Saint Petersburg State University

Saint Petersburg State University was founded in 1724, and the university states that no other Russian university has reached the 300-year milestone in its history. It reports more than 30,000 students from dozens of countries and over 12,000 staff, including Nobel Prize and Fields Medal winners. It was the first university in Russia to establish a grant programme to support research talent, and open competitions have brought more than 300 international educators and 130 postdoctoral researchers to its teams. It is authorised to hold dissertation defences under its own rules.