Saint Petersburg Mining University

Saint Petersburg Mining University of Empress Catherine II (Russian: Санкт-Петербургский горный университет императрицы Екатерины II) is the oldest technical university of Russia and one of the oldest technical universities in Europe. The university was founded on October 21, 1773, by Empress Catherine the Great, who realised an idea proposed by Peter the Great and Mikhail Lomonosov for training engineers for mining and metal industries. Having a strong engineering profession was seen by many Russian rulers as a vital means of maintaining Russia's status as a great power. As historian Alfred J. Rieber wrote, "The marriage of technology and central state power had a natural attraction for Peter the Great and his successors, particularly Paul I, Alexander I, and Nicholas I".

Type

National research university

Founded

1773

Also known as

Empress Catherine the Great Saint Petersburg Mining University, Gorny, Institute of the Corps of Mining Engineers, Leningrad Mining Institute