Saint Petersburg State University - Reputation and International Rankings

Reputation and International Rankings

Saint Petersburg State University is considered the second best multi-faculty university in Russia after Moscow State University, however, it performs relatively poorly in both national and international rankings. While the university was ranked 251st in 2011 by the QS World University Rankings, it was placed 351-400th by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings and 301-400th by the Academic Ranking of World Universities. Furthermore, national rankings produced by RIA Novosti / Higher School of Economics and Forbes consistently place Saint Petersburg State University outside top 10 in Russia.

Nonetheless, the university has a reputation for having educated the majority of a Russia's current political elite; these include presidents Vladimir Putin and Dimitry Medvedev, both of whom studied Law at the university.

The university is widely considered to be one of Russia's oldest universities. There is an ongoing debate as to whether it is, in fact, Russia's oldest university, as this title is also claimed by the Lomonosov State University of Moscow (Moscow State University). The reason for this uncertainty can be ascribed to the two separate occasions on which the university was founded; the first occasion, 1724, predates the foundation of Moscow State University in 1755. However, the second occasion, in 1819, does not. Thus the case is open to interpretation and currently there is no definitive answer.