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Online education with a human face
Sreda Obuchenia
(Rus. for Learning Environment)
The “Sreda Obucheniya” Higher School is a practice-oriented educational institution that offers professional curricula in the fields of design, interior design, contemporary art, photography, and film.

Our teaching experience dates back to 1989 and we have been providing online education since 2003. Today, more than five thousand students from Russia and abroad are studying in our six faculties, and more than ten thousand certified graduates are already applying their knowledge in their work.

The most important thing for us are the people we teach and collaborate with.
The “Sreda Obucheniya” Higher School is a practice-oriented educational institution that offers professional curricula in the fields of design, interior design, contemporary art, photography, and film.

Our teaching experience dates back to 1989 and we have been providing online education since 2003. Today, more than five thousand students from Russia and abroad are studying in our six faculties, and more than ten thousand certified graduates are already applying their knowledge in their work.

The most important thing for us are the people we teach and collaborate with.

Sreda Obucheniya in numbers

  • Over 19 years of experience in distance learning in Russia
    19+
  • More than 7,000 graduates with a degree
    7000+
  • More than 300 teachers on board
    300+
  • 350,000 unique monthly visitors to our platform
    350К
  • A combined 103,000 users follow our faculties on Instagram
    103К
  • 120,000 people are subscribed to our email updates
    120К
  • Over 19 years of experience in distance learning in Russia
    19+
  • More than 7,000 graduates with a degree
    7000+
  • More than 300 teachers on board
    300+
  • 350,000 unique monthly visitors to our platform
    350К
  • A combined 103,000 users follow our faculties on Instagram
    103К
  • 120,000 people are subscribed to our email updates
    120К

History

1990
Journalist Nelli Popova, with the support of philologist Sergei Averintsev, founded the Institute of Cultural History.
1995
The Institute of Cultural History had its first graduates, when the students that had enrolled in 1990 completed their 5-year education.
2003
The Institute of Cultural History was the first school in Russia to start specialising in distance learning for higher education.
2011
The Institute of Cultural History was renamed into University of Cultural History (UCH).
2014
The UCH signed agreements with the Moscow Institute of Psychoanalysis (MIP), the Moscow Economic Institute (MEI), and the Institute of the World Economy and Informatisation (IWEI) to become the distance learning department for the entire group of universities.
2016
The university started a brand-new two-year programme of further professional education (tutoring). The curriculum is designed by taking each student’s educational background, goals, and preferences into account. Each student may turn to their personal tutor for guidance.

In the same year, the UCH collaborated with the Moscow University for Industry and Finance “Synergia” with regards to its primary and secondary higher education programmes.
2017
The “Sreda Obucheniya” Higher School opened its doors under the aegis of the UCH, with faculties of Design, Interior Design, Psychology, and Linguistics. All the teachers are practicing specialists with unrivaled expertise in their respective fields. The “Sreda Obucheniya” continues to pioneer distance learning, with both our teachers and students coming from all over the world.
2018
The “Sreda Obucheniya” Higher School launched a two-year educational programme at the Faculty of Contemporary Art. It is the first such online school in Russia, where students study the history, theory and philosophy of contemporary art, participate in a wide range of art workshops, as well as practice relevant writing skills.
2019
The Faculty of Culture and Arts was founded, and the students gained the opportunity to study contemporary culture professionally. The history and theory of culture within the two-year educational programme is taught by professors from the country’s top universities: Moscow State University (MSU), Russian State University for the Humanities (RSUH), Moscow School for the Social and Economic Sciences (MSSES), and from international universities. Meanwhile, practical skills are taught exclusively by active practitioners with expertise in creating cultural projects both in Russia and abroad.
2020
The “Sreda Obucheniya” Higher School and the Rodchenko Art School teamed up to found an online school of photography and media art, offering a range of two-year educational programmes including contemporary photography, media and high-tech art, all under the guidance of acclaimed masters from around the world.
1990
Journalist Nelli Popova, with the support of philologist Sergei Averintsev, founded the Institute of Cultural History.
1995
The Institute of Cultural History had its first graduates, when the students that had enrolled in 1990 completed their 5-year education.
2003
The Institute of Cultural History was the first school in Russia to start specialising in distance learning for higher education.
2011
The Institute of Cultural History was renamed into University of Cultural History (UCH).
2014
The UCH signed agreements with the Moscow Institute of Psychoanalysis (MIP), the Moscow Economic Institute (MEI), and the Institute of the World Economy and Informatisation (IWEI) to become the distance learning department for the entire group of universities.
2016
The university started a brand-new two-year programme of further professional education (tutoring). The curriculum is designed by taking each student’s educational background, goals, and preferences into account. Each student may turn to their personal tutor for guidance.

In the same year, the UCH collaborated with the Moscow University for Industry and Finance “Synergia” with regards to its primary and secondary higher education programmes.
2017
The “Sreda Obucheniya” Higher School opened its doors under the aegis of the UCH, with faculties of Design, Interior Design, Psychology, and Linguistics. All the teachers are practicing specialists with unrivaled expertise in their respective fields. The “Sreda Obucheniya” continues to pioneer distance learning, with both our teachers and students coming from all over the world.
2018
The “Sreda Obucheniya” Higher School launched a two-year educational programme at the Faculty of Contemporary Art. It is the first such online school in Russia, where students study the history, theory and philosophy of contemporary art, participate in a wide range of art workshops, as well as practice relevant writing skills.
2019
The Faculty of Culture and Arts was founded, and the students gained the opportunity to study contemporary culture professionally. The history and theory of culture within the two-year educational programme is taught by professors from the country’s top universities: Moscow State University (MSU), Russian State University for the Humanities (RSUH), Moscow School for the Social and Economic Sciences (MSSES), and from international universities. Meanwhile, practical skills are taught exclusively by active practitioners with expertise in creating cultural projects both in Russia and abroad.
2020
The “Sreda Obucheniya” Higher School and the Rodchenko Art School teamed up to found an online school of photography and media art, offering a range of two-year educational programmes including contemporary photography, media and high-tech art, all under the guidance of acclaimed masters from around the world.

Manifesto

  • Access over presence
    High-quality education is accessible from anywhere, no matter where you live or how mobile you are. You don’t have to be where the best teachers are. The Internet and technology make distance learning possible, and it’s effective.
    1
  • Thinking over remembering
    Communicating information about a certain area of knowledge does not make sense in a rapidly-changing world, and almost any information is available always and everywhere. Education should shape critical thinking and develop competencies.
    2
  • Skills over knowledge

    Knowing how the work is done doesn’t mean being able to actually do it. That’s the difference between a professional and a theorist. Therefore, there is nothing more effective than learning from a master, seeing them work, creating under their supervision, and receiving feedback.

    3
  • People over systems
    Unfortunately, mass education tends to ignore the person and their needs. An educational system should be designed to be convenient for the person, not for the system.
    4

  • Communication over textbooks

    The best way to share experience is from person to person. Interpersonal communication is a key component of learning, and it cannot be substituted by a talking head that gives no feedback.
    5
  • Results over grades
    People are often too serious about their grades and exam results, which is distracting and even harmful. We need to think more about mastering skills and gaining experience, not about formal academic performance.
    6
  • Process over results
    It is impossible to learn everything all the way through, to fully “complete” your training. Instead, it ought to be treated as an ongoing process: you should absorb new skills and experience every day, even after the course is done.
    7
  • A portfolio over a diploma
    Any training should result in professional aptitude, i.e. the ability to do one’s job, and your portfolio is better proof of this than a certificate or a diploma.
    8
  • Environment over curriculum
    Professional training doesn’t work without immersion in an appropriate environment. An educational institution should aim to both foster a professional atmosphere and introduce students to the profession as early on as possible.
    9
  • Access over presence
    High-quality education is accessible from anywhere, no matter where you live or how mobile you are. You don’t have to be where the best teachers are. The Internet and technology make distance learning possible, and it’s effective.
    01
  • Thinking over remembering
    Communicating information about a certain area of knowledge does not make sense in a rapidly-changing world, and almost any information is available always and everywhere. Education should shape critical thinking and develop competencies.
    02
  • Skills over knowledge

    Knowing how the work is done doesn’t mean being able to actually do it. That’s the difference between a professional and a theorist. Therefore, there is nothing more effective than learning from a master, seeing them work, creating under their supervision, and receiving feedback.

    03
  • People over systems
    Unfortunately, mass education tends to ignore the person and their needs. An educational system should be designed to be convenient for the person, not for the system.
    04

  • Communication over textbooks

    The best way to share experience is from person to person. Interpersonal communication is a key component of learning, and it cannot be substituted by a talking head that gives no feedback.
    05
  • Results over grades
    People are often too serious about their grades and exam results, which is distracting and even harmful. We need to think more about mastering skills and gaining experience, not about formal academic performance.
    06
  • Process over results
    It is impossible to learn everything all the way through, to fully “complete” your training. Instead, it ought to be treated as an ongoing process: you should absorb new skills and experience every day, even after the course is done.
    07
  • A portfolio over a diploma
    Any training should result in professional aptitude, i.e. the ability to do one’s job, and your portfolio is better proof of this than a certificate or a diploma.
    08
  • Environment over curriculum
    Professional training doesn’t work without immersion in an appropriate environment. An educational institution should aim to both foster a professional atmosphere and introduce students to the profession as early on as possible.
    09

Faculties

Faculty of Psychology
Long-term retraining programmes and proprietary training courses developed by top practicing psychologists and coaches. We provide cutting-edge skills, a practice-oriented approach, and assistance in paving your own unique path as a psychologist.
Faculty of Design
Programmes and courses aimed at both beginners and practicing designers and illustrators. The training covers three main areas: communication design, digital product design and visual art.
Faculty of Interior Design
Programmes and courses in interior design, landscape design and decoration. The training involves continuous practical engagement, namely preparing projects and working with design software.
Faculty of Contemporary Art
“Theory of Contemporary Art and Art Project Management” teaches both theory and practice in workshops taught by artists, art critics, curators, and art managers to provide a comprehensive education in the field of contemporary art.
Rodchenko Art School (Online)
A joint online school established by the “Sreda Obucheniya” Higher School and the Rodchenko Art School with a focus on photography and media art. The courses are taught by teachers from the Rodchenko School.
School of Film and Television “Industria”
Joint in-person and online learning programmes offered by the “Sreda Obucheniya” Higher School and the School of Film and Television “Industria”. The courses are developed and taught by top practitioners of Russian cinema.
Faculty of Psychology
Long-term retraining programmes and proprietary training courses developed by top practicing psychologists and coaches. We provide cutting-edge skills, a practice-oriented approach, and assistance in paving your own unique path as a psychologist.
Faculty of Design
Programmes and courses aimed at both beginners and practicing designers and illustrators. The training covers three main areas: communication design, digital product design and visual art.
Faculty of Interior Design
Programmes and courses in interior design, landscape design and decoration. The training involves continuous practical engagement, namely preparing projects and working with design software.
Faculty of Contemporary Art
“Theory of Contemporary Art and Art Project Management” teaches both theory and practice in workshops taught by artists, art critics, curators, and art managers to provide a comprehensive education in the field of contemporary art.
Rodchenko Art School (Online)
A joint online school established by the “Sreda Obucheniya” Higher School and the Rodchenko Art School with a focus on photography and media art. The courses are taught by teachers from the Rodchenko School.
School of Film and Television “Industria”
Joint in-person and online learning programmes offered by the “Sreda Obucheniya” Higher School and the School of Film and Television “Industria”. The courses are developed and taught by top practitioners of Russian cinema.

Forms of training

Higher education

Obtaining a first and second university degree proven by a diploma is suitable for those who would like to become a specialist in the chosen field and obtain a legal document after defending the final project.

Further professional education

A programme in the field of choice, granting a standard diploma of advanced training. It is suitable for those who intend to gain fundamental knowledge in a certain area and obtain an official document after defending their graduation project.

Short- and medium-term programmes

Individual subjects or sets of several disciplines aimed at mastering or improving specific skills.
  • Higher education
    Obtaining a first and second university degree proven by a diploma is suitable for those who would like to become a specialist in the chosen field and obtain a legal document after defending the final project.
  • Further professional education
    A programme in the field of choice, granting a standard diploma of advanced training. It is suitable for those who intend to gain fundamental knowledge in a certain area and obtain an official document after defending their graduation project.
  • Short- and medium-term programmes
    Individual subjects or sets of several disciplines aimed at mastering or improving specific skills.

International cooperation

An important focus for the “Sreda Obucheniya” Higher School is collaborating and holding open meetings with practitioners, teachers and scientists from all over the world.

The “Sreda Obucheniya” Higher School pioneers proprietary developments in the field of art education using VR.
The “Sreda Obucheniya” Higher School pioneers proprietary developments in the field of art education using VR.

The most significant exhibition projects organized by the “Sreda Obucheniya” Higher School in 2021

In its practice, the “Sreda Obucheniya” Higher School uses its proprietary CRM-system to keep records student records and manage processes. There is also an LMS system currently under development.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions (info@sredaobuchenia.ru)
In its practice, the “Sreda Obucheniya” Higher School uses its proprietary CRM-system to keep records student records and manage processes. There is also an LMS system currently under development.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions (info@sredaobuchenia.ru)
Our partners
Our partners
© 1990 — 2021 Sreda obuchenia
8 800 500 30 94 info@sredaobuchenia.ru
127055, Moscow, Butyrsky Val, 68/70, building 1, office 26A
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