UK Bride to bring degree dowry to Russia

Russian students will be able to earn UK degrees without leaving home under a £2 million Department for Education and Skills scheme called "Bride" - British degrees in Russia.

The first 12 of up to 20 dual degrees - mostly masters in economically relevant disciplines - should be available to students across Russia as early as September 2005, according to the British Council, which is managing the project.

Other degrees, which may include bachelors and doctorates, will come on stream in 2006.

The scheme makes available up to £120,000 over three years to partner universities in Britain and Russia that tender the strongest business plans - complete with curriculum, course documentation, quality and management assurances and arguments for the economic sustainability of the degree.

Lena Lenskaya, assistant director of education at the British Council's Moscow office, said the first group of partner universities would be invited to tender projects from late May.

"For a Russian student, getting an accredited British degree will be a big plus in today's world," she said.