The RACUS organization, Group of Russian state universities

The RACUS organization (a group of Russian state universities) was founded in 1991 (registered in Saint Petersburg) on ​​the initiative and with the support of a group of Russian state universities.

Today, the Organization is a leader among exporters of Russian higher education in the field of training highly qualified personnel for the labor market of foreign countries.

The RACUS organization has made a huge contribution to the promotion and growth of popularity of Russian state universities in foreign countries. Since the foundation of the Organization, more than 100,000 foreign students from 130 countries have been attracted and sent to study at Russian higher education institutions. Active work in this direction continues today, as the Organization faces global goals for the coming years.

Mission of the organization

Strengthening the positions, promotion, and popularization of Russian state universities in the global higher education arena; increasing the volume of exports of Russian higher education; raising Russia's ranking in the world based on the number of foreign citizens studying at Russian universities.

The RACUS organization has received numerous prestigious awards, letters of thanks from universities, Embassies, the Association of Vice-Rectors for International Relations of Universities of Saint Petersburg and North-West Russia and other organizations.

Structure of the RACUS organization:

Currently, the RACUS organization has representative offices in 77 countries of the Near and Middle East, Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe, and the Commonwealth of Independent States, as well as in 11 cities in the European part of Russia.

The central office is located in Saint Petersburg and includes 5 departments:

• Department No. 1 Russian-Arab Center for University Services
• Department No. 2 Russian-Asian Center for University Services
• Department No. 3 Russian-African Center for University Services
• Department No. 4 Russian-American Center for University Services
• Department No. 5 Department of the Commonwealth of Independent States and Europe

The name of the RACUS organization is an abbreviation of the names of the first four departments of the Organization in English.

Management and employees

Since 1995, the RACUS organization has been headed by Avbakar Nutsalov, who currently works as the CEO. Avbakar Nutsalov received a higher education in the specialty “Enterprise Management”, completed internships in Russia and foreign countries in the areas of “Education Management”, “Expertise and Assessment of Foreign Education Documents”, “Organization and Holding of Exhibition Events”, numerous advanced training courses in company management, etc. By decision of the Academic Council of the Tambov State University named after G.R. Derzhavin, the CEO of the RACUS organization was awarded the “Gold Medal” for many years of effective and fruitful cooperation and promotion of Russian higher education abroad.

All employees of the Organization have one or two higher educations in the field of international relations, politics, and pedagogy. Our employees speak 6 of the most common languages ​​​​of the world, which allows them to freely communicate with students and their parents from different countries of our planet.

Major activities

The staff of the RACUS organization conducts ongoing active work with foreign students, and each student is supervised by a personal manager throughout the entire period of his/her studies at the university. The list of services includes:

• consultations on studying at Russian universities, educational system and study programs, rules of admission and registration of foreign citizens for studying, peculiarities of accommodation and nutrition as well as assistance in choosing the future study program and university, taking into account the preferences of each candidate;

• pre-assessment of educational and other documents for the possibility of admission to Russian higher education institutions for studying;

• assistance in formalizing invitation letters for studying at the program chosen by the applicant in the Main Directorate for Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of cities/regions/areas of Russia and sending invitations to applicants;

• consultation and assistance in submitting documents required for obtaining a study visa at the Russian Embassies in accordance with the established rules and requirements;

• meeting of applicants arriving to study at the airports of Russia and accompanying them to the city and university of studies;

• ensuring admission to Russian universities to the educational programs chosen by the applicants;

• provision of accommodation in the student hostel/hotel of the university for the entire period of study (up to 7 years);

• assistance in migration registration in the Main Directorate for Migration Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of cities/regions/areas of Russia;

• consulting on obtaining the “Certificate of Equivalence” of foreign educational documents in the National Accreditation Center, obligatory for every international student to be admitted to any Russian university (if required by the legislation);

• student’s academic performance and behavior control; providing communication with parents and informing them on the student’s academic performance and behavior upon their request;

• supervising the students, protecting their interests and providing any necessary assistance during the whole period of study in Russia. 

The RACUS organization independently determines and selects a higher education institution for admission to its group of universities. In the selection process, many factors are taken into account, including the specifics of the educational market and the current needs of applicants (program, modern technical equipment of the university, language of instruction, city, international reputation, internationalization, etc.). This approach guarantees a high level of satisfaction with the quality of services provided and an impeccable reputation of the Organization among foreign students.

All services provided to foreign students by the RACUS organization in Russia are free of charge, since the company's activities are generally financed by a group of Russian state universities. Students pay only the actual costs of their arrival, education, accommodation, life and health insurance, etc.

Scope of activity:

• representation of Russian universities abroad; organization and holding of advertising and exhibition campaigns;

• development of international cooperation in the field of higher education, assistance in conclusion of cooperation agreements between Russian and foreign universities;

• ensuring academic mobility of administrative and teaching staff;

• preparation and implementation of projects on the introduction of new teaching standards for priority and popular programs, including programs taught in foreign languages;

• consultation and assistance to Russian universities in the matters of recognition of Russian diplomas of higher education abroad;

• creation of Russian higher education institutions abroad.

Within the framework of various activities, the RACUS organization cooperates with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, embassies of Russia in foreign countries, embassies of foreign states in Russia, foreign higher education institutions, associations of graduates of Soviet and Russian universities, ministries of education of foreign countries and authorities. Along with the developed inner infrastructure, it allows the RACUS organization to solve any organizational issues quickly and successfully.