Moscow State Linguistic University (MSLU) is a state-financed institution of higher education in the Russian Federation. MSLU is a centre for linguistic education, scholarship and culture whose priorities include training high-level professionals in Linguistics and the Humanities in general, along with designing and conducting fundamental and applied research in the area of General Linguistics, Theoretical and Historical Linguistics, theories of specific languages, Literary History, and also of Pedagogy, Psychology, Logic, Philosophy, History, Economics, Political Science, Sociology, Law, Theory of Culture and other fields.
What is now the Moscow State Linguistic University (abbreviated to MSLU in English or MGLU in Russian) went by a number of names in the past. It started out as the Moscow Institute for Modern Languages, then was renamed 1st Moscow State Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages. Later on it was named after Maurice Thorez, to become the Maurice Thorez Moscow State Institute of Foreign Languages. Today it is known as the Moscow State Linguistic University.
Today, the University teaches 36 languages. More than 75% of its teaching staff have advanced academic degrees. The University annually publishes an average of 200 research monographs, manuals and textbooks for Russian schools, colleges and universities. MSLU academics have developed unique teaching and research tools (Lingua, Glossa, Spectrum 121, Signal-InYaz, Intonograph, and others) for which they have received prizes, medals and patents at international exhibitions at home and abroad. The University maintains partnership relations with 94 leading universities in 35 countries, thus providing opportunities for international student exchanges and dual degrees.
MSLU has an extensive system of continuing education, spanning all ages and qualifications from secondary school-level linguistic lyceum to university and advanced training facilities. Full-time higher education includes 4-year bachelor programmes followed by 2-year master programmes, in keeping with the Bologna Declaration. The University also offers opportunities for obtaining a second degree in linguistics.
MSLU is a focus institution for language and culture studies.