Rector Aleksandr Guliakov presents his annual report to the Academic Council

At a meeting of the PSU Academic Council, which took place on Thursday, February 27, Rector Aleksandr Guliakov presented a report on the results of the university's work in 2024.

The University Rector noted that positive results were achieved in key areas of activity during the reporting period.

Penza State University is the only Penza university included in international rankings. In 2024, PSU entered the international university ranking "Three University Missions" for the fourth time (1401st position out of 2000 universities in the world and 67th place out of 152 Russian universities included in the ranking); for the third time, it entered the global ranking of the best universities in the world Times Higher Education (THE) (1501st place out of 2092 universities in the world and 56th place out of 81 Russian universities); for the second time, it entered the international THE subject ranking in "Physical Sciences" (1001+ position out of 1370 universities in the world, 45th place out of 57 Russian universities represented in the ranking).

In the National University Ranking, PSU is ranked 89th out of 378 universities (the university improved its positions in the Social Environment and University Brand indicators). The university won the federal stage of the All-Russian competition of the 100 Best Goods of Russia Programme and was awarded a laureate diploma for the high quality of the implementation of the higher education programme Condensed Matter Physics.

Following the results of the admission campaign, 6,149 people from 56 regions of the Russian Federation and 22 countries of the near and far abroad were enrolled in the university, including 17 people on the results of Olympiads, 8 people who scored 100 points for the Unified State Exam, and 16 people were accepted without entrance examinations. 258 people were enrolled in places for targeted admission. The overall average Unified State Exam score was 69.13.

The share of PSU in the total number of students in the Penza region is high: mathematical and natural sciences - 100%, health care and medical sciences - 100%, education and pedagogical sciences - 86.7%, the humanities - 76.6%, social sciences - 71%, engineering, technology and technical sciences - 41%.

Aleksandr Guliakov reminded that the university implements 289 educational programmes of higher and secondary vocational education. The number of students in all forms amounted to 21,969 people. Much attention is paid to issues of inclusive education: 383 students with disabilities are studying at the university. Six PSU educational programmes are among the best educational programmes of innovative Russia. The university has successfully completed the implementation of the target programme "Pedagogical Education".

Penza State University pays special attention to additional education. The total number of students in additional professional education programmes by the end of 2024 was 5,689 people. The number of faculty members who took advanced professional training programmes exceeded 900 people.

Special attention is still paid to the development of science and its popularization. The volume of R&D in 2024 amounted to 148.7 million roubles. The university's scientists have published more than a thousand articles in journals of State Commission for Academic Degrees and Titles, 4,657 articles have been indexed in the RSCI; 20 grants from the Russian Science Foundation have been received, 6 projects are being implemented under a state assignment from the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia; the competition "Rector's Grants for Young Candidates of Science and Postgraduates" was held for the third time. In addition, within the framework of the federal project "Development of Human Capital in the Interests of Regions, Industries and the Research and Development Sector", a grant was received to create a youth research laboratory developing the scientific topic "Synthesis and Study of Promising Nanomaterials, Coatings and Electronic Devices".

International cooperation had become particularly productive by the end of 2024. The university has 2,984 foreign students from 46 countries; eight educational programmes are implemented in English; two educational programmes operate in a network format. The volume of income from educational activities of foreign citizens amounted to 550 million roubles.

The leading university in the region keeps up with the times. PSU places special emphasis on digitalization. Through the super service "Online University Admission", 10,263 applications from 2,746 applicants (49% of the total number of applications) were accepted. The university continues to develop online education - PSU has created more than 2 thousand online courses in various disciplines. A unique project designed by university specialists is being developed - an electronic information educational environment; a mobile application for students has been developed; the official website has been improved. For the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory in the Great Patriotic War, the resource "Immortal Regiment of PSU" was created.

Infrastructure development is underway: the classroom fund is being modernized, educational buildings, halls of residence, and social and cultural facilities are being renovated; work is being done to improve and plant greenery on the campus; utilities and equipment are being reconstructed. The chapel of the spouses Maria and Aleksandr Kiselev was opened. The opening of the chapel on the territory of Penza State University is symbolic. Maria Kiseleva had bequeathed that a Theological Seminary be built on the estate area, where the main building of our university is located today. After the opening of the "Student Space", a presentation of the "Cybersports Space" took place in educational building No. 7.

Aleksandr Guliakov emphasized that support for student initiatives and the formation of an active civic position among young people are the key to the successful development of the country. The university pays great attention to expanding the activities of student associations, volunteering, and involving students in project activities. 50 PSU students receive a scholarship from the President of the Russian Federation, 68 receive a scholarship from the Government of the Russian Federation. PSU athletes win international competitions and world, European and national.

Employment of graduates is another vector of development that the Rector focused on. 95% of full-time graduates are employed, 75% remain to work in the Penza region - this is significant.

The Rector noted that information openness is increasing, the number of publications about the university in the media remains consistently high. The number of views of the official website in 2024 amounted to more than 25 million. PSU entered the top 5 universities in Russia in terms of the number of releases published in the media.

Aleksandr Guliakov thanked the staff for their productive work, noting that the merits of the University representatives are recognized at the highest level: over the year, the university employees were awarded 26 departmental and 101 regional awards. Two employees were included in the list of "2% of the best scientists in the world" according to Stanford University, and three employees became winners of the "Golden Names of Higher Education" competition.