Lesgaft University

Lesgaft University founded by an outstanding scientist and educator Peter Lesgaft in 1896 is the oldest higher physical education institution in Russia and Europe.
 
Having passed the way from Lesgaft courses to the National University, Lesgaft University has become a modern multidisciplinary higher educational institution that naturally combines pedagogical, sport, economic and humanitarian education.
 
The year of the University foundation coincides with the year of the modern Olympic Games rebirth by Pierre de Coubertin.
 
The best Russian scientists, members of the Academy of Sciences I.P. Pavlov, L.A. Orbeli, V.L. Komarov, A.F. Ioffe and E.V. Tarle used to work at Lesgaft University.
 
1935 – The University was awarded the Order of Lenin for training and scientific support of the All-Union complex “Ready for work and defense”.
 
1942 – The University was awarded the Order of Wartime Red Banner for the heroic struggle of the students at the front and in the rear of the Great Patriotic War.
 
In 2005, the higher educational institution passed the state certification and received university status. The same year Lesgaft University was selected as one of 50 innovative universities of Russia to test the model of entering the European Higher Education Area.
 
In 2007, Lesgaft University successfully passed the test of the evaluation commission of the European Union. The university graduates have received The Diploma Supplement since 2009.
 
In 2008, the University became Lesgaft National State University of Physical Education, Sport and Health.
 
Over the years, Lesgaft University becomes one of the leading Russian higher educational institutions according to the level of qualification of the teaching staff, as well as for the number and quality of published textbooks.
 
Scientific schools and traditions established by Peter Lesgaft were developed during the Soviet and post-Soviet period, those are currently still in progress.
 
Today Lesgaft University undertakes global mission of training the coaching and teaching staff, giving scientific and methodological support of the industry and the education of young athletes, the best of which become Olympic champions.
 
It is symbolic that N.A. Panin-Kolomenkin won the first Olympic medal in Russian history in 1908 at London Olympic Games. The athlete later used to work as a professor at Lesgaft Institute.
 
Lesgaft University made a huge contribution to training top-qualification athletes. Our students, postgraduate students and alumni won more than 300 Olympic medals, including 178 Olympic gold medals; more than 900 gold medals at the European and World Championships. Over 600 graduates are honored coaches of various sports.
 
The pride of Lesgaft University are multiple champions of the Olympic Games: Liubov Egorova, Vladimir Salnikov, Аleksandr Dityatin, Tatiana Кazankina, Liudmila Pinaeva, Victor Zhdanovich, Aleksandr Karelin and Olympic champions: Boris Shilkov, Andrei Krylov, Viacheslav Ekimov, Aleksei Urmanov, Aleksei Yagudin, Evgenii Plushenko, Maksim Marinin., Evgenia Medvedeva-Arbuzova, Anna Bogaliy-Titovets, Alina Kabaeva, Olga Kujela.
 
Winners of world Championships and major international tournaments are Nicolai Valuev, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Viacheslav Malafeev, Аleksandr Kerzhakov, Alina Kabaeva and many other outstanding athletes from Lesgaft University.
 
Lesgaft University students permanently become winners of the World Universiades.