The law on the special status

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a law on the special status of St Petersburg University and Lomonosov Moscow University. St Petersburg University was granted the status of a unique research and educational complex and the oldest university in the country which was of significant importance for the development of Russian society. The special status of the University implies: a separate line in the budget of the Russian Federation; the right to conduct additional tests for all degree programmes; the right to independently establish its own educational standards; the right to award its own academic degrees; the right to determine its own rules for holding competitions for the positions of academic staff; the right to issue diplomas of its own model; the Rector of St Petersburg University shall be appointed by the President of the Russian Federation.