Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University

The need to establish a specialized educational institution focused on electrical engineering arose in Russia in 1884. At the time, application of electrical phenomena in telegraph devices was widespread, so the main task for the new Technical College was to teach subjects dealing only with the oldest branch of electrical engineering. The Chief of the Administration of Posts and Telegraphs made a statement about the need for specialists with higher education in the State Council of the Russian Empire. Count Dmitry Tolstoy, Minister of Interior, submitted a draft of Provisional Regulations to the State Council and the staff of the Technical College. On June 3, 1886, Emperor Alexander III approved of the Provisional Regulations on the Technical College with a three-year term of study.

On September 4, 1886, Technical College of the Postal and Telegraph Department, the first civilian electrotechnical educational Institution in Russia, was opened. Nikolai Pisarevsky, an outstanding engineer in the field of electrical communications, became the director of the school. The building of the former Telegraph Department (Novo-Isaakievskaya 18, now Yakubovicha Street) was allocated for the needs of the college.

The results of the first study year showed that it was necessary to increase the period of study and expand education programs. On June 11 (23), 1891, Emperor Alexander III signed a decree and renamed Technical College as Electrotechnical Institute (ETI) with a four-year term of study. Its graduates had the right to defend their thesis projects after one year of practical work, and they were awarded titles of engineers. The curriculum was expanded and departments were established on core subjects - mathematics, physics, chemistry, electrical engineering, telegraph and telegraph devices. Education was free.

After Nikolai Pisarevsky passed away in 1895, Nikolai Kachalov became the head of the institute. In the days of his leadership, the university underwent significant changes. On June 4 (16), 1899, ETI was granted the status of a higher education institution with the introduction of a five-year training period. The university began specialist training in all fields of electrical studies.

In August 1899, Emperor Nicholas II issued an order to rename the institute in memory of its "unforgettable founder", Alexander III as Electrotechnical Institute of Emperor Alexander III. Graduates have been awarded titles of electrical engineers since 1900.

The second industrial revolution in the late XIX century increased the demand for electrical engineering. It was decided to construct a group of buildings for the Institute on Aptekarsky Island. The architect Alexander Vekshinsky designed the building in pseudo-gothic style. The Institute was granted classrooms, as well as laboratories, a library, and an assembly hall. ETI moved to the new location in 1903.

Alexander Popov, the inventor of the radio, was appointed as professor of the Department of Physics in 1901. He then became the first elected director of the institute in September 1905.

ETU “LETI” specializes in electrical engineering, radio engineering, and computer science, but also offers Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral programs in the field of humanities, economics and public relations. ETU “LETI” welcomes students all over the world. There are about 1000 international students from 60 countries at the university.

International students who are willing to acquire new, profound knowledge and practical skills can apply to each of the 6 English-taught Master's programs at the university:

• Laser Measuring Technology
• Bioengineering Systems and Technologies for Prosthetics and Rehabilitation
• RF, Microwave and Terahertz Engineering of Wireless Systems
• Automation and Mechatronics
• Photovoltaics and Solar Energy Technology
• Computer Science and Knowledge Discovery

Other programs require Russian language comprehension. However, international students can get enrolled in the Preparatory Department to bridge this gap. For those who want to learn Russian, ETU LETI offers Summer Schools of Russian language. In addition to that, university organizes Professional Summer Schools that provide students with an opportunity to acquire additional skills and increase their knowledge in the following areas:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Software Engineering

ETU LETI has partnership cooperation in education with 82 universities in 29 countries. It takes part in Erasmus Mundus program.

University offers several Joint and Double-diploma programs such as Joint bachelor's program with Xuzhou Institute of Technology, Double-diploma program with Lappeenranta University of Technology and TU Ilmenau.

1886-1891 – Technical College of the Post and Telegraph Department

1891-1898 – Electrotechnical Institute

1898-1917 – Electrotechnical Institute of Emperor Alexander III

1918-1992 – Electrotechnical Institute named after V.I. Ulyanov (Lenin)

1992-1998 – Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University

Since 1998 – Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University "LETI"

• Konstantin Khrenov
• Zhores Alferov
• Valery Golubev
• Vladimir Kozhin
• Alexei Mishin
• Michael Fimin

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