North-Eastern Federal University

Established in 1956, North-Eastern Federal University is based in Yakutsk, in the Republic of Sakha, Siberia, and is the largest higher education institution in north-eastern Russia. North-Eastern Federal University has a large student community of 18,000 undergraduates spread across four campuses. Around 500 postgraduate researchers and 1,600 academic staff are employed at the university. The institution has a heavy focus on sciences, but also has faculties of history, law, geology and road construction. The university prides itself on its international outlook, and has a high number of international and visiting professors at any one time. As many as 60 study abroad programmes and 179 international research and teaching partnerships are in place. Several undergraduate programmes are taught in English ,with international students in mind. To this end, students are encouraged to take on additional language classes, and an English language programme is available alongside regular studies. Some 227 undergraduate and 215 graduate programmes are available in total. North-Eastern Federal University sits in Yakutsk on the Lena River. Said to have begun as a small wooden fort built by Russian Cossaks in 1632, the city is now a busy hub of more than 250,000 people. Nonetheless, the university is in an unusual setting – Sakha is the largest and coldest territorial subdivision in the world, with temperatures ranging from -50 degrees to +40 degrees celsius in summer. The city was built on permafrost, a layer of frozen soil hundreds of meters deep, meaning many of the buildings are on stilts to prevent heat escaping. Students come here to experience unique landscapes, and hiking trips outside the city are popular in summer. Popular winter activities include the city’s many museums which cover natural history, archaeology and fine arts. There are also a number of theatres showing traditional Russian drama, dance and opera. On-site facilities include open air and indoor sports fields, as well as basketball courts and a year-round swimming pool. Notable alumni include George Balakshin, an Olympic boxer best known for winning the European title three times.