Russian Business Education Day Date in the current year: February 7, 2024

Business education is a branch of education that involves teaching the skills and operations of the business industry. In many countries, university students usually have the opportunity to obtain an undergraduate degree in business and management, and then seek a variety of postgraduate degrees in business administration (general management), marketing, finance, and other fields. The pioneer of business education in the West was Harvard Business School established in 1908; it is credited with being the first to use the case method of teaching.

Unfortunately, the situation with business education in most former Soviet states is rather disappointing. The main reason for this that these countries began to transition from planned economy to market economy relatively recently, following the collapse of the Soviet Union; in addition, their higher education systems also needed time to shed their Soviet past and introduce new courses and programs that reflect the modern world.

Russian universities do offer undergraduate degrees in economics, management, marketing, and finance, but bachelor’s degrees in business administration are uncommon. Besides, these degrees are more theoretical than practical. Some Russian universities offer MBA courses, but this is not enough to satisfy the demand for business education in Russia.

In the early 2000s, private companies offering business education courses began to emerge in Russia, responding to the need for a case-based practical learning environment. Companies offering such courses use the more practical Western approach to business education, but take into account the peculiarities of the domestic market.

Today, private business schools in Russia offer a wide variety of programs to choose from, depending on one’s needs and goals. There are programs for young professionals that focus on theoretical knowledge as much as on practical skills, as well as programs and trainings for experienced managers focused on areas like innovation and strategic planning.

Russian Business Education Day is observed in February because this month is traditionally associated with planning and launching new projects: since the previous financial year is already closed and past projects have been analyzed, it’s time to start planning new projects and implementing those plans.

It is at this stage that business education may be necessary, because the world of business is changing very quickly, and those who want to stay afloat, let alone expand their business, need to keep abreast of the latest innovations and market trends. The main goal of Russian Business Education Day is to remind people that real professionals keep learning all their lives and that money spent on professional education is an investment in both one’s development as a professional and their business in general.