Rossiyskaya Gazeta: Nikolay Kropachev, Rector of St Petersburg University: For three centuries, St Petersburg University remains much in demand across the globe

St Petersburg University, the Russian Academy of Sciences and... you were born on the same day. A mere concatenation of circumstances? 

It was a pure coincidence that I was born on this day. Yet everything else is the result of the profound wisdom of Peter the Great, who decided in favour of the ‘trinity’ when creating the Academy of Sciences, the University, and the Gymnasium. Science education must start at school. In a short while, I am sure, someone will say it must start in early childhood. 

What Peter the Great, the great reformer of the past, "saw" has been brought to life and should not fall apart. Throughout its history, the University has been close to the Academy. It couldn’t be another way. The quality of education is ensured through a commitment to meet the needs of research. It is not only about higher education, but also about school education. This is what this trinity means, i.e. the Gymnasium, the University, the Academy. 

St Petersburg University in numbers:

• Over 27,000 students from more than 100 countries
• 16 faculties and 12 institutes, a college, even an academic gymnasium, the University’s Department and a military training centre
• More than 500 degree programmes: from philology and law to biotechnology and artificial intelligence
• For several years in a row, the average Unified State Exam score of applicants exceeds 90 points
• The number of our own massive online courses exceeds 500, with more than 4 million students around the world
• Among the partners of St Petersburg University are more than 600 international organisations and universities
• For more than 20 years, St Petersburg University has offered a state test in Russian as a foreign language
• The University has already opened 120 Russian language centres in 50 countries

Three centuries have passed, dozens of eras. What remains unchanged at St Petersburg University? 

The University has been changing, yet its mission, what the University and the Academy were created for, is to respond to the urgent needs of the country. Priorities and directions may change, but the mission remains the same. The history of the University is primarily the history of its people who throughout its history have made decisions and performed deeds in ways which have benefited our country. 

Mikhail Lomonosov, Ivan Turgenev, Mikhail Vrubel, Alexander Blok, Dmitry Merezhkovsky studied here, Nikolai Gogol delivered lectures at the University. Alexander Pushkin was a frequent visitor at the University. Josef Brodsky also worked here. The University is home to nine Nobel laureates, two recipients of the Fields Medal, Olympic champions, pioneering people in science, political leaders and distinguished scientists and scholars. 

Among our graduates are two Russia’s presidents: Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev. We are proud of these people! 

Another powerful tradition is the continuity of generations. We cherish our research heritage and constantly move forward. We are committed to providing support to scientific schools and expanding the horizons of knowledge. We have been and remain a classical university that combines tradition with an innovative approach. 

As for an innovative approach: according to some experts, the neural network is a "word of the year". What is your approach to artificial intelligence at St Petersburg University?

Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and neural networks play a big role in our lives. There are both advantages and disadvantages. Today, the University offers a range of academic programmes in the field of artificial intelligence and information technology, because these skills are essential for young professionals. For example, last year among the most popular bachelor’s programmes was "Applied Mathematics, Programming and Artificial Intelligence". 

Just at the end of the last year, we won a substantial grant to develop an AI’s Internet of Things platform for high-tech industries. At our University, we have very strong IT specialists who are engaged, among others, in how we can use artificial intelligence in practice, and sociologists are trying to explain the social consequences of the "man-machine-person" interaction.

Among the graduates of St Petersburg University are nine Nobel laureates, two Russia’s presidents, classics of Russian literature, and outstanding scholars Some universities have allowed students to use neural networks to prepare their graduation projects. What is your opinion? 

Yes, I have heard that the "participation" of artificial intelligence in preparing a graduation project can be up to 40%. Yet, there is a rule that stipulates that "you must strive for the investigation to be original, independent". If the project is done by something else, is it independent? 

This is a global challenge, not only in our country. Yet, we have overcome plenty of challenges! Just remember the teaching and learning process during the Covid pandemic. St Petersburg University was the first in Russia to widely use hybrid classrooms and entered the top 5 universities in the world in the number of online courses on the Coursera platform. What a challenge were the 1990s in Russia, when there was suddenly a shortage of paper and there were no new printed textbooks! During my lectures, I told my students: "Guys, there are no new textbooks. Go and read books on criminal law by Nikolai Tagantsev and Nikolai Sergeevsky published in the 19th century". They told me: "How come? This is old legislation. Everything has been changed!" Yes, everything had been changed, but the works of our scholars were as timely as ever. Every challenge is an opportunity to show yourself. 

Peter the Great opened a window on Europe, which Europe is now diligently closing. Yet, every fifth student at the University is an international student. How can you account for this situation? 

At first glance it might be surprising, although for us it is far from being so. Despite various difficulties associated with overcoming international borders, St Petersburg University is the most popular university in Russia among international applicants for six years in a row. The University ranks first in the rankings published by the Federal Agency for CIS Affairs, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation. Last year, 21,000 international applicants from more than 100 countries across the world applied for government-funded places. Yet, the University has only 1,000 places. There was also a competition for places on a fee-paying basis: three applications per place, which very few universities have.

In St Petersburg, 2024 has been declared the Year of the University. In honour of the 300th anniversary of St Petersburg University, the Palace Bridge is decorated with flags with the words "History. Knowledge. People".

Over the past three years, there has been a surge of interest from applicants from China, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, the Republic of Belarus, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, Yemen, India, Egypt, Türkiye, and Moldova. There is a rise in the number of applications from citizens of African countries (i.e. Cameroon, Nigeria, and Ghana), South and Southeast Asia, i.e. Bangladesh and Indonesia to name just a few. 

What academic programmes are popular? Linguistics, journalism, management, international relations, economics, physics, chemistry, biotechnology, medicine, applied mathematics and computer science, and sociology to name just a few. Today, St Petersburg University offers more than 500 degree programmes. 

By the way, over the past year the number of international lecturers has increased by a third. 

Among them, as we know, are world-famous professors. What attracts them? 

We offer competitive advantages. First of all, the people of the University: the main graduate of St Petersburg University is the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and the Deputy Chairperson of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev. Among the University lecturers are Alexander Bastrykin, Valery Gergiev, Mikhail Piotrovsky, and Mikhail Kovalchuk to name just a few. Living and working in St Petersburg is true happiness. I say: "Petersburg", and you have this longing feeling. This is a holy, great city. 

St Petersburg University has an excellent M Gorky Scientific Library. It has been collected bit by bit over many, many years. Today, it contains more than seven million printed books and manuscripts, including unique, rare publications. We have the largest Research Park. Have you heard about our museums? They contain three million exhibits, i.e. the University Hermitage. 

The University has the right to conduct its own admissions tests, in addition to the Unified State Exam. Yet you do not use this right. Why? 

We accept students for the vast majority of academic programmes only based on the results of the Unified State Exam. In order to conduct additional admissions tests, you need to be confident in the fairness of these tests. Firstly, every year we receive more than 100,000 applications for bachelor’s and specialist’s programmes. Imagine, these applicants will come to St Petersburg to take the test, waste their time and energy, but most of them will leave us in upset feelings. 

Secondly, if the tests are online and in writing, this is a heavy burden imposed on our academic staff. So, we do not use this right. 

Who is writing the history of the University today? 

Today, St Petersburg University is home to some of the most talented and world-leading scientists and scholars. For example, Raul Gainetdinov, Director of the Institute of Translational Biomedicine, a winner in the category "Scientist of the Year" of the award "Challenge", one of the world leaders in the field of pharmacology of the dopamine system. In his research, he is looking for fundamentally new drugs for schizophrenia, depression, and parkinsonism. 

I am glad that in 2013 he accepted my offer and became part of St Petersburg University. Before, he had been engaged in research in the USA and Italy. We could transport his collection of genetically modified animals from Italy for further research in St Petersburg, observing all international standards. 

A few more names: Vadim Kukushkin, Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vice-President of the Russian Chemical Society named after Dmitri Mendeleev; Nikolay Kuznetsov, Professor, Head of the Department of Applied Cybernetics at St Petersburg University. I am sure that this is a great privilege to be a University student of Tatiana Chernigovskaya, one of the world-leading scholars in the field of cognitive sciences, Director of the Institute for Cognitive Studies at St Petersburg University, Member of the Russian Academy of Education. It is a privilege to have an opportunity to visit unique workshops in pedagogical skills from Elena Kazakova, Director of the Institute of Pedagogy at St Petersburg University. 

The University is home to more than 16,000 people. Believe me, history is recorded not only by researchers and lecturers, but also by those who help them, who organise and manage their work. Today, we are all writing the history of St Petersburg University. 

By the way, on 8 February, to mark the 300th anniversary of the University and the Academy of Sciences, there will be a traditional midday canon shot in the Peter and Paul Fortress. This is an honourable mission, undertaken year after year. This year, three people will shoot from the cannon. Among them are Gennady Bogomazov, Chairperson of the Ethics Committee, Professor Emeritus of St Petersburg University, economist and ex-Dean of the Faculty of Economics; Vladimir Sukhinin, a student in international relations from Donbass, who fought alongside his father shoulder to shoulder. Now, he studies at the University and works in the Department for Youth Affairs at the University. The third is Aleksandr Babiev, our employee, a doctor at the Pirogov Clinic of High Medical Technologies at St Petersburg University, who went to the front as a volunteer. These people are also our history. 

A little bit straightforward question The World Youth Festival will take place in Sirius in early March. What do young people from other countries need to know about Russia’s higher education? 

First and foremost, education in Russia is exceptional education. Russia offers the quality education. Today, anyone can find a team of outstanding professionals or early-career researchers to develop and create something fundamentally new and vital in ways to benefit the society, economic and industrial development. 

In Russia, I am sure, any path is open for young people with "burning eyes". Our task is to show them how many opportunities there are for their own development, how they can realise their dreams and even the most daring ideas. If you are striving to make a discovery in science, you should be constantly working. Yet, what is equally important is to feel that it is rewarding. This is the only way to live your life brightly and happily. 

This is what I tell our first-year students every year. The University is a place for strong people. For those who are ready to do what they love to benefit Russia.