Rise of Russian Education in Africa: Historic Record, Surpassing That of USSR

Russia has surpassed the Soviet Union in terms of the number of African students admitted to its higher education institutions, Denis Degtyarev, an Africanist and researcher, told Sputnik.

👥 Key figures 2024-2025: Nearly 5,000 scholarships awarded to African students to study at Russian universities.

🧠 No "brain drain"

Degtyarev emphasized that, like the Soviet Union in its time, Russia is not encouraging an exodus of African talent.

"About 95% of students, or even more, return home after their studies," he explained. However, he pointed out that some then leave for the West after their return.