Ural State University, Yekaterinburg

Ural State University was founded in 1920 and became one of the first large universities in the Ural region. It grew during a time of rapid industrial and scientific development and trained specialists in engineering, natural sciences, humanities, and public service. Many graduates later worked in research, education, and government, both in the region and across the country.

The campus reflects different periods of 20th-century architecture. Early Soviet buildings were designed to be practical and large, while later, after the war, new buildings added more classrooms and laboratories. The exteriors are simple and geometric. Inside, the spaces follow a familiar university layout with lecture halls, corridors, labs, and reading rooms. In some buildings, original interior details from the time of construction are still visible.

Today, the former Ural State University is part of a federal university but continues to follow its own academic traditions. In the 2026 academic year, it was ranked #519 in the QS World University Rankings. The university is ranked in the global top 100 in fields including Petroleum Engineering, Social Policy and Administration, and Hospitality and Leisure Management. In 2025, it ranked second in Russia for patent activity, and twenty research teams received major grants from the Russian Science Foundation, covering topics from space science to neurocognitive research.