Samara State Aerospace University improved its position in the third annual ranking of higher education institutions in Russia. It was compiled by the leading Russian rating agency "Expert RA" on the initiative and with the support of Oleg Deripaska Foundation “Volnoe Delo”. The rankings used statistical indicators, as well as conducted extensive surveys of 7.5 thousand respondents: employers, representatives of the academic and scientific community, students and graduates.

Less than a year SSAU could rise by 7 points - from the 30th to the 23th place. And according to experts opinion, aerospace university was able to improve its performance in all three key parameters: conditions for obtaining quality education, levels of being in demand for graduates by employers and scientific research activity.

Besides Samara State Aerospace University entered the top twenty of the national higher education institutions, as their  graduates are in demand by employers. Basis for entering into this part of rating was high rated SSAU cooperation with employers and subsequent career success of graduates. It is important to note that only 8 universities from the list of the most popular universities represent regions of Russia, and the rest - Moscow and St. Petersburg.

It should be noted that in addition to SSAU three other Samara Universities entered the top hundred. Samara State University is located at the 48th place. Samara State Medical University also rose from the 57th to the 49th place in the ranking of higher education institutions. And Samara State Technical University could rise by 17 points - from the 73th to the 56th place.

Lomonosov Moscow State University became the winner of the composite rating for three years in succession. The main conclusion of the rating compilers – experts: a competition between the leading higher education institutions of Russia began to grow rapidly. Average grade of the unified national exam in 2014 was 74.5 per 1 exam in the top 100 of the rating participants against 70.4 a year earlier. Average funding per student for the top 100 higher education institutions in Russia grew by 9.8% over the year. A number of publications indexed in scientometrical database Scopus increased by 26.4% per one scientific pedagogical worker.

According to experts opinion, positive dynamics of higher education institutions that have received state support to improve their competitiveness. Provided effective management higher education institutions-grantees entitled to claim a high place and expect the positive trend in the ranking next year - “Expert RA” analysts say.

It will be recalled that SSAU is included in 15 leading Russian higher education institutions that received government support for entry into the international top 100. The program to improve the competitiveness of the university - a “road map” is approved and implemented. It will help SSAU to achieve several key objectives: to recruit about 80 scientists of world importance, create 21 international scientific laboratories, tripling the number of foreign students. Also four “centres of excellence” will be made at the university - the main scientific directions of SSAU development, corresponding with breakthrough technologies worldwide.

In addition, a new campus SSAU will be built from 2018 to 2020, which will be a platform for innovative inter-university centre, where advanced scientific laboratories of the leading regional higher education institutions will be grouped.

For information. According to data for 2008, Russia had 1,134 public and private universities as well as 1,663 branches with 7,513,119 people studying there.

Full rating version is available here - http://raexpert.ru/rankings/vuz/vuz2014/vuz_rus_2014/