On September 1, the Graduate School of Management of St. Petersburg University (GSOM SPbU) opened its doors to first-year students. New bachelor and master students, as well as doctoral programs students, met with teachers and curators at the Mikhailovskaya Dacha campus. The leadership of the Business School addressed the first-year students with parting words.

The official ceremony traditionally began with the performance of the student anthem "Gaudeamus" and the words of welcome from Olga Dergunova, Deputy President and Chairman of VTB Bank Management  Board, GSOM SPbU Director.

“Dear bachelor programs students! I am glad to welcome you to the Graduate School of Management of St. Petersburg University, the best business school in Russia. I wish you success in your studies and sincerely hope that you will share our mission and our values with us. We create knowledge, develop leaders and change the world for the better. Our values: continuous development, responsible leadership, openness and multiculturalism, customer focus and professionalism. We are a team of like-minded people! We will do our best so that you can apply your knowledge in the best companies and be in demand in the labor market. And our trustees  including: VTB Bank, Rosneft, MegaFon, Gazprom, Transneft, Severstal, Norilsk Nickel, Russian Railways, AFK Sistema, SIBUR Holding, Tele2 and others will certainly help us,” said Olga Dergunova.

 

The Founding Fathers also spoke to the students. Thus, Yury Fedotov, Deputy Director of GSOM SPbU, told the story of the creation and development of the Business School.

On January 25, 1993, the rector of St. Petersburg University, Stanislav Merkuriev, signed an order to open a faculty - a school of management. As a result of the first intake, 33 students entered the only program "Management", and at that time there were four teachers on the staff of the new department. This year, the Graduate School of Management of St. Petersburg celebrates its 30th anniversary as one of the best business schools in the world and the holder of the triple crown of international accreditations: AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS. In 2023, GSOM SPbU enrolled 295 students, 109 applicants entered the master's program, 6 people became doctoral programs students, and 86 foreign students are also planned to be enrolled.

 

Associate Professor of the Department of Strategic and International Management Yuri Blagov also noted the high academic level of the Business School as part of the oldest classical university in Russia — St. Petersburg State University.

Festive impressions for freshmen were provided by a photo session with the symbols of alma mater — wise owls. And for the parents of first-year students, honored guests, a tour of the palace and park ensemble "Mikhailovskaya Dacha" was organized.

 We are glad to welcome future leaders within the walls of the Graduate School of Management of St. Petersburg State University!

Photo gallerry