See also
Speech and Excerpts from Discussion at the Russian Rectors Congress
December 6, 2002