Mari State Medical University was established in the year 1972 as a non-profit public higher education institution in Russia. The university is located in the city of Yoshkar Ola, the capital of Mari El Republic. Mari State University is ranked among the top medical universities of Russia. The university is an active member of the Russian Association of Classical Universities as well as a member of the Volga Region's Association of classical universities. Mari State University is the founder of the Association of Finno-Ugric Universities.
Mari State Medical University is considered to be the centre of education and scientific research and is listed in the directories of the world’s major organizations like Medical Council of India, World Health Organization, European Medical Council, UNESCO and the Medical Councils of many other countries.
The quality of education in Mari State University is comparable to the European standards. MSMU follows the international curriculum. The classrooms and laboratories in MSMU are well equipped with all the modern infrastructure and technology.
The University is founded in 1 September 1972. It has at the moment 4 Schools: Physics and Mathematics, History and Philology, Agriculture and Biology, and Chemistry (former Natural Science School of Nadejda Krupskaya Teachers Training Institute)
International Activity of Mari State University (MarSU)
MarSU is engaged in the following international activity:
Development of Scientific and Educational cooperation with foreign institutions of higher education
Participation in international educational and research programs and projects
Realization of joint research programs and projects in cooperation with foreign partners
Holding international scientific forums, conferences, seminars and symposiums
Students, post-graduates and teachers exchange
Development of educational programs for foreign students and carrying them out into practice
International activity of the University is coordinated by the pro-rector of International Cooperation and by the International Office.
By this day, MarSU has concluded official association and academic exchange agreements with 11 foreign institutions of higher education, 7 out of which are US colleges and universities and the rest are located in Sweden, Finland, Estonia and China. Also, the University keeps in touch with more than 20 European and North American higher education institutions. MarSU’s most enterprising partners are the University of Turku (Finland), the University of Tartu (Estonia), Bowling Green University (Ohio, USA), Manchester Metropolitan University (UK), the University College of Jönköping (Sweden). Since 1996 the University has won a number of important grants to develop educational and academic exchange programmes, including 3 ones within the framework of Tempus. MarSU and its faculties were also awarded grants by Open Society Institute (Soros Fund), Eurasia Foundation, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), Finnish International Mobility Center (CIMO) and other international organizations, foundations and programs.
In 1997, Russian-American International Academic and Business Cooperation Center was opened at the University and played an important role in connecting MarSU with American Universities and Scientific Funds and Institutions, as well as in the development of numerous Continuing education programs. Under the auspices of American Informational and Educational Centers Network, Russian-American Center advises students, post-graduates and teachers competing for US Educational and Research Work grants awarded by IREX (The International Research & Exchanges Board), Fulbright, Ford Foundation and others. In December 1999, the Swedish Center attached to MarSU was created to present to Mari El Sweden Scholarship programs guided by the Swedish Institute (Svenska Institutet) and to distribute the information on Swedish history, culture, education, economics, etc.
The University presents French educational and professional grants in cooperation with the Embassy of France in Russia and French educational agencies Campus France and Alliance Francaise. Also, students exchange are carried out between Yoshkar-Ola and Bourge (France) as twin cities.
In accordance with the agreement signed in 2004 between MarSU and the European Commission Embassy in Russia, a EU Information Center containing lots of records and books on every most important topic concerning EU activity was attached to the Research Library of MarSU.
Among Schools of the University which take a most active part in the international academic mobility we can name:
Law School
History and Philology School
Economics School
International Relations School
Agrarian Technology Institute
Agrarian Technology Institute students participate every year in LOGO, a project giving them an opportunity to have a practical training in ecological agriculture in Germany.
Since 2004, international students exchange and cultural exchange programs are presented in MarSU. The International Office of MarSU carry out Work & Travel USA and Camp America programs in cooperation with Interair. Together with a non-government organization Volunteer Service of Nizhny Novgorod, MarSU International Office presents international volunteer camps programs in Mari El.
The International Office has already organized 4 important scientific conferences in the region:
Russian-American cooperation: problems and prospects of its development (October 1997);
European research in Russia (April 1998);
The University as the center of regional development (December 1999);
In what ways education develops in the 21st century (October 2002).
In July 2000 a European Summer School devoted to the EU history, policy and law supported by MarSU was held for students and post-graduates of Russian higher education institutions. As a worldwide acknowledged center of Finno-Ugric Studies, Mari State University hosted the 10th International Finno-Ugric Congress (Yoshkar-Ola, August 2005), as well as IFUSCO 2006 (the 22nd International Finno-Ugric Student Conference).
Foreigners may study at MarSU Schools or take courses and summer school classes organized with the assistance of the International Office. Within the framework of the Russian language for foreigners programs, people from China, USA, Great Britain, Sweden, Denmark, South Korea and Turkey have studied here.
The University hosted teachers and participants of practical training courses from Great Britain, Hungary, USA (including a Fulbright lecturer), Germany, Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Japan, etc. Among the subjects which attract foreign researchers to MarSU we can name Mari language, history and culture of Finno-Ugric peoples, Russian language and literature, contemporary economic development of Russia and the Republic of Mari El.