Background (18th–20th centuries) The study of international relations at Saint Petersburg University has deep historical roots. In the 18th century, the curriculum included humanities, history, and law, laying the groundwork for future disciplines. After the university's re-establishment in 1819, a Department of International Law was created at the Faculty of Law. In the latter half of the 19th century, under the leadership of
Fyodor Martens, it evolved into an internationally renowned academic school. The
Faculty of Oriental Studies, opened in 1855, also played a crucial role in training specialists for diplomatic and consular service. This tradition continued in the Soviet period with the creation of the Department of History of International Relations and Foreign Policy of the USSR at the Faculty of History in 1944. The department trained analysts and diplomats but was closed in 1950 during the
Leningrad affair. Subsequent proposals to re-establish it were rejected, and from the 1970s, a de facto ban was imposed on publications related to contemporary international relations in Leningrad, leading to a 44-year decline of the field at the university.
Establishment and Development (1994–present) The re-establishment of the school in 1994 was a response to the profound changes in Russia, including a dramatic expansion of international ties and growing public demand for specialists in international relations. The founding process was met with intense debate within the university about the appropriateness of a professionally-oriented school in a classical university and the reallocation of resources amid budget cuts. Key figures in the school's creation included SPbU Rector
Stanislav Merkuryev and Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Mechanics
Gennady Leonov. The initiative was also supported by academicians
Aleksandr Fursenko and Boris Anan'ich, who viewed it as correcting an "injustice committed in those years." Support from the Saint Petersburg Mayor's Office, including Mayor
Anatoly Sobchak and his deputy
Vladimir Putin, helped overcome bureaucratic hurdles at the federal level. The school's concept was developed after studying the experiences of
MGIMO and leading foreign institutions. An interdisciplinary model was adopted, combining the study of history, international relations theory, international law, and world economics, which distinguished it from purely linguistic or political science approaches. On March 28, 1994, the Academic Council of SPbU approved the school's creation, and on April 14, 1994, acting rector
Lyudmila Verbitskaya signed the corresponding order. The first dean was
Konstantin Khudoley, Doctor of Historical Sciences (1994–2010). In 2010–2011, the school was headed by Yury Kuzmin. Since 2011, the dean has been
Irina Novikova, Doctor of Historical Sciences.
Stages of Development •
First stage (1994 – mid-2000s) – Establishment. During this period, the school moved into the 8th entrance of the Smolny building, the first departments were created, the European Union Documentation Centre and the Council of Europe Information Centre were opened, and the first major international conference was held. •
Second stage (mid-2000s – early 2020s) – Rapid growth. After SPbU was granted special status and the right to its own educational standards, most of the master's programs were launched. The school became a center for analytical work, strengthened its international ties, and grew into one of the leading centers for the study of international relations in Russia. •
Third stage (since early 2020s) – Adaptation to new conditions. This stage is characterized by the adoption of online technologies, the creation of courses for international educational platforms, the launch of the "Artificial Intelligence and International Security" program, and the organization of the St. Petersburg Congresses of International Relations Researchers (2022, 2024). == Structure ==