Tomsk State University

The National Research Tomsk State University, TSU is a public research university located in Tomsk, Russia. The university, which opened in 1888, was the first university in the Asian part of Russia and, in practice, the first Russian university East of the Volga. There are 23 Faculties and Institutes with 151 Departments and about 23,000 students. In 2022, the university was ranked #272 by QS World University Rankings, #601 by World University Rankings by Times Higher Education, and #901 by Academic Ranking of World Universities. History Imperial University On May 16 (28 N.S.), 1878, Emperor Alexander II signed a decree on the establishment of the first higher education institution between the Russian Urals and the Pacific Ocean. The move was supported by major industrialist and businessmen, who contributed with private funds, as well as by local city councils in Siberia, but was opposed by conservative voices within the State Council, notably Konstantin Pobedonostsev, who complained about the cost of the project and the fact that local Tomsk society consisted of "all sorts of rabble". Nevertheless, the project progressed, albeit slowly, and on September 1, 1888 the first faculty (medicine) of the Siberian Imperial University named after His Imperial Majesty Alexander III finally opened. Classes to the first 72 students were handled by eight professors, aided by seven assistants and laboratory technicians. Professor Nikolai Gezekhus was appointed the first rector of the University. It would take a decade for the second faculty of the university (Law) to become operational.