Smolny Beyond Borders Initiative (SBB) establishes office at Bard College Berlin

Smolny Beyond Borders (SBB), a distance-learning educational initiative established after the closure of Smolny College in Russia, now has an office at Bard College Berlin. The initiative, which has been supported by Bard College since the fall of 2022, has been at the forefront of offering educational and research opportunities to scholars in Russia and Eurasia affected by the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine and the declining educational situation in those countries. The SBB office at BCB serves as a hub for coordination and support for online programs, fellows, and Smolny alumni in Europe.

Smolny College, a collaboration between Bard College and St. Petersburg State University, was founded in the mid-1990s and became Russia's first liberal arts college. It offered dual-degree programs, hosting numerous student and faculty exchanges and providing courses through virtual classrooms. Despite political challenges, it continued to thrive until June 2021, when Bard College was labeled an "undesirable organization" in Russia, marking a significant attack on the liberal arts model and institutions.

In response, the Smolny Beyond Borders Initiative was established in 2022 to support former Smolny faculty and continue its mission. Philip Fedchin, Manager of SBB, explained, "Everybody wanted to do something to keep the community going, and with the help of our friends and colleagues at Bard we started the project in November 2022 with three mini courses.” He emphasized that the initiative is "rooted in an understanding of the crisis unfolding before our eyes" with a goal to "understand the cultural and political processes that paved the way for the start of this war."

Currently, SBB is offering 40 online courses, including six core liberal arts courses based on BCB curriculum, three graduate-level courses, and a number of introductory courses, electives, and mini courses. The future of SBB includes expanding course offerings and developing an Associate degree program in collaboration with Bard. On the graduate level, they hope to establish an Advanced Certificate Program in Human Rights and the Arts. Fedchin noted, "We plan to develop our BA level offering into a Bard micro college model for some of the students to be able to get an Associate degree, as an access program to BCB, Bard, and other OSUN partner institutions."

More than a continuation of Smolny College's legacy, SBB is a testament to the resilience of intellectual freedom and the pursuit of educational excellence. Fedchin believes “the future liberal arts education model will serve an important role in the transformation of the conservative system in Russia.” The vision transcends borders, offering educational and research opportunities to shape a future where Russia plays an active, responsible role in the global community.

The partnership between SBB and BCB symbolizes a beacon of hope and academic resilience, offering new opportunities in the face of adversity. To learn more about Smolny Beyond Borders Initiative, you can visit their website at smolny.org.

Post Date: 11-28-2023