Lomonosov Moscow State University

Moscow State University is a major traditional educational institution in Russia, it offers training in almost all branches of modern science and humanities. Its undergraduates may choose one of 128 qualifications in its 39 faculties, while post-graduate students may specialize in 18 branches of science and humanities and in 168 different areas. Various kinds of academic courses and research work are conducted at MSU Museums, affiliated subdivisions in various locations in Russia, on board scientific ships etc.

MSU is a centre of research science famous for its major scientific schools. There have been 11 Nobel Prize winners among its professors and alumni, out of 18 Russians who have received the prestigious prize so far. Many more MSU scientists have been awarded various Soviet and Russian prizes for their achievements, among them 60 Lenin Prizes and 120 State Prizes, over 40 MSU scientists having received the State Prizes over the last decade.

A number of new faculties, departments and research laboratories have been recently established, new academic programs are being continuously introduced together with new curricula; there are over 140 distance learning programs. Research has recently started in 30 new interdisciplinary areas.

The University's scientific potential creates a unique opportunity for interdisciplinary research and pioneering work in various branches of science. The recent years have been marked by achievements in the fields of high-energy physics, superconductivity, laser technology, mathematics and mechanics, renewable energy sources, biochemistry and biotechnology. New problems to be studied by scholars often reveal themselves while they are working on various aspects of sociology, economics, history, psychology, philosophy and the history of culture. On average 800 doctoral and 200 higher doctoral degrees in various fields of science and humanities are awarded at MSU every year.

Moscow University is a major innovative center. The first Russian Science Park appeared at MSU; in the last three years about 70 small companies have been founded within the Park, they specialize in chemistry and innovative materials, biotechnology, pharmaceutics, ecology and environmental management, production of scientific equipment and instruments. The Park unites about 2,000 scientists who work to make scientific achievements into technological innovations, cooperating with business companies in the development of innovative technologies. It is in the Scientific Park that the links with leading Russian companies and potential employers of University graduates are established. Another area where links between academics and business have been successfully developing is corporation universities within Moscow University that are a model of innovative approach to tuition. Accomplished in 2006 - 2007 within the framework of the National Educational Project, the practical implementation of the approach resulted in 67 innovative Master’s Degree programs.

From the engineering and operational point of view Moscow University campus is an extremely complex system, with its 1,000,000 m2 floor area in 1,000 buildings and structures, with its 8 dormitories housing over 12,000 students and 300 km of utility lines. Nevertheless, this system has to be modernized and developed for the University to meet the modern requirements both as a center of higher learning and a center of research. According to the plan, approved by the government in 1987, a number of new buildings are to be erected in the area adjacent to the campus on Vorobievy Gory. Under the project (architect G.N.Tsytovitch) new blocks for a few faculties and state-of-the-art research laboratories are to be constructed, together with a library building, a swimming pool, a stadium, a recreation centre, and some services. The Main Library Building was opened in January, 2005. The 1st Humanities Building opening ceremony on the new campus was held on September 1, 2007, the new block housing Faculties of History, Public Administration, Philosophy, Political Science. The new Medical Center has been erected on the new campus as well. The “old“ campus area has been developed too, the new Economics Building being opened in 2009.

As training highly qualified specialists has always been the main goal, the faculties and departments constantly revise their curricula and introduce new programs. A number of faculties offer 4-year Bachelor’s and 2-year Master’s Degree programs, together with traditional 5-year Specialist Degree programs. Currently the stress is on student's ability to work independently and meet employer's requirements, thus practical experience in the field being of foremost importance. More classes in the Liberal Arts have been recently included in the curricula for science students, lecturers in Arts and Social Sciences giving classes on the history and culture of Russia and other countries, philology, economics, law and art for students of different faculties. The University offers individual programs combining programs and classes at different faculties.

Keeping fit is often essential for satisfactory academic achievement, thus in their first two years undergraduates have two obligatory physical training sessions a week, later they may join one of sports clubs.

The curricula of all MSU faculties are based on the combination of academic instruction with student's research work and the combination of thorough theoretical knowledge with specific skills. Having acquired theoretical knowledge in the first and the second year, in their third year undergraduates choose an area to specialize in. At the same time they choose a field for their independent study, joining elective special seminars; the results of research are usually presented at the meetings of students' scientific societies or at scientific conferences, the most interesting results are published.

Normally, a degree program at MSU takes from 4 to 6 years to complete. At the end of the final semester the results of each student's independent research are submitted in the form of final paper, which is publicly presented by the student at the meeting of the department.

The students in most MSU programs do not pay their tuition but 15% of students whose tuition is not covered by the government funding have to pay fees. Students whose academic performance is up to the standard receive grants. Accommodation in MSU dormitories is provided for those students who are not residents of Moscow.

According to the MSU Charter, The MSU Student Board is a form of student government, coordinating various aspects of campus life and activities. At the moment there are a number of various students’ public organizations at MSU.

MSU graduates work in institutes of higher learning, research institutes, in industry, governmental agencies, public organizations and private companies.

MSU has a long-standing tradition as a centre of retraining admitting up to 5,000 various specialists a year, highly-qualified professionals updating themselves on the latest achievements in various fields of science and humanities.

As a centre of learning, MSU publishes a wide range of scientific literature and popular editions, thus the role of the University publishing house, which was established just a year later than the University itself, can not be overestimated. Since 1756 over 50,000 scientific and scholarly, as well as literary works have been printed, both in the original languages and in translation. Thus, in the XVIII century works by Diderot, Montaigne, Rousseau, Voltaire were published, while the XIX century publications served to popularize Russian scientists and scholars. In the XX century the University publishers printed more copies of Russian classical literature and textbooks than any other publishing house in the country.

Nowadays the University academics are among the most popular authors, about 150 books being yearly released: scientific and scholarly works, textbooks for high school, undergraduates and postgraduates, books on popular science and non-fiction, various reference materials, as well as 118 issues of Moscow University Bulletin ; some of them, namely, Moscow University Biological Sciences Bulletin, Moscow University Chemistry Bulletin, Moscow University Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics Bulletin, Moscow University Geology Bulletin, Moscow University Mathematics Bulletin, Moscow University Mechanics Bulletin , Moscow University Physics Bulletin, Moscow University Soil Science Bulletin are regularly translated into English and published in the USA by Allerton Press, Inc.

The University publishing house has received numerous awards from the Association of Russian publishers, having retained the highest position and setting the standards in the field of scientific publications.

MSU library system is one of the largest in Russia, with its 9,000,000 books, 2,000,000 of them in foreign languages, and the average number of readers 55,000, using 5,500,000 books a year.