About Ural State University

Ural State University named after A.M. Gorky (USU) was founded on October 19, 1920 as a system-building higher educational institution for the Ural region. It originally featured a number of institutes intended to train specialists for all fields of regional economic and industrial activities. With the course of time institutes and faculties of the Ural State University developed into separate higher education institutions working in Ekaterinburg and the region.

Education

USU has developed a multi–level system of education according to European standards. USU was the first among higher educational institutions in Ekaterinburg to open bachelor programs and among the first 10 Russian higher educational institutions to open master’s programs. According to the license the University conducts educational activities in 2 specializations of medium level professional education, 41 specializations of higher professional education, 29 bachelor specializations and 23 master’s specializations (more than 90 master’s programs). Different educational trends are available due to the multifaceted structure of USU which includes 14 faculties and structural units offering different courses in terms of time and educational level.

Overall the University serves 15,000 students, of whom 8300 are full-time students. Post graduate education is offered at post – graduate courses in 57 specializations, doctoral courses in 12 specializations. There are 11 specialized dissertation councils. Overall the number of lecturers at USU is 1200 people, including 215 at the level of PhD and professors (17,92%), and 578 at the level of candidates of sciences and associate professors (48,17 %). Our faculty features 18 members and corresponding members of state academies, 32 honorary scientists, educators and representatives of cultural sphere of the Russian Federation. The teaching process involves representatives of two research institutes of the USU (physics and applied mathematics and Russian culture); the astronomic observatory, botanical garden, biological station; and more than 80 research academic and teaching laboratories and centers, including those operated together with the Ural branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

In 2007 – 2008 USU won the competition within the framework of the Priority National Project “Education” and implemented the innovative educational program (IEP) “Advanced training in the spheres of development of science, technology and civil society on the basis of forming innovative educational space of a classical university together with academic science, business, authorities and the use of international experience in the field of education quality and educational technologies

Effective cooperation with the Ural branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the main strategic partner of the University, plays a very important role in fundamental education. we offer? Two chairs, 16 university chair branches work at the premises of the Ural branch of RAS, 26 joint educational – academic laboratories are open both to academic staff and students, about 100 researchers teach at USU, and University graduates make up to 75% of staff members at some academic institutes.

Science

USU has a unique system of cooperation with the research and academic complex of the Russian Academy of Sciences. It dates back to 1934 when the first academic institute appeared in the Ural region. The decree of the Presidium of the USSR Academy of Sciences and USSR State Committee on education (№ 149/281 of 12.08.1988) established the joint teaching and research institution “Ural State University – Ural branch of RAS”. This cooperati is the largest in Russia and now includes 2 chairs and 16 branches [affiliates?] of the USU chairs at Ural branch of RAS, 26 joint educational-academic laboratories, 9 joint educational – academic centers.

The University takes an active part in the «Development of the Academic Potential of Higher Educational Institutions” and is the leader among Ural region higher educational institutions in terms of quantity (97 grants in 2008) and amounts (28 mln roubles in 2008 – 2.3 times more than nearest figure) of grants received from RFFI and RGNF. The number of academic and teaching staff at USU is 2-2.5 times smaller than at the nearest competitors. USU also takes a leading position in attracting financing from the Russian Federation and local budgets for research activities as well as in the total amount of financing received from foreign sources (per one researcher).

USU also takes a leading position among Ural region higher educational institutions in terms of the number of articles in academic periodicals as represented in international quotation databases. According to Web of Science database in recent years this figure has reached up to 150 articles per year with the number of quotations in 2008 above 1100 (the same according to Scopus). The University is well ahead of other educational institutions in the Ural region in terms of equipment and assets per one researcher, enabling us to provide technical support for science and education which is the best in the region. Academic research and specialist training areas at USU are oriented towards the needs of hi-tech branches of the economy. USU has signed agreements on cooperation with many representatives of these branches. USU offers specialist training program in computer technologies and information security which are unique and highly in demand in the labor market.

The successful implementation of innovative educational program (IEP) allows for defining and organizationally determining advanced specialist training at the USU and testing adequate management systems.

The university conducts active international work and has established contacts with higher educational institutions and research organizations from Germany, USA, UK, Italy, Belgium, Sweden, Korea, France, Japan, Bulgaria, CIS countries and other countries. Every year the University welcomes dozens of delegations and officials, including heads of international organizations, ambassadors, ministers etc. In 2008 USU became a part of a consortium of Russian higher educational institutions which participate in the  Erasmus Mundus exchange program.

Information communications

USU was one of the first higher educational institutions in Russia to start work on creating, developing and modernizing university information and communication environment. Our system is based on a university computer network with 47 servers with Internet access (60 Mb/s) which connects all the buildings with fiberglass channels comprising more than 50 local networks of structural units and computer classes. The total number of PCs at the USU has reached 2460, 1970 of which are used in the teaching process. Part of our software was developed by the University lecturers.

Some classes are equipped with multimedia projectors, teleconferencing and distance learning devices. The library has modern devices, computer and office equipment. Library funds are updated on an annual basis and have now reached 1.3 million items. The University library runs 4 websites and has createed an electronic library of digital full-text electronic resources. Under the supervision of the University, an electronic catalogue of city higher educational institutions’ libraries was created and is working effectively. The university subscribes to full-text electronic bases of books, textbooks and periodicals (EBSCO, Elsevier).

Contacts

Head of International Office
Maria Guzikova
Tel: +7 3433507788, Fax: +73433507401
Email: mariagu@mail.ru