In Ukraine, college/university is a holy cow: there's a widely held belief that anyone can't be successful without a graduation document (in other words, in [post-]Soviet Ukraine education gains you). The post-Soviet education system mostly supports that frame of mind that is deeply rooted in parents' heads. I was lucky to study in one of most sane universities in Ukraine, but my bad choice of the physics department…
Your English is exceptional, but I just wanted to point out (and I'm only being this picky because your English is so good) that the word you wanted was systematic, not systemic. Similar sounding but quite different meanings!