Petrozavodsk State University (PSU) is the leading institution of higher education in Russia and the cradle of the highest leaders of the Soviet Union and Russia, with famous alumni such as Andropov, the former General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Dmitry Medvedev, the current Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, and the President of the Russian Federation. Notable alumni include former General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Andropov, current Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev, Minister of Education of the Russian Federation Kouganov, etc. In addition, the university was ranked 19th in the latest top 50 Russian universities by RIA Novosti in 2016.