There is a clear and present danger that a very important and famous research institute in Moscow-- The Institute of Psychology belonging to the Russian Academy of Education will cease to exist.

The Institute was opened in 1914 and was the first in Russia and perhaps in the whole world in which deep and highly professional research projects were conducted by famous scientists of the XX century: G. Chelpanov, L. Vygotsky, S. Rubinshtein, A. Smirnov, B. Teplov, D.Elkonin, V.Davidov and many others.

The Institute survived two world wars, post-revolutionary hardships, times of dictatorship and the chaotic conditions of the 1990s, but was able to preserve the scientific solidarity and moral values of the staff, and a high level of professionalism.

 Today there is a kind of turmoil of reforms in Russian Academies of Science striving to gain “optimization” through monetization of science, education and culture. Taking into account the lack of reliable information we feel that the danger to the institute’s existence is real.

The institute staff believes that one of the reasons is that the beautiful turn of the century building of the institute, close to the Kremlin, is one of the targets of some real estate entrepreneurs. This building was erected especially for the institute by the philanthropist, Shchukin. There are other dangers related to financial aspects. Let us unite our efforts to help to preserve this institute in order to celebrate in March 100 years since the opening of this venerable institute and not to mourn its disappearance.