The Peoples' Friendship University in Russia marks its 50th anniversary on Friday.
* The Peoples' Friendship University was founded February 5, 1960 by the Soviet government. A year later, it was given the name of Patrice Lumumba, a Congolese independence leader
* The university was created at a time when the Soviet Union and the West fiercely fought for influence in dozens of Asian and African states freshly liberated from colonial rule and Latin American countries which were looking for their political identity
* It was intended as a place where new political elites from Asian, African and Latin American countries could receive free education and be politically indoctrinated to maintain close ties with the Kremlin in the future
* Students were accepted via public organizations and government institutions, and then via Soviet embassies and consulates
* During its 50 years, the university has prepared over 70,000 specialists in various sectors, many of whom became senior members of government, political and business leaders in their countries.
* Studies at the university's main departments started September 1, 1961
* The first graduation ceremony was held June 29, 1965. That year, 288 specialists from 47 countries graduated.
* On February 5, 1992, the university was renamed the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN)
* More than 47,000 of its graduates work in 165 countries
* The collapse of the Soviet Union in late 1991 removed the ideological mission of the university, but it remained a highly valued educational institution with a solid international reputation.
* Each year up to 1,500 students from over 100 countries join the university. This academic year, around 5,200 students and post-graduates are attending classes and carrying out research in the university.
* The university's rector is academician Vladimir Filippov, doctor of physical and mathematical sciences
* According to independent ratings agency ReitOR, the university ranks fourth among Russian universities after Moscow State University, St. Petersburg State University and the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.
MOSCOW, February 5 (RIA Novosti)
