Northern State Medical Universit, Russia

The Northern State Medical University (NSMU) is the only institution offering higher education in medicine in the European North of Russia: the NSMU is the northernmost Medical University in Russia. The university got agreements with 6 governors of North-Western Russia. Not only for Arkhangelsk Region, but also for other areas of North-Western Russia (Vologda, Murmansk and Nenets regions; Komi and Karelia republics) the NSMU is a remarkable university center, which has nowadays approximately 5500 students – with PG students altogether 8000. The staff consists of 980 researches, teachers, academicians and professors. There are 18 faculties at the Northern State Medical University.

The history of the Northern State Medical University starts more than 75 years ago: the Arkhangelsk Medical Institute was founded in 1932. In 1994 the name was altered to Medical Academy, until in year 2000 it was reorganized as university.

The Northern State Medical University has experience already for many years in cooperation with foreign partners. The university has partnership agreements, and regularly takes part in international conferences. The other international and multicultural element in the everyday life of the university is you, growing amount of international students. One of the most significant cities of Northern Russia hosts every year hundreds of students, coming from different parts of the world.

In year 2000 in the Northern State Medical University was opened faculty for foreign students, but already in 1991/1992 the university received its first foreign students from India, Pakistan and Syria. Students represent different countries all over the world: India, Pakistan, Ukraine, Belarus, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaidzhan, Turkey, Palestine, Syria, Jordan, Angola, Cameroon, Zambia, Nigeria and Peru.

This guide is created to help you in orientating to the studies at the Northern State Medical University and living in Arkhangelsk. Firstly, there is information about the university, and secondly, there are some practical and general information about the city of Arkhangelsk. In this compact booklet you’ll find important information about studies as well as about events and places in Arkhangelsk.

The whole staff of the university is working for you to make your staying as easy and nice as possible. Especially the International Faculty, International Office and the Department of Russian Language are the place where to ask questions and where to turn if something bothers. Feedback from students themselves is important for us so that we could develop our work further. If you have comments, in good as well in bad, please, let us know. We hope you’ll enjoy being part of our university!

We managed to create scientific research institutes of marine and Arctic medicine in the structure of the university, proceeding from the fact that both these directions are priority in the Russian North. And it is no coincidence that our scientists are leading specialized problem commissions of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences and it is our university that is responsible for developing medical support issues and professional selection of specialists for working on the Arctic shelf.
It is our university that, since the late 1980s, was the first in Arkhangelsk to begin training foreign students who today can continue their studies in three magistracies in public health, circumpolar medicine and social work.
The University has an extensive clinical base, and already from the first year students have the opportunity to get acquainted with their future work, to learn from the experience of their senior colleagues. All our graduates find a worthy application of the knowledge and skills obtained in the alma mater, they serve the noble cause of protecting the health of the northerners. Today our scientists, including very young people, cooperate on an equal footing with leading specialists of European universities and clinics, participate in international scientific projects, are experts of the World Health Organization.

Student Union offers help and activities in different fields. One branch of the Student Union is Sport club, whose services members of the Student Union can use. Members get tickets to movies on a lower price. Further, every year excursions both in Russia and in foreign countries are organized. These trips cost for student-members about 50% less than normally. And at last, but not least, Student Union offers service, which is very important for the students finishing their studies and planning their future careers.

Student Club focuses on students’ social life outside academic sphere. Student-members organize free time activities, like parties and different kind of occasions, e.g. “Knighting of students”, “Spring of Dance”, song contests and spectacles. There is dance group as well as students’ amateur theatre. The theatre staff often goes on to different cities in Russia.

You will be offered an accommodation in one of the student hostel of the Northern State Medical university. Rooms are furnished (table, chairs, beds, shelf, wardrobe) and are for 2-3 persons. Two rooms have common shower and toilet. Rooms are shared with other students of same gender, but in the same block there can be students of opposite gender as neighbors. In the student dormitory no. 1 there are common kitchens and laundries, and there are arranged common room in the first and third dormitories. Kitchen ware you should get yourself, and if you have your own computer, also Internet connection you will pay yourself.

On average, the temperature in Arkhangelsk in January is -13 Celsius degrees and in July +17 Celsius degrees. But note, that these figures informs just the average temperatures; in winter time (December – March) there can be as cold as -30 Celsius degrees. And in the summer time (June – August) as warm as +25 Celsius degrees. And mean time – everything between or beyond these temperatures! First snow usually rains in October, but usually it won’t last long time at once.Especially during the autumn season it rains a lot.