Founded in 1804, Kazan Federal University is the second oldest university in the Russian Federation. An internationally acknowledged centre of academic excellence, it is routinely listed among the 5 to 10 best institutions of higher education in the country.

The main centre of higher education for a vast region, KFU has 17 faculties and 105 academic departments. It has over 14,000 full-time students, who follow 54 major degree programs and many more 'specializations'. With about 250 full professors and 900 associate and assistant professors, KFU offers one of the best student-to-teacher ratios in the country.

KFU continues to serve as a leading national research centre, providing its students and staff, as well as academic visitors, with many laboratories, excellent museums, a botanical garden, research field stations, three astronomic observatories and many other facilities.