On Monday September 1, 2015 at 12.00 after the symbolic “First ring” on the Likhachev square traditional lectures for the students of SPbUHSS began.

Prof. Valeryi Chereshnev, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Science and High Technologies, Academician of Russian Academy of Sciences, gave the first lecture for the first-year students at the SPbUHSS Theater-Concert hall.

The following people gave lectures on this day in many University’s lecture halls:

Mr. Mikhail Shmakov, Chairman of the Federation of Independent Russian Trade Unions; Mr. Andrey Isaev, Deputy Chairman of Russian State Duma; Mr. Vladimir Churov, Chairman of the Central Election Commission of Russian Federation; Mr. Vladimir Pligin, Chairman of Russian State Duma Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building; Mr. Askar Akaev, President of Kirgiz Republic (1990-2005);

Mr. Vladislav Tretiak, Olympic champion, a deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, the President of the Russian Hockey Federation;

Writers: Mr. Alexander Melihov, Mr. Nikolai Starikov;

Mr. Alexander Shershukov, Secretary of the Federation of Independent Russian Trade Unions, chief editor of the newspaper "Solidarity" (Moscow);

Mr. Isaak Shtokbant, Artistic Director of “BUFF” theater, People’s Artist of Russia;

Foreign diplomats: Mr. Yamamura Yoshihiro, Consul General of Japan, Mr. Lee Jin-Hee, Consul General of the Republic of Korea, Mr. Kazym Chovushoglu, Consul General of the Republic of Turkey;

Mr. Yuryi Schwarzkopf, Director General of St. Petersburg State Theater of Musical Comedy; Mr. Igor Pisarskyi, Chairman of the Board of "R.I.М. Porter Novelli" agency (Moscow);

Mr. Denis Terekhov, Director General of “Social Nets” Agency (Moscow) and others.

The tradition to start an academic year with lectures of the distinguished scientists, cultural workers, politicians, leaders of public organizations, the most successful practitioners appeared at the University more than 20 years ago. It is an integral part of each University’s Knowledge Day. By the way, SPbUHSS is the first Russian university that has been celebrating this day since September, 1, 1992.