St Petersburg University is one of the oldest universities in Russia. Its history goes back to 1724 when Peter I issued a decree establishing three institutions that formed the research basis for the further development of the country: a Gymnasium, a University and an Academy of Sciences. The newly established University became a true enlightenment center available and accessible for all social strata and it is symbolic that Mikhail Loengosov, a man of low-birth, who later became a prominent Russian scholar and educator, played a crucial role in the history of St Petersburg University.
Today St Petersburg University has 20 departments and provides tuition in many languages. It is a member of the major international University Associations and one of the promoters of the Bologna process in Russia.
