State University of Land Use Planning


The State University of Land Use Planning is a public higher education institution located in Moscow, Russia. Founded in 1779, it is one of the oldest specialized universities in the country and a leading institution in education and research in land management, cadastral sciences, geodesy, urban and regional planning, architecture, management, law, environmental engineering, and related fields. The university operates under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation.
The university’s mission is to advance knowledge and professional practice in land use planning and spatial development, to support sustainable management of land and natural resources, and to train highly qualified specialists capable of addressing social, economic, and environmental challenges in Russia and beyond. The university library holds extensive collections of specialized literature, historical journals, and unique archival materials related to land surveying. The university is a member of major national educational authorities and is integrated into international professional associations.

History

The State University of Land Use Planning traces its origins to 1779, when a land surveying school was established in Moscow by decree of Empress Catherine II to train specialists for land measurement and territorial administration in the Russian Empire. This original institution was known as the Konstantin Surveying School, named in honor of Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich. This institution became the first specialized educational establishment in Russia dedicated to the systematic training of land surveyors.
In 1835, it was elevated to a higher educational establishment and became the Konstantin Surveying Institute, one of the foremost institutions for training land surveyors and engineers in the Russian Empire. During the nineteenth century, the school expanded its curriculum, evolving into a higher educational establishment that combined theoretical instruction with practical training in geodesy, cartography, and land management. Graduates of the institution played an important role in the development of Russia’s land cadastre and agrarian reforms.
Following the upheavals of the early twentieth century, the institution received a new charter and was renamed the Moscow Surveying Institute during and after the Russian Revolution, adapting its educational mission to the changing political and administrative context. It was integrated into the network of Soviet technical universities and continued to train specialists in land use planning, cadastral surveying, and spatial development for the national economy.
In 1930, the land surveying functions were separated and reconstituted as the Moscow Institute of Land Use Planning under the jurisdiction of the Soviet agricultural commissariat. In 1945, the institute was further renamed the Moscow Institute of Land Use Planning Engineers, under which name it trained specialists in land management, geodesy, and related disciplines.
In the period of political reform in the late Soviet and early post-Soviet years, the institution was reconstituted as a university. In accordance with a resolution of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR and subsequent orders, it assumed its current title, the State University of Land Use Planning, continuing its mission in education and research in land law, land management, cadastral sciences, and spatial planning.

Structure

The State University of Land Use Planning is organized into 7 faculties that provide undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate education in land management, spatial development, and related disciplines:
  • Faculty of Land Use and Management
  • Faculty of Geomatics and Spatial Development
  • Faculty of Architecture
  • Faculty of Law
  • Faculty of Bioeconomics and Information Technology
  • Pre-University Training Faculty
  • Institute of Part-Time Studies

    Finances

As a state-funded institution under the Ministry of Agriculture, the university's finances support its educational, research, and infrastructural activities. Funding sources include federal budgetary allocations, tuition fees, and grants for scientific research and innovation projects.
=Research=
Research at the State University of Land Use Planning is focused on fundamental and applied studies in land management, spatial development, and sustainable use of natural resources. The university conducts research in close cooperation with federal and regional authorities, research institutes, and industry partners.
Key research areas include land use planning and territorial organization, cadastral systems and land registration, geodesy and geoinformation technologies, remote sensing and digital cartography, urban and regional development, real estate valuation, environmental engineering, and legal regulation of land and property relations. Special attention is given to the development of digital technologies for land administration and spatial data infrastructures.
The university supports postgraduate and doctoral research programs and operates specialized laboratories, research centers, and scientific schools. Faculty members and researchers regularly publish in Russian and international academic journals and participate in national and international conferences.

Admissions

Admission for Russian students is based primarily on unified state exam results. For international students, admission involves entering exams. The Pre-University Training Faculty offers a one-year program to prepare international students for entry into Russian-taught degree programs.

Study programs

SULUP offers a full educational cycle aligned with the lifelong learning concept:
  • Bachelor's Degrees : Full-time, part-time, and correspondence formats in Land Management, Urban Cadastre, Real Estate Cadastre, Applied Geodesy, Architecture, Law, Ecology, Management, and Design.
  • Master's Degrees : Advanced programs in Land Use Planning, Cadastral Valuation, Spatial Data Infrastructure, Land Law, Environmental Design, and more.
  • Postgraduate Degrees : Research-focused programs in Economics of Land Use, Land Management & Cadastre, Geodesy, Geoecology, and Public Law related to land resources.

    Student life

Students can maintain an active lifestyle by choosing from a wide array of sports, including badminton, basketball, volleyball, mini-football, table tennis, fitness, athletics, arm wrestling, chess, and even tug of war. For those seeking practical experience, the university's Specialized Student Teams provide invaluable hands-on training. These teams specialize in land surveying, cadastre, geodesy, and architecture —allow students to apply their academic knowledge to real-world projects.
Furthermore, a thriving club culture fosters community and exploration. Students can join the Hiking Club for wilderness adventures, participate in the Theater Studio, engage in cybersports, contribute through the Volunteer Center, or join historical and parliamentary clubs. This extensive ecosystem of activities ensures every student can find a passion, build professional skills, and forge lasting connections.

Career prospects

Graduates are exceptionally sought after. They occupy key positions in:
Alumni are directly involved in implementing national projects related to spatial development, infrastructure, and environmental conservation.

Awards

2021 – 25th place in the International Ranking of the IAAR Eurasian University Ranking

Museum

The State University of Land Use Planning is home to a unique cultural and historical treasure: its museum. Founded in 1979 to mark the university's 200th anniversary, the museum forms the heart of a larger Museum Complex. It holds a truly unparalleled collection, dedicated to the evolution of land surveying and land management from the times of Ancient Rus' to the present day.

Rectors

  • 1779-1789 - Sergei Rozhnov
  • 1789-1798 - Matvei Dmitriev-Mamonov
  • 1798-1803 - Nikolai Maslov
  • 1804-1814 - Peter Obreskov
1814-1818 the university had no head
  • 1818-1822 - Alexander Aliabev
  • 1823-1833 - Bogdan Germes
  • 1833-1835 - Ivan Peiker
  • 1835-1839 - Sergey Aksakov
  • 1839-1840 - Vasilii Lange
  • 1840-1856 - Nikolai Smetskii
  • 1856-1864 - Nikolai Loshkarev
  • 1864-1879 - Aleksandr Apukhtin
  • 1879-1887 - Evstafii Kostrov
  • 1888-1897 - Mikhail Lialin
  • 1897-1900 - Aleksandr Shvarts
  • 1900-1912 - Vasilii Struve
  • 1900-1912 - Ivan Germanov
  • 1917 - Nikolai Veselovskii
  • 1917-1918 - Konstantin Tsvetkov
  • 1918-1919 - Nikanor Kislov
  • 1919 - Mikhail Sergeev
  • 1919-1921 - Feodosii Krasovskii
  • 1921-1924 - Sergei Novikov
  • 1924-1925 - Peter Kobozev
  • 1925-1927 - Ivan Mirtov
  • 1927-1928 - Martyn Latsis
  • 1928-1929 - Reingold Berzin
  • 1929-1930 - Nikolai Kozyrev
  • 1930-1936 - Fedor Misnik
  • 1936-1937 - Vladimir Sharapov
  • 1937-1938 - Fedor Trudoliubov
  • 1938 - Iogann Birn
  • 1939-1941 - Lev Cherkasskii
  • 1941-1942 - Ivan Golubev
  • 1941-1943 - Aleksei Maslov
  • 1942-1943 - Leontii Egorov
  • 1944-1945 - Alexander Andreev
  • 1945-1951 - Abram Mazmishvili
  • 1951-1961 - Leonid Kostarev
  • 1961-1973 - Nikolai Ilinskii
  • 1973-1979 - Ivan Degtiarev
  • 1980-1997 - Iurii Neumyvakin
  • 1997-2021 – Volkov Sergey Nikolaevich
  • 2021-2025 - Timur Papaskiri
  • 2025 - up to the present - Alexander Linnikov