The idea of understanding and systematic assessment of the EU´s role in stimulating democratization processes in the Neighbourhood has recently received a rising amount of academic attention, as it acquired a central place in the EU´s external relations discourse. An intensification of the EU-Russia cooperation in the sphere of education in the last two decades can be seen as a reflection of the EU´s growing concern about promotion of democratic culture, and using education as a priority socialization mechanism. Still, when discussing the process in Russia, most prominent scholars are moving now from the category of “hybrid regimes” to using the notions of “new/semi-authoritarianism” and “autocracy”, and claim that Russia is thus some way from being a truly democratic society. The worrying fact is that though half of the population thinks that Russia needs democracy, just 13% realize that it is approaching dictatorship. Moreover, 30% consider Western democracy and culture “not applicable” for Russia, and 12% perceive them as “dangerous and destroying”. So, does the EU succeed in using its “soft power” instruments for stimulating democratization processes? Does its educational policy really contribute to nurturing democratic values in Russian citizens and equipping them with necessary civic competences? Basing on the rich body of literature that goes back to Lipset and Almond & Verba, the paper answers these questions by exploring the current state of affairs in EU-Russia educational cooperation, and then testing a series of hypotheses related to the democratization function of the EU education policy in Russia.
