St Petersburg University students can do internships at the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation and at Russian trade missions throughout the world

The agreement provides for cooperation in the recruitment of specialists in the field of foreign economic activity and foreign trade. Thus, the University students will be able to do practical training and internships with the possibility of further employment in the central office of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia and trade missions of the Russian Federation abroad.

‘At present, St Petersburg University pays the greatest attention to the quality of professional education: it is for this purpose that the University has created a whole system of involvement of students and their future employers in joint activities, so that by the time a student graduates from the University, he or she can immediately start solving specific tasks of a government agency, a large enterprise, or a business. I am sure that signing an agreement with the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation will expand the practical training opportunities for our students and will help the Ministry to select the most motivated and well-prepared graduates of St Petersburg University for employment,’ said Marina Lavrikova.

St Petersburg University, the oldest university in Russia, was founded on 28 January (8 February) 1724. This is the day when Peter the Great issued a decree establishing the University and the Russian Academy of Sciences. Today, St Petersburg University is an internationally recognised centre for education, research and culture. In 2024, St Petersburg University will celebrate its 300^th anniversary.

The plan of events during the celebration of the anniversary of the University was approved at the meeting of the Organising Committee for the celebration of St Petersburg University’s 300^th anniversary. The meeting was chaired by Dmitry Chernyshenko, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. Among the events are: the naming of a minor planet in honour of St Petersburg University; the issuance of bank cards with a special design; the creation of postage stamps dedicated to the history of the oldest university in Russia; and the branding of the aircraft of the Rossiya Airlines to name just a few. Additionally, the University has launched a website dedicated to the upcoming holiday. The website contains information about outstanding University staff, students, and alumni; scientific achievements; and details of preparations for the anniversary.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation is a federal executive body that develops state policy and statutory regulation in the sphere of industry. Currently, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia has trade missions in 59 countries.

‘The Ministry is actively expanding cooperation with leading Russian universities that provide comprehensive training of foreign affairs experts. Our absolute priority is to form a well-balanced talent pool of young professionals in the field of foreign economic relations, who have a profound knowledge of economics, have undergone comprehensive training in country studies, and are fluent in foreign languages, including those that are considered rare but are in high demand today. Establishing a partnership with such a renowned university as St Petersburg University will be an important step in our human resources work,’ said Alexey Gruzdev, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.

Alexey Gruzdev also expressed interest in studying the range of academic programmes offered at St Petersburg University, and in developing new programmes jointly with the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade.