Peoples’ Friendship University (PFU) was founded on 5 February, 1960 by the USSR Government. On 22 February, 1961, the University was named after Patrice Lumumba - one of the symbols of the African peoples’ fight for independence.

The first 288 students from 47 countries graduated in 1965. Around that time international construction teams started to appear, the first student teams of KVN (a Russian improvisation comedy show «Club of the Merry and Inventive People») were organized (later on, the PFUR KVN team became one of the most famous teams in the country). In 1966, construction of a new campus in the South-West district of Moscow was started. By 1975, the University had more than 5600 graduates, among them 4250 people from 89 foreign countries. That year, the University was awarded the Peoples’ friendship Order for achievements in training experts for Asian, African and Latin America countries. The University’s name was changed to the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia on 5 February, 1992 by the RF Government, which is considered the University’s founder.

Today Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia is one of the leading state higher educational institutions of Russia. It is the only university in the world every year uniting students from 140 countries. The University has a multiprofile structure of faculties and majors, typical for classical universities of the world. More than 77 thousand graduates of the University work in 170 countries, among them more than 5500 holders of PhD and Doctorate degrees. Specialists are prepared in 62 majors and lines of study. More than 29 thousand graduate and postgraduate students from 140 countries are currently studying at the university. They represent more than 450 nations and nationalities of the world. The University is a renowned research center. It is a team of 4500 employees, among them 2200 highly qualified teachers. The University intellectual fund comprises more than 870 author’s invention certificates and 150 patents of the Russian Federation in practically all fields of University scientific research.

Many foreign and Russian political and public figures and outstanding scholars and scientists became PFUR Emeritus Professors. Among them are presidents of Namibia, Angola, Sri Lanka and South African Republic, Gabon and Nigeria; prime-ministers Bangladesh, Kazakhstan; UN Chief Executive Officer on Education, Culture and Science; Director of CEPES.

After 50 years of existence, the University is known world-wide as a major academic and research center, many years in top-five

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