Saint Petersburg State University
Saint Petersburg State University (SPBU; Russian: Санкт-Петербургский государственный университет) is a public research university in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Founded in 1724 by a decree of Peter the Great, the university from the beginning has had a focus on fundamental research in science, engineering and humanities.
Санкт-Петербургский государственный университет | |
| Latin: Universitas Petropolitana | |
Other name | St Petersburg University |
|---|---|
Former names | Petersburg Pedagogical Institute (1804–1814) Main Pedagogical Institute (1814–1819) Saint Petersburg University (1819–1821) Saint Petersburg Imperial University (1821–1914) Petrograd Imperial University (1914–1918) Petrograd State University (1918–1924) Leningrad State University (1924–1991) |
| Motto | Hic tuta perennat (Latin) |
Motto in English | Here all in safety lasts |
| Type | Public |
| Established | 1724 |
| Rector | Nikolai M. Kropachev |
Administrative staff | 13,000 |
| Students | 32,400 |
| Undergraduates | 26,872 |
| Postgraduates | 5,566 |
| Address | 7/9 Universitetskaya Emb., 199034 , , Russia |
| Campus | Both urban and suburban |
| Colours | Terracotta and gray |
| Affiliations | APSIA, BRICS Universities League, Campus Europae |
| Mascot | Boris the Funny Looking Owl
Building details |
The Twelve Collegia building on Vasilievsky Island is the university's main building and the seat of the administration. | |
| Website | english |
During the Soviet period, it was known as Leningrad State University (Russian: Ленинградский государственный университет). It was renamed after Andrei Zhdanov in 1948 and was officially called "Leningrad State University, named after A. A. Zhdanov and decorated with the Order of Lenin and the Order of the Red Banner of Labour." Zhdanov's was removed in 1989 and Leningrad in the name was officially replaced with Saint Petersburg in 1992.
It is made up of 24 specialized faculties (departments) and institutes, the Academic Gymnasium, the Medical College, the College of Physical Culture and Sports, Economics and Technology. The university has two primary campuses: one on Vasilievsky Island and the other one in Peterhof.