People's Friendship University

People’s Friendship University 

(full name, Patrice Lumumba People’s Friendship University), a university established in 1960 in Moscow by the Soviet Committee of Solidarity With the Countries of Asia and Africa and by the Union of Soviet Societies for Friendship and Cultural Ties With Foreign Countries. It was founded in order to train skilled specialists for the developing countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. In 1961 the university was named for Patrice Lumumba.

As a result of the establishment of the People’s Friendship University, youth from developing countries (mostly members of low-income families) have been able to receive a modern higher education and to take part in the development of the economy and culture of their countries. The students are educated in the spirit of internationalism and friendship of peoples. There is no charge for tuition, housing, or medical services; scholarships are granted to all students.

As of 1975, the university had one preparatory department, six main departments (physics, mathematics, and natural sciences; history and philology; economics and law; engineering; agriculture; and medicine), 83 subdepartments, a graduate school, and a clinical residency program. Facilities at the time included 161 teaching and scientific research laboratories, a computer center, and a library containing 650,000 volumes. The university arranges apprentice work for students in 240 industrial enterprises, farms, clinics, and scientific research institutions in 35 cities and ten Union republics.

In the 1974–75 academic year, approximately 5,000 undergraduate degree candidates, stazhery (students in a special course not leading to a degree), clinical residents, and graduate students were enrolled in the People’s Friendship University. The university employed more than 1,000 teachers and research workers in that academic year, including approximately 100 professors and doctors of sciences and 460 docents and candidates of sciences. The professors and instructors work on current problems of science and engineering that are pertinent to the university’s areas of study. In addition to collections of research papers, the university publishes instructional and methodological materials (more than 2,000 printer’s sheets [pechatnye listy] annually).

A member of the International Association of Universities, the People’s Friendship University maintains relations with scientific establishments and institutions of higher education in many countries. Since the time of its founding, the university has trained more than 5,600 specialists, including 450 candidates of sciences, who now work in 92 countries. The People’s Friendship University was awarded the Order of Friendship of Peoples in 1975.

V. F. STANIS