The National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE), colloquially known as “Vyshka” (“Highie”, also literally watchtower), in Moscow, is a Russian University specializing in social sciences. It was founded in 1992, later it expanded into other social sciences and began educating managers, lawyers and sociologists. In October 2009 the HSE received the status of a National Research University. Currently, there are 19 faculties and schools in the HSE and around 15 000 students.

The Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN) was founded in 1960 as Peoples’ Friendship University (in Russian: Университет дружбы народов им. Патриса Лумумбы). It was founded in 1960 and its stated objective at the time was to help nations of the Third World, mainly in Asia, Africa and South America. Nowadays it is ranked by the Ministry of Education of Russia as the country’s third-best university. It currently hosts 14 faculties and institutes with about 28000 students, out of which about 5000 are international students from 141 countries.

The Finance University under the Government of the Russian Federation (Finance University) is a federal state-funded institution located in Moscow. It is considered among top 5 universities in Russia and one of the oldest (founded in 1919) Russian universities preparing economists, financiers, bankers and financial lawyers.

Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO-University) is the diplomatic school of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia. Founded in 1944, it is the oldest and the most renowned school in Russia for preparing specialists in international relations and diplomacy.

M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University is the largest university in Russia. Established in 1755, it also claims to be the oldest university in Russia and to have the tallest educational building in the world. The university has more than 40 000 undergraduates and about 7 000 postgraduate students. Every year Moscow University enrolls about 2 000 international students from all over the world.

Saint Petersburg State University is one of the oldest, largest and most prestigious universities in Russia. There are more than 32,000 students in SPBSU, receiving education in more than 323 specialties in 20 faculties.

Novosibirsk State University is one of the most famous universities in Russia founded in 1959. The university is located 20 kilometers from the city of Novosibirsk, a cultural and industrial center of Siberia. The total number of students is about 7000.