School of International Relations of Saint Petersburg State University

The School of International Relations of Saint Petersburg State University (Russian: Факультет международных отношений Санкт-Петербургского государственного университета, romanized: Fakul'tet mezhdunarodnykh otnosheniy Sankt-Peterburgskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta; abbreviated as Russian: ФМО СПбГУ, FMO SPbGU) is an academic and research department of Saint Petersburg State University. Its creation in 1994 marked the revival of the university's tradition of training specialists in international affairs, a practice established in the 19th century at the law and oriental studies faculties but interrupted during the Soviet era.^[2]

School of International Relations

Факультет международных отношений
The Smolny Convent, which houses the School.
Other name	Russian: ФМО СПбГУ (FMO SPbGU) SIR SPbU
Type	Public
Established	March 28, 1994 (1994-03-28)
Founder	Stanislav Merkuryev Gennady Leonov
Parent institution	Saint Petersburg State University
Dean	Irina Novikova
Address	Entrance 8, 1/3 Smolnogo Street , Saint Petersburg , 191124 , Russia 59.949801°N 30.395731°E / 59.949801; 30.395731
Campus	Urban
Language	Russian
Admissions Office	Room 144, Entrance 9, 1/3 Smolnogo St. Tel: [phone][1]
Colors
Website	sir.spbu.ru
Location in Saint Petersburg
Location of the School of International Relations within the Smolny Convent complex.

The school was founded by a decision of the Academic Council of St. Petersburg State University on March 28, 1994,^[3] and officially opened on December 19, 1994.^[4] Since its inception, the school has been located in the historic Smolny Convent, designed by architect Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli.^[5] It is considered one of Russia's leading centers for the study of international relations and world politics.^[6]

History

Background (18th–20th centuries)

The study of international relations at Saint Petersburg University has deep historical roots. In the 18th century, the curriculum included humanities, history, and law, laying the groundwork for future disciplines.^[7] After the university's re-establishment in 1819, a Department of International Law was created at the Faculty of Law. In the latter half of the 19th century, under the leadership of Fyodor Martens, it evolved into an internationally renowned academic school.^[8] The Faculty of Oriental Studies, opened in 1855, also played a crucial role in training specialists for diplomatic and consular service.^[9]

This tradition continued in the Soviet period with the creation of the Department of History of International Relations and Foreign Policy of the USSR at the Faculty of History in 1944. The department trained analysts and diplomats but was closed in 1950 during the Leningrad affair. Subsequent proposals to re-establish it were rejected, and from the 1970s, a de facto ban was imposed on publications related to contemporary international relations in Leningrad, leading to a 44-year decline of the field at the university.^[2]

Establishment and Development (1994–present)

The re-establishment of the school in 1994 was a response to the profound changes in Russia, including a dramatic expansion of international ties and growing public demand for specialists in international relations.^[10] The founding process was met with intense debate within the university about the appropriateness of a professionally-oriented school in a classical university and the reallocation of resources amid budget cuts.^[10]

Key figures in the school's creation included SPbU Rector Stanislav Merkuryev and Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Mechanics Gennady Leonov. The initiative was also supported by academicians Aleksandr Fursenko and Boris Anan'ich, who viewed it as correcting an "injustice committed in those years."^[3] Support from the Saint Petersburg Mayor's Office, including Mayor Anatoly Sobchak and his deputy Vladimir Putin, helped overcome bureaucratic hurdles at the federal level.^[10]

The school's concept was developed after studying the experiences of MGIMO and leading foreign institutions.^[11] An interdisciplinary model was adopted, combining the study of history, international relations theory, international law, and world economics, which distinguished it from purely linguistic or political science approaches.^[12] On March 28, 1994, the Academic Council of SPbU approved the school's creation,^[4] and on April 14, 1994, acting rector Lyudmila Verbitskaya signed the corresponding order.^[13]

The first dean was Konstantin Khudoley, Doctor of Historical Sciences (1994–2010). In 2010–2011, the school was headed by Yury Kuzmin.^[14] Since 2011, the dean has been Irina Novikova, Doctor of Historical Sciences.^[15]

Stages of Development

• First stage (1994 – mid-2000s) – Establishment. During this period, the school moved into the 8th entrance of the Smolny building, the first departments were created, the European Union Documentation Centre and the Council of Europe Information Centre were opened, and the first major international conference was held.^[16]
• Second stage (mid-2000s – early 2020s) – Rapid growth. After SPbU was granted special status and the right to its own educational standards, most of the master's programs were launched. The school became a center for analytical work, strengthened its international ties, and grew into one of the leading centers for the study of international relations in Russia.^[17]
• Third stage (since early 2020s) – Adaptation to new conditions. This stage is characterized by the adoption of online technologies, the creation of courses for international educational platforms, the launch of the "Artificial Intelligence and International Security" program, and the organization of the St. Petersburg Congresses of International Relations Researchers (2022, 2024).^[18]

Structure

The school includes six departments:^[19]

• Department of American Studies
• Department of European Studies
• Department of International Humanitarian Relations
• Department of International Relations in the Post-Soviet Area
• Department of Theory and History of International Relations
• Department of World Politics

Academic staff

The school continues the teaching traditions established by international scholars of Saint Petersburg University, such as Fyodor Martens and V. P. Vasilyev. A key strength of the current faculty is the representation of all generations of scholars and the continuous addition of highly qualified staff. Over 30 years, 25 faculty members have defended their doctoral dissertations. As a result, the proportion of Doctors of Sciences among full-time faculty has increased from 16% to 27% (as of 2024).^[20]

Educational activities

The curriculum is based on SPbU's own educational standards.^[21] The school offers online courses on the Russian "Open Education" platform and the international platform XuetangX (China).^[22] To strengthen ties with professional practice, Educational Program Councils have been established, headed by leading academics and practitioners. For example, the chairman of the "BRICS Studies" program council is Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Sergey Ryabkov.^[21]

Master's programs

As of September 2024, the school offers 16 master's programs:^[23]

Program Name	Year Opened	Program Head
American Studies	1996	Prof. Y. G. Akimov
European Studies	1996	Assoc. Prof. N. G. Zaslavskaya
History of International Relations in the 20th–21st Centuries	2001	Prof. R. V. Kostyuk
International Relations in the Post-Soviet Area	2001	Prof. N. S. Niyazov
World Politics	2002	Prof. N. Y. Markushina
Baltic and Nordic Studies	2003	Assoc. Prof. D. A. Lanko
International Humanitarian Relations	2003	Assoc. Prof. N. M. Bogolyubova
Pacific Studies	2003	Prof. N. A. Tsvetkova
International Relations (in English)	2003	Assoc. Prof. O. V. Grigoryeva
International Cooperation in Environment and Development	2004	Assoc. Prof. N. K. Kharlampyeva
Diplomacy of the Russian Federation and Foreign States	2006	Prof. S. L. Tkachenko
Theory of International Relations and Foreign Policy Analysis	2006	Prof. V. N. Konyshev
Strategic and Arms Control Studies (in English)	2010	Prof. A. Y. Pavlov
Public Relations in International Relations	2011	Assoc. Prof. R. S. Vykhodets
BRICS Studies	2019	Prof. V. L. Kheifets
Artificial Intelligence and International Security	2022	Prof. K. A. Pantcerev

Research

Since 2018, the school has published its own series of the journal Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. International Relations, which features authors from Russia, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, India, China, the USA, and other countries.^[24] The school organizes major academic events, including the "Russia–Latin America" forums, the "Asian Dialogue," and the Saint Petersburg Congress of International Relations Researchers.^[25]

Student life

The school has a Student Scientific Society (Russian: Студенческое научное общество, SNO), which organizes conferences, role-playing games such as Model United Nations, and maintains its own blog on the Russian International Affairs Council website.^[26] Students have repeatedly won the national "Student Startup" competition.^[26]

A distinctive feature of the school is its international student body. Over its 30-year history, students from 109 countries have studied here, including from China, Japan, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Italy, Germany, Brazil, Iran, France, and the United States.^[26]

Rankings

Saint Petersburg State University consistently holds high positions in subject rankings for "Politics & International Relations."

• In the international QS World University Rankings, the university is ranked in the 51–100 group globally for the subject "Politics & International Studies" (2024).^[27]
• In the Russian subject ranking "Three University Missions," SPbU ranked 1st in 2022 and 2nd in 2023, after MSU.^[28]

Notable visitors

Over the years, the school has hosted many Russian and foreign politicians, state officials, and public figures, including:

• President of Russia Vladimir Putin (2002, with U.S. President George W. Bush)
• General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping (2019)
• President of France Jacques Chirac and Chancellor of Germany Gerhard Schröder (2003)
• General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev
• President of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly María Fernanda Espinosa^[29]

Alumni

Graduates of the school work in the Presidential Administration of Russia, the staffs of the Government and Federal Assembly, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The high level of their training has been noted by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.^[30] They also pursue careers in major corporations such as Gazprom and Rosneft, international organizations like the World Bank and the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly, and have been involved in organizing major international events, including the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.^[31]

A notable alumnus is the writer and screenwriter Alexander Tsypkin.