SARATOV STATE SOCIO-ECONOMIC UNIVERSITY
Saratov State Socio-Economic University is one of the oldest and at the same time one of the universities which develops dynamically. The history of the University began in 1931 when Institute of Finance and Institute of Economics were founded in Saratov. 15 years later they merged into Economic Institute. In 1994 Economic Institute was restructured and got the name of Academy of Economics. In January 1999 this institution of higher education gained the university status.
Now Saratov State Socio-Economic University comprises 7 Faculties, 29 Departments, 4 Branches, College of Industry Technologies and Finance, the Computer Centre, the Library, the Publishing Centre, and the Virtual World of the Russian Museum (St Petersburg) Centre, the Institute of Continuing Learning and the Institute of Distance Learning.
The University is constantly improving the academic process and is trying to implement a 'life-long learning' approach. The University houses the following centres: Centre for Management and Personnel Training, Centre for Interpreter Training in the Field of Professional Communication, Centre for Professional Accountant and Auditor Training, Regional Japanese Centre, Local Committee of AIESEC.
Saratov State Socio-Economic University provides an opportunity of getting higher education in 32 specialties, secondary and vocational education in 6 specialties. There are also six Bachelor, three Master, seven Continuing Learning programmes and 101 professional development programmes.
The total number of students getting higher training is 9,025.
The qualified academic staff, 'the best treasure', of Saratov State Socio-Economic University, provides high quality education. 87 PhDs, DScs in different sciences, Professors and 383 Associate Professors work at the University. Among the academic staff there are two Honoured Scholars of Science of the Russian Federation, eight Honoured Scholars of Higher School, one Laureate of the Premium of the President of the Russian Federation. The academic staff with different kinds of scientific degrees makes up 80,7%; with Doctorate degree being 20,2%.
The University has developed and is implementing the integrity system providing high quality of education. It includes new teaching and IT technologies, workshops on methodology, upgrading courses for academic staff as well as the auxiliary personnel, and supervision of young teaching staff. This system enables evaluation of education quality at all stages.
Authoritative chief executives, specialists of real sector of economy and civil servants of the Government of Saratov Region are widely involved in the academic process. This involvement enhances practical training of specialists.
Development of already existing educational research schools and formation of the new ones, integration and cooperation with universities of other countries on innovation projects, fundamental and applied research, academic staff professional development, interaction with local authorities in meeting the demands of the region are of the top priority in scientific research at the University.
An innovative scientific educational complex is successfully functioning at the University. Its main structures are 13 University 'scientific schools'.
Lines of research at the University embrace the following aspects:
Aspects of Accounting, Statistics, Analysis and Auditing;
Economic issues of effective activity of an enterprise in an industrial complex;
Social and economic problems of regional agro-industrial complex;
Financial and credit mechanisms of economy management;
Economic factors of society in market economy;
Topical issues of Russian history of the XIX—XX centuries;
Social factors of society in market economy;
Political factors of society in market economy;
Man and problems of civilization;
Law violation and legal responsibility;
Students' communication competence in education;
Institutions and institutional mechanism of modern economy;
Aspects of governmental and private financial management.
The University has been cooperating with various industrial enterprises, companies and institutions of the region on terms of reciprocity. As the result, up to 20-30 contracts are signed by the University annually.
The University offers post-diploma education for academic and teaching staff in 14 specialties. There are four dissertation councils where Doctoral (DSc) and Candidate (PhDs) theses are defended. Postgraduates from Saratov and Saratov region as well as from other regions of Russia and CIS get their post-diploma education at the University.
The University is focusing on continuing learning which provides an ongoing retraining of top managers and specialists of regional and city administration, businesses of the Volga Region, and academic staff of higher education institutions of the RF. It offers training programme in «WEB-design», in Presidential programme for administrative staff of national economic enterprises of the RF, in accounting and auditing, in financial programme «Banking», in training of translators in the sphere of professional activities, in MBA programme, and in RIMA programme for specialists in marketing.
Students of the university have new opportunity for continuing learning that is the programme for concurrent training. Module programme «Bachelor of Business Studies» (BABS) is new educational product of the kind. The programme provides an opportunity for students (starting from the 2-d year) to study at British Open University without going abroad and breaking a schedule of major training; the training is carried out in Russian. BABS is implemented according to new methods of open distance learning oriented on practice. It gives an opportunity to get additional education on management and the diploma of Open University for students of any specialty.
The university has the Centre for training of the unemployed which successfully implements the programmes oriented on the development of human resources and contributing to effective employment of the population.
Modern IT technologies are widely introduced by the University administration. This approach gives wider access to education and enables both staff and students to achieve a higher quality of it, as these technologies are employed in everyday teaching and extra-curricular activities. Professional competence is enhanced through participating in federal programmes «IT Technologies in Russia», integral information and education system, and personnel retraining. Cultural competence is enhanced at the Virtual World of the Russian Museum Centre (St Petersburg) with one of the biggest Russian collections of e-files on world art and history.
There are new training methods using e-leaming technologies: the library of authorial electronic teaching materials is systematically built for extramural students; the process of teaching is provided in the Internet using virtual learning environment Moodle.
The University is the only higher education institution in Saratov participating in federal special-purpose IT programmes and has one of the leading positions in building unified information and learning environment of the region.
In July 2004 Saratov State Socio-Economic University gained the status of Microsoft IT Academy. This allows not only to obtain high quality training in Microsoft IT technologies but to get certificate «Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP)» recognized worldwide. New Microsoft programme «Your Course» has been implementing at the university since 2010. The programme is intended for vulnerable segments of the population to enhance their computer competence.
The university international relations are important for the implementation of educational programmes and management of academic process and research. International relations of the university have strengthened recently.
Saratov State Socio-Economic University collaborates with higher education institutions and education centres of other countries. The University cooperates with Universities of Wyoming (the USA), University of Memphis (the USA), Arizona State University East (the USA), University Pierre Mendes France (Grenoble, France), University Jean Monnet (Saint Etienne, France), Aberystwyth University (the United Kingdom), Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College (the United Kingdom), Queen Mary College, University of London (the United Kingdom), Justus Liebig (Gissen, Germany), Savonia University of Applied Sciences (Kuopio, Finland)
University of Rzeszow (Poland), University of Nitra (Slovakia), Ternopol Academy of National Economy (Ukraine), Vinnitsa Trade and Economic University (Vinnitsa, Ukraine), The State University named after M. Utemisova of West Kazakhstan (Kazakhstan), Zhetysuski State University named after I. Zhansugurova (Kazakhstan), State Economic University of Byelorussia, The Baltic International Academy (Riga, Latvia).
Since 1999 the University has been a member of the Compostela Group of Universities (Spain). For six years the University has been a member of European Access Network. SSSEU takes an active part in the education programmes of TEMPUS (TACIS, ERAMIS), Erasmus Mundus, Eurasia Foundation, the British Council, ACTR, Fulbright and the Presidential Programme YDF.
Due to international cooperation new specialties came into existence, as well as new education courses on Management, World Economy and International Economic Relations were organized. Diplomas on these specialties are recognized in Great Britain, France and Germany. Many academic staff members and postgraduate students have taken upgrading courses at foreign partner universities, and the best students have successfully graduated from the leading European universities.
University funds are constantly rising. The Library building and 2 buildings for administrative and studying needs have been built; sports and fitness complex with a swimming pool is put in commission in December 2009. The territory of the University campus is about is 90,000 sq.m. The University has canteens, buffet, health care centre, sports halls and summer camping facilities («The Economist»).
The University is famous for its traditions of students' body administration, cultivation of patriotic values and development of artistic creativity and sportsmanship. The University has a student club where 300 students are enrolled in 18 societies. Modern concert hall has been built at the University.
Federal programme «Students' Health» is to ensure that students have access to a wide range of sport and fitness opportunities and facilities. 400 students are engaged in 17 sport clubs.
The University is proud of its students doing sports. Among them are champions and medal winners of Russia, world and Europe, Olympic Games and Paralympics Games in chess, wrestling, boxing, swimming, basketball, badminton, athletics, rowing and table tennis.
THE FACULTY OF ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT
Dean — N.S. Yashin, PhD (Economics), Professor. The Faculty comprises the Departments of;
Management;
Marketing and Management in Advertising;
Labour Economics and Personnel Management;
Economy and Enterprise Management.
THE FACULTY OF FINANCE AND CREDIT
Dean — A.G. Khachatryan, PhD (Economics), Professor. The Faculty comprises the Departments of:
Banking;
Finance;
Money and Credit.
THE FACULTY OF ACCOUNTING
Dean — N.A. Bortnik, PhD, DSc (Economics), Professor. The Faculty comprises the Departments of:
Business Analysis and Auditing;
Accounting;
Statistics;
Documentation and Documentation Management.
THE HUMANITARIAN FACULTY
Dean — A.N. Donin, PhD, DSc (History), Professor. The Faculty comprises the Departments of:
Economic and Political History of Russia;
Philosophy and Political Science;
Theory of Translation and Cross-cultural Communication;
Sociology and Public Relations;
Pedagogics and Psychology;
Foreign Languages;
Physical Education and Sport.
THE FACULTY OF ECONOMICS AND LAW
Dean — N.P. Kolyadin, PhD, DSc (Economics), Professor. The Faculty comprises the Departments of:
General Theory of Economics;
Institutional Economics;
Hotel and Tourism Business and Service;
Private Law;
Public Law;
National and Regional Economy;
Justice and Procedural Law;
World Economy and Customs Management.
THE FACULTY OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES
Dean — Т.Е. Shulga, PhD (Physics and Mathematics), Associate Professor. The Faculty comprises the Departments of:
Information Systems in Economics;
Applied Mathematics and Computer Science;
Ecology and Life Safety;
THE FACULTY OF EXTRAMURAL STUDIES
Dean — E.A. Romaev, PhD (Economics), Associate Professor. Length of studies varies:
5,5 yrs — on the basis of secondary school education and secondary-vocational education;
Finance and Credit;
Taxes and Taxation;
Business Accounting, Analysis and Auditing;
Business Management;
Marketing;
State and Municipal Management;
Enterprise Management in Food Industry.
3,5 yrs — on the basis of secondary-vocational (economic) education:
Finance and Credit;
Taxes and Taxation;
Accounting, Analysis and Auditing.
3 yrs — on the basis of higher (non-economic) education:
Finance and Credit;
Accounting, Analysis and Auditing.
INSTITUTE OF DISTANCE LEARNING
Director — N.F. Gorchakova, PhD (Economics), Associate Professor. The Faculty offers courses in:
Finance and Credit;
Accounting, Analysis and Auditing;
Business Management;
Enterprise Management in Food Industry;
Jurisprudence;
World Economy;
Sociology.
Students study and are free to pay fees at their convenience. The Faculty gives access to Russian scientific portal www.openet.ru.
UNIVERSITY BRANCHES
BALAKOVO INSTITUTE OF ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS
Director — M.G. Shevashkevich, PhD, DSc (Economics), Associate Professor. Length of studies varies:
5 yrs (full-time), 5,5 yrs (part time) on the basis of secondary school education and secondary-vocational education:
Finance and Credit;
Accounting, Analysis and Auditing;
Business Management (full-time);
Enterprise Management in Food Industry (full-time);
Taxes and Taxation (full-time);
Applied Informatics (in Economy).
3,5 yrs (part-time) — on the basis of secondary-vocational (economic) education:
Finance and Credit;
Accounting, Analysis and Auditing.
UNIVERSITY BRANCH IN BALASHOV
Director — A.F Shturbabin, PhD (Agrarian Sciences), Associate Professor. Length of studies varies:
5 yrs (full-time), 5,5 yrs (part time) on the basis of secondary school education and secondary-vocational education:
Finance and Credit;
Business Management.
3,5 yrs (part-time) — on the basis of secondary-vocational (economic) education:
• Accounting, Analysis and Auditing.
UNIVERSITY BRANCH IN MARKS
Director — V.A. Ivanov, PhD (History), Associate Professor. Length of studies varies:
5 yrs (full-time) on the basis of secondary school education and secondary-vocational education:
Accounting, Analysis and Auditing;
Enterprise Management in Industry.
3,5 yrs (part-time) — on the basis of secondary-vocational (economic) education:
• Accounting, Analysis and Auditing.
UNIVERSITY BRANCH IN SEVASTOPOL (UKRAINE)
Director — I.A. Shevchuk, DSc (Medicine), Professor. Length of studies varies:
5 yrs (full-time), 5,5 yrs (part time) on the basis of secondary school education and secondary-vocational education:
Finance and Credit;
Business Management.
COLLEGE OF INDUSTRY TECHNOLOGIES AND FINANCE
Director — V.M. Tyukhmatjev, PhD (Engineering). The College offers courses in:
Banking;
Economics and Accounting (in Industry);
Finance in Industry;
Taxes and Taxation;
Applied Computer Science (in Industry);
Welding Industry;
Motor Transport Maintenance;
Automation of Technological Processes and Production (in Industry);
Installation and Operation of Gas Supply Systems;
Installation, Fettling and Operation of Electric Equipment of Industrial
and Civil Buildings.
LYCEUM OF ECONOMICS
Director — S.V. Yakunina, PhD (Economics), Associate Professor.
The Lyceum was founded in 1992.