First-year students 2023 to celebrate the 300th anniversary of St Petersburg University

Nikolay Kropachev, Rector of St Petersburg University and Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, delivered a welcoming address to the first-year students. ‘Dear friends, you became students of our University in the year of its 300th anniversary. You are special and will always remain as such,’ the Rector noted. ’We have recently published a book about the first graduates of the University. I will mention only one name from the list. It is Mikhail Lomonosov. In just 100 or 200 years, another book will be published, about our graduates who were enroled as students in the tercentenary year of St Petersburg University. I am sure that now there are new Lomonosovs of our time in this square. Our country needs you, strong and smart young people who came to St Petersburg University today.’ 

The Rector of St Petersburg University read out congratulatory telegrams from friends, partners and alumni of the University.

Congratulations to St Petersburg University were sent by: Dmitry Medvedev, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of St Petersburg University, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia; Mikhail Mishustin, Prime Minister of Russia; Valentina Matviyenko, Chairwoman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of Russia, member of the Board of Trustees of St Petersburg University; Sergey Kiriyenko, First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration of Russia; Dmitry Chernyshenko, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Chairman of the Organising Committee for the preparation and celebration of the 300th anniversary of St Petersburg University, member of the Board of Trustees of St Petersburg University; Tatyana Golikova, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia; Valery Falkov, Minister of Science and Higher Education of Russia, member of the Board of Trustees of St Petersburg University; Vladimir Medinsky, Assistant to the President of Russia; Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia; Anton Kotyakov, Minister of Labour and Social Protection of Russia; Olga Lyubimova, Minister of Culture of Russia; Oleg Matytsin, Minister of Sport of Russia; Dmitry Patrushev, Minister of Agriculture of Russia; Aleksandr Gutsan, Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of Russia in the Northwestern Federal District; Vladimir Tolstoy, Adviser to the President of Russia; Maria Lvova-Belova, Children’s Rights Commissioner for the President of Russia; Boris Kovalchuk, General Director of PJSC INTER RAO, member of the Board of Trustees of St Petersburg University; Andrey Murov, First Deputy General Director of PJSC Rosseti, member of the Board of Trustees of St Petersburg University; Sergey Fursenko, Vice President of JSC Gazprombank; Evgeny Primakov, head of Rossotrudnichestvo; and others.

There were also video congratulations. They were recorded by: Dmitry Chernyshenko, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Chairman of the Organising Committee for the preparation and celebration of the 300th anniversary of St Petersburg University, member of the Board of Trustees of St Petersburg University; Alexander Beglov, Governor of St Petersburg, member of the Board of Trustees of St Petersburg University; Sergey Bebenin, Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of Leningrad Oblast; Mikhail Sobolev, Head of Vasileostrovsky District of St Petersburg; and Bishop Kirill of Zvenigorod, President of the Scientific and Educational Theological Association. 

In his video congratulations, Dmitry Chernyshenko emphasised that St Petersburg University as the oldest university in Russia was cherishing the best traditions of Russian higher education and occupied leading positions in many areas, including digital technologies.

Today, the University is a world-class centre of science and education and an iconic landmark of the Northern Capital of Russia. St Petersburg University has a student population of 26,000 people, every fifth of them being an international student Many of you are already engaged in science and create high-tech projects.’

Dmitry Chernyshenko, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Chairman of the Organising Committee for the preparation and celebration of the 300th anniversary of St Petersburg University, member of the Board of Trustees of St Petersburg University

‘In addition to fundamental training, the University teaches you how to think and serve your country. I am confident that thanks to the knowledge gained, students of St Petersburg University will be among the top class professionals and outstanding scientists, and the University’s research will strengthen the sovereignty and economy of Russia,’ noted Dmitry Chernyshenko. 

Alexander Beglov, Governor of St Petersburg, member of the Board of Trustees of St Petersburg University and member of the Organising Committee for the preparation and celebration of the 300th anniversary of St Petersburg University, congratulated the newly-enroled University students from the stage. ’You have won a big and convincing victory by becoming students at a university which is one of the best in our country and worldwide. I congratulate you on that! Our University is a centre of science and a talent pool for training our country’s personnel. You can be proud that President of Russia Vladimir Putin also graduated from this University. He is leading our country far forward. Today, our country needs your energy, knowledge, talents and dedication to our Motherland more than ever. I am confident that you will be very diligent students and continue the traditions of the University. Dare, dream and achieve — that is what I wish you. Stay together with Russia. Good luck!’ said Alexander Beglov.

Alexander Belsky, Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of St Petersburg, noted that President of Russia Vladimir Putin and Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia Dmitry Medvedev, who had also served as President of Russia, were graduates of St Petersburg University.

Today is a solemn day. You are beginning your studies at one of the best universities in our country and worldwide. Words fail me to convey the respect for St Petersburg University. This is not just a university, this is a huge world. Be proud of where you study.

Alexander Belsky, Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of St Petersburg

According to Maxim Dreval, General Director of the Russian society "Znanie", he was lucky to meet mentors who guided and supported him when he was young. He wished the students to find such people, too, and "Znanie" was eager to help them in that. ’You have become students of St Petersburg University, one of the oldest and best universities in Russia, and that has a proud sound. I congratulate you on this and am very happy that I can share this unique moment with you,’ said Maxim Dreval. ‘You are setting on a new, long journey. I know that often starting something new is exciting yet sometimes scary. But I do want these feelings not to deprive you of the opportunities and prospects that you have. I would like to recall a common, but no less valuable thought. There are three things that will never return to us — time, words and opportunities. In our youth, we do not always understand their value, but time and opportunities are on your side today.’

Yesterday’s applicants were also congratulated by famous graduates of St Petersburg University such as: Mikhail Mun, graduate of St Petersburg University, radio host, famous player of What? Where? When?, and Yuko Kawaguchi, World Championship silver medallist, European figure skating champion, Honoured Master of Sports of Russia. 

Nikolay Kropachev announced the start of a new academic year and gave the command to raise the flags of Russia, St Petersburg and the University over Academician Sakharov Square. The flags were raised by: Dmitry Korotchenkov, Chairman of the Sports Committee of the University Student Council; Igor Scherbinov, Head of the Cultural Committee of the University Student Council; and Otabek Abdukhalilov, Chairman of the Council of the International Students Club. The St Petersburg University Choir directed by Edward Krotman performed the traditional student "Gaudeamus Igitur" hymn. 

The first-year students who received the highest score during the entrance examinations were personally given student ID cards by the Rector and guests of the ceremony. The best first-year students this year were: the future historian Varvara Kuzmina, who scored 300 points for the Unified State Examination; the winners of the 2023 International School Olympiad in Mathematics Alisa Volkova, Roman Kuznetsov, Eldar Khisamutdinov; and the holder of the 2nd degree Olympiad diploma Pavel Prozorov. The world champion in taekwondo Varvara Sokolova, who won two gold and two silver medals in team events for the 14–15 age category at the 2023 World Championship in Taekwondo in Kazakhstan, also became a student of St Petersburg University this year. Together with the rest of the new students of St Petersburg University, the above-mentioned students took the University oath to become part of the University brotherhood.

A website with brief information on the most popular queries and issues will allow the new students to navigate their student life and learn more about the University.

This year, the matriculation ceremony was supplemented by new events that have a chance of becoming a new University tradition. The gallery in 5 Mendeleevskaya Line became a venue for a Student Fair held for the first time ever. There, the first-year students could get to know St Petersburg University better and learn about the sports, creative and research activities, and scientific and technical capabilities of the oldest university in Russia. The newly arrived students had a wide choice of extracurricular activities and student organisations such as: a debate club; a volunteer centre; rowing and hockey sections; a student scientific society; an international students club; a trade union; and the University museums. The first-year students showed great interest in the fair. They were interested in the activities of creative teams, asked questions about how to become a member of a student team, where to study the cultural and historical objects of the University, what books are stored in the Scientific Library, and much more. 

At the "St Petersburg University Museums" stand, students were invited to sign up through a QR code for tours around: the Twelve Collegia building; the Botanical Garden; and the Dmitri Mendeleev Museum and Archives. ‘Most often we are asked where they can go to get to know the University better. St Petersburg University History Museum is of great interest for our students. It seems to me that its exhibitions show the development process of the University and encompass a huge layer of history,’ the volunteers shared. ’It exhibits not only objects that we are used to seeing in classic museums, but also furniture from different periods and educational books. The building itself is a museum. This is of interest for our students. The Herbarium and the Botanical Garden are also in demand; we do not even have any more booklets left.’ 

Moreover, the VK company, a partner of St Petersburg University, prepared a painting titled "The University Is Our Home" to the beginning of the new academic year. The matriculation ceremony participants were invited to take part in its creation by painting the panorama of the Twelve Collegia building. The completed picture turned into a bright photo zone, against which the first-year students had the pleasure of being photographed. 

The festive event was completed by setting afloat Ships of Hope and a yacht parade along the Neva. The honour of getting on board was given to the students of St Petersburg University who became the winners of the ICM 2023 International Student Olympiad in Mathematics They are: Ivan Bakharev; Ivan Gaidai-Turlov; Rosalina Mirgalimova; and Maksim Turevsky. The university students scored 310 points in the team competition, getting ahead of 69 universities from around the world. And the rest of the guys set paper ships afloat. They wrote their wishes on these ships. As the experience of many University students has shown, such wishes definitely come true.