When Academic Freedom Becomes a Crime: The Risks of Undesirable Universities in Russia

This month, Yale University was designated an “undesirable” organization in Russia, placing its faculty, administration, and students at immediate risk of criminal prosecution. Just a month prior, Brigham Young University faced the same fate.

These two institutions join a growing list of universities that have had their operations banned in Russia since 2021, starting with Bard College, which was the first to receive this classification.

Russian academics were already under threat for criticizing the government or collaborating with international researchers, but now those linked to “undesirable” universities face legal repercussions for their work in Russia.

Since the “undesirables” law was enacted in 2015, numerous universities, NGOs, think tanks, foundations, and media outlets that have documented or condemned the nation’s deteriorating human rights situation and the war in Ukraine have been labeled as such.

Founding or leading an “undesirable” organization can result in a prison sentence of up to six years. Additionally, repeated participation in activities of a banned group, including simply sharing its content online, can incur fines and a sentence of up to four years.

While enforcement is often not applied retroactively, experts argue that the law creates a chilling effect, as it gives the impression that any interaction with individuals associated with banned organizations is illegal.

“The law aims to instill fear, and its ambiguity is intentional,” said Daniel Treisman, a political scientist at UCLA, in an interview with The Moscow Times. “It compels Russians to be anxious about any interactions they might have with Westerners or Western concepts. Sharing a study by a Yale scholar could expose you to a potential five-year prison sentence. This is part of Putin’s increasingly sophisticated strategy of intimidation.”

In its ruling, the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office accused Yale of training opposition figures, including members of Alexei Navalny’s groups, and justifying international sanctions against Russia.

When Brigham Young University, affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was banned in June, no explanation was provided.

Similarly, Bard College was left unclear about the reasoning behind its prohibition.

However, faculty members have proposed several theories. One possibility is that the college was targeted due to its ties with the liberal Open Society Foundation, founded by billionaire philanthropist George Soros, which has been classified as “undesirable” since 2015. Bard was part of a network of universities aiming to support marginalized student populations. The Kremlin has accused Soros and his foundations of endangering state security.

Following Bard’s announcement of a $500 million donation from Soros, pro-Kremlin activists held a press conference where conservative public figures warned of his alleged influence in Russian education. Bard’s administration believes that the Kremlin perceives academic freedom as a threat, no matter whose financial backing supports it.

Dr. Leon Botstein, president of Bard, asserted that the liberal arts education provided through this partnership was seen as a danger.

“From Russia’s perspective, the Anglo-American tradition and the freedoms it fosters are linked to the capacity for innovation. But scholarship and education are not autocratic endeavors—they are fundamentally committed to freedom, debate, and dissent,” he told The Moscow Times.

Before Bard College was banned, its collaboration with Smolny College at St. Petersburg State University (SPGU) was designed to introduce liberal arts education to Russia, and hundreds of American and Russian students participated in this program.

As the Smolny initiative gained traction and SPGU’s leadership established closer ties with the Kremlin, Bard considered detaching Smolny from the university to maintain its autonomy.

“Then, practically overnight and without any warning, we found ourselves under investigation by the FSB. No one understood why,” Botstein recounted. “We reached out to U.S. authorities under President Joe Biden for assistance, but they couldn’t make any progress. The next thing we knew, we were labeled as undesirable.”

The consequences were immediate. An American professor at SPGU who facilitated the Bard exchange, Michael Freese, was detained while commuting to work and subsequently deported for his association with the college.

Another alumna of the Bard-Smolny program, artist Sasha Skochilenko, received a prison sentence for replacing supermarket price tags with facts regarding the invasion of Ukraine before being released as part of a historic prisoner swap between Russia and the U.S. last summer.

Skochilenko stated that the program offered students a level of intellectual freedom seldom found in Russian universities, possibly explaining why it became a target.

“It wasn’t a traditional setup like other places in Russia; it was pure freedom,” she remarked to The Moscow Times. “There was no hierarchy between students and professors. We discussed topics that are considered criminal today, such as Putin and his policies, and it was fantastic.”

She also attributed her liberal arts education with helping her withstand the two years she spent in prison, where concerns for her health were raised.

“The sociology program equipped me with insights into people, society, incarceration, and institutions,” she explained. “I turned my time in prison into a remarkable performance and earned recognition within the community. People in jails greatly appreciate good storytellers, and I was able to assist others in writing heartfelt letters to their families.”

Bard attempted to contest its designation as “undesirable” but received no reply. It now runs the Smolny Beyond Borders program from its Berlin branch, offering an online degree aimed at Russian-speaking students in the diaspora.

Brigham Young University, whose study abroad program in Russia was halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic, is reportedly considering seeking to overturn its designation as well.

Bard still employs some Russian citizens and advises them against traveling to their home country. It continues to accept Russian students, although very few apply.

“We admit or decline students based solely on their qualifications,” Botstein stated. “We don’t inquire into the specifics of a student’s nationality or family background… There is a special law that safeguards students’ personal information.”

Both Brigham Young University and Yale did not respond to The Moscow Times’ inquiries regarding the support measures they offer to their Russian students and faculty.

The large-scale invasion of Ukraine has limited academic access to Russia, even for universities that have not been banned. Numerous American academics, including two from Yale, have been barred from entering the country.

Obtaining access to state archives for research has also become increasingly difficult since the onset of the conflict.

The Bridge Network, which links foreign researchers with locals to gather archival materials on their behalf, reports that requests for access to archives related to security services and foreign policy are mostly denied.

They also caution that access requests may be redirected to the Foreign Ministry or Federal Archival Agency, resulting in lengthy bureaucratic delays.

Russian academics have faced repercussions for collaborating with foreign researchers. In 2023, aerospace scientist Valery Golubkin was convicted of treason and sentenced to 12 years in prison for sharing sensitive research with a partner in Belgium, although the information in question is reportedly publicly available.

Botstein advised Yale, Brigham Young, and any other universities targeted by the Kremlin to adopt a long-term perspective.

“Russia represents an important cultural and partnership opportunity for us,” he said. “There will come a time after Putin, and the loyalty demonstrated by our Russian colleagues and citizens is profoundly rewarding and meaningful. We believe we have made a positive impact, and we are ready to do it once more.”