Interfax Information Services Group presented the XI annual National University Ranking for the 2019/2020 academic year.

The list of the best universities in Russia was topped by Lomonosov Moscow State University, the second place was taken by the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, and the third - by the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT).

Penza State University took 66th-67th positions, having risen by four points within a year.

The activities of universities were assessed according to six parameters: education; brand; research; socialization; internationalization; innovation.

PSU made a significant breakthrough in the “Education” indicator and now occupies the 14th place among all universities in the country, ahead of many high-status universities by this criterion (39th – 41st place in 2018/2019).

As for other universities of our city, Penza State University of Architecture and Construction and Penza State Technological University also entered the National Interfax ranking by occupying 160th-161st (155th-160th last year) and 319th-322nd (291st-292nd - last year) places, respectively.

Interfax Information Services Group has been implementing the National University Ranking project since 2010. The main goal of the project is to develop mechanisms and procedures for an independent assessment system of Russian universities and their educational programmes, to increase the competitiveness of the Russian education system, research and technological entrepreneurship, and to develop federal and regional universities, which are considered as drivers of the country's economic growth.