Russian State University for the Humanities

When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Professor Juri Afanasiev, a known liberal activist and the Rector of Moscow State Institute for History and Archives, quickly moved to become the founder of a new university. This university was conceived as a new type of school which would combine the study of humanities with highly specialized professional education. From its very beginnings, Russian State University for the Humanities enjoyed the support and generous funding of Yeltsyn government. Thus, Professor Afanasiev was able to incorporate the rich academic resources of his former institute and attract some top faculty members from various other institutions. In addition, he received permission to occupy the centrally located facilities, formally housing the party-run school for the ideological training of the communist apparatchiks.

 

Professor Afanasiev during his visit to Dickinson College