KBSU: 93 Years of Serving Science and Education
October 12 marks the founding date of the Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after Kh.M. Berbekov (KBSU).
KBSU is one of the leading classical universities in Russia, and for several years has been ranked in the top 100 national university rankings by Interfax and RAEX, demonstrating the consistently high level of education and research. In 2025, KBSU confirmed its status as a participant in the Priority 2030 program to support Russian universities, which provides the university with a powerful impetus for transformation, modernization, and expansion of its research and development capabilities.
Since its participation in the project, which began in 2021, KBSU has opened and is successfully operating the Hydrogen Technology Center, the Microelectronics and Nanotechnology Center, the Center for Decarbonization of the Agro-Industrial Complex and Regional Economy, and Russia’s first Center for High-Altitude Medicine. These departments focus on relevant areas: new materials, genetics, neutrino physics, astrophysics, hydrogen energy, ecology, and agriculture. Their research directly addresses regional challenges—from climate change in the mountains to decarbonizing the Kabardino-Balkarian economy—and aligns with national priorities.
KBSU’s scientific activity continues to grow: in recent years, scientists have published thousands of papers, received hundreds of patents, and established collaborations with major companies, including Gazprom Neft and Roscosmos. Representatives of large businesses have expressed interest in the university’s developments in advanced materials and additive manufacturing. KBSU has developed a full cycle of import-substituting solutions—from raw material synthesis to finished products. For the first time in the country, a pilot production facility for heat-resistant polymers and composites for 3D printing was launched, directly contributing to Russia’s technological sovereignty. Industrial partners included JSC Komposit (part of the Roscosmos State Corporation), Titan Group, and JSC Gazprom Neft.
In 2025, KBSU also joined two international mega-science projects—Baikal-GVD and NICA—opening new opportunities for fundamental research and personnel training.
The Baikal-GVD project is a deep-sea neutrino telescope on Lake Baikal, a key element of the Global Neutrino Network. Participation in this project confirmed the high level of research the university is conducting in astrophysics and cosmic ray physics. The core of this research is a joint laboratory between KBSU and the Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, which employs experienced scientists, as well as undergraduate and graduate students.
NICA (Nuclotron-based Ion Collider fAcility) is a unique collider based at the Nuclotron at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) in Dubna. KBSU has joined the NICA project and the ARIADNA collaboration, which specializes in applied research. The university’s contribution to the development of new materials, including a unique crystal for profilometry and perovskites for solar energy, has been highly praised by the international scientific community.
Structural Changes
As part of the implementation of the decree of the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation aimed at improving the quality of teaching mathematics and natural sciences by 2030, a decision was made to create the Institute of Mathematics and Natural Sciences by merging the Institutes of Physics and Mathematics, Chemistry and Biology, and the Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science.
Another important step was the creation of the Institute of Electronics, Robotics, and Artificial Intelligence, which was formed by merging the Department of Computer Technology and Information Security. The university’s leadership expressed confidence that this step would facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration and create a strong foundation for scientific research and the training of highly qualified specialists who meet the demands of the modern labor market.
Changes also affected the structure of the colleges, which were separated into independent divisions—the Department of Secondary Vocational Education.
Digitalization of Education: Electronic Student ID Cards and Record Books
In 2025, KBSU became one of the first universities in the country to launch the Russian Government’s federal experiment to introduce electronic student ID cards and record books. The goal of the initiative is to make learning more convenient and modern. Students can now access their ID cards and record books via smartphone and use a QR code for discounted travel on public transportation.
Double Degree Program with HSE
In September, KBSU and the Higher School of Economics launched a joint master’s program in «Pedagogical Education and Human Development.» Graduates will receive degrees from both universities. The program aims to prepare a new generation of teachers capable of quickly adapting to new challenges, implementing innovative methods, and developing critical thinking and creativity in children.
Caring for Families
In 2025, KBSU will significantly expand its network.
KBSU expanded its support programs for students and staff with children. The university opened its first mother-and-child room, as well as a short-stay group for children—a space where children can be supervised by teachers during classes or during their parents’ workday. This project was implemented thanks to a federal subsidy of 2.4 million rubles allocated by the Russian Ministry of Education and Science as part of the All-Russian «Help a Mother Study» competition.
The university’s initiatives are not limited to infrastructure. In 2024, over 3.3 million rubles were allocated to support student families, covering payments for marriage, childbirth, and assistance to families with children under three. Individual educational plans are being developed for mothers with many children, allowing them to flexibly combine their studies and family care.
In July 2025, the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education expressed official gratitude to KBSU and Acting Rector Yuri Altudov for their systematic approach to supporting young families.
Support for Special Military Operation (SMO) Participants
KBSU also offers benefits to Special Military Operation (SMO) participants and their families. SMO veterans and their children are granted quotas for admission to state-funded places, and partial reimbursement of contract tuition fees is provided. Priority access to dormitory accommodation and discounts on accommodation, scholarships, and financial assistance are additional support measures. Since the beginning of the SMO, KBSU has actively supported combat veterans: staff, faculty, and students regularly send humanitarian aid and letters to the special operation zone, and hold charity fairs in support of the defenders of the Motherland.
80th Anniversary of the Great Victory
KBSU places great emphasis on the patriotic education of youth and preserving the memory of Russia’s heroic past. In 2025, the university celebrated the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory in a grand manner, paying tribute to the heroism of the Soviet people in the fight against fascism.
The event plan included more than fifty events, rallies, exhibitions, meetings with veterans, flash mobs, as well as the improvement of memorial sites and the provision of financial assistance to veterans. The culmination of the celebrations was a celebratory concert in front of KBSU’s main building, bringing together the administration, staff, faculty, and students. Acting Rector Yuri Altudov delivered a welcoming address, emphasizing the importance of unity and solidarity in preserving the memory of the Great Victory. The university’s best performing groups presented a rich program featuring wartime songs and dance performances.
A significant event was the presentation of commemorative medals «80 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945» to veterans of the Great Patriotic War. The commemorative award was presented to Abdul Khadzhimuratovich Shardanov, a war and labor veteran and home front worker who worked at KBSU for over 50 years, and to Tamara Khazretovna Kuasheva, a WWII veteran, home front worker, and the first Kabardian woman to receive a PhD degree.
Recognition of Merit: Awards and Anniversaries at KBSU
Key events of the past year at the Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after Kh. M. Berbekov were associated with the recognition of its employees. Awards, honorary titles, and anniversary celebrations expressed high appreciation for their work and contribution to various areas of life in the republic and the country.
Acting Professor Yuri Altudov, rector of KBSU, was awarded a certificate and medal from the President of the Russian Federation for his contribution to the preparation and holding of the 2024 World Youth Festival.
Professor Svetlana Khashirova, vice-rector for Research, became a Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), becoming the first woman in the North Caucasus to receive this title in Chemistry.
Professor Ismail Miziev, director of the KBSU Medical Academy, was awarded the V.D. Fedorov Gold Medal of the Russian Society of Surgeons for his significant contribution to the development of surgery.
Ruslan Zakhokhov, head of the Department of General Surgery at the KBSU Medical Academy, was awarded the honorary title of «Honored Doctor of the Russian Federation.»
A letter of gratitude from the President of the Russian Federation was given to Elina Guchapsheva, Associate Professor of the Department of Foreign Languages at KBSU and Chair of the regional branch of the All-Russian Society of Surgeons «Mothers of Russia» of the KBSU.
The honorary title of «Honored Worker of Education of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic» was awarded to Fatimat Batyrbekova, Associate Professor of the Institute of Dentistry and Maxillofacial Surgery at KBSU.
Alim Pasht-Khan, a leading specialist in the German Pashtov Creative Workshop at KBSU and People’s Artist of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, was awarded the title of Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Arts.
The honorary title of «Honored Worker of Physical Culture and Sports of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic» was awarded to Anna Konopleva, deputy director of the Institute of Pedagogy, Psychology, and Physical Culture and Sports Education at KBSU.
The anniversaries of Arsen Kharaev, Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation; Leorena Kharaeva, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences and Professor; and Timur B, Professor of the Department of Organic Chemistry and Macromolecular Compounds, were celebrated in a festive atmosphere.