Power Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Material Science
Tomsk Polytechnic University grew out of the Tomsk Technological Institute, which was founded in 1896 under Emperor Nicholas II in the Russian city of Tomsk and opened its doors in 1900. The institution was renamed several times during the twentieth century: it became the Tomsk Industrial Institute in 1934 and the Tomsk Polytechnic Institute in 1944, and since 1991 it has carried its present name.
In 2009 the university received the status of a National Research University. Its campus houses the IRT-1000 research nuclear reactor, which was first started in 1967 and is run by the university. Its internal structure includes schools for energy and power engineering, nuclear science and engineering, and computer science and robotics.
Published enrolment figures differ: the university’s own history page gives more than 11,500 students in one place and more than 15,000 students from 40 countries in another, while Wikipedia cites about 11,500. Prospective students should therefore rely on the current figures and programme lists on the official English-language site of the university.
Domains taught:
Chemistry, Electrical and Electronics, Engineering, Materials, Nanotechnologies, Physics, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Wide network of international partners in academia and industry across Europe, Asia, and the Americas; member of several international university associations like CESAER.
Research:
Research in non-destructive testing, resource-efficient technologies (including oil and gas), nuclear technologies for medicine, advanced materials, and industrial automation.
Famous Alumnis:
Nikolay Kamov, Kanysh Satpayev, Nikolay Nikitin
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
4000
Current students***:
12000
Foreign students***:
30%
Cumulative former students***:
180000
Pros
Strong research base, wide range of engineering programs, historic institution with modern facilities, significant international student population.
Cons
Located in Siberia (which can be a pro for some focused on regional resources), competitive admissions.
Best For
Resource engineering, advanced technologies and non-destructive testing
Ural Federal University is a public university in Yekaterinburg whose main fields are metallurgy, mechanical engineering and information technology, a technical mix close to the technical profile of this Siberian polytechnic.
Siberian Federal University, a public university in Krasnoyarsk Krai, works in metallurgy, mining engineering and power engineering, so it shares both the Siberian setting and the power-engineering interest.
South Ural State University in Chelyabinsk is public and lists mechanical engineering, metallurgy and information technology as main fields, which makes it a comparable engineering-oriented choice in the Urals.
National Research Tomsk State University sits in the same city and is public too; its physics, chemistry and information technology offer a science-led alternative for applicants who want to stay in Tomsk.
Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University is a public polytechnic in St. Petersburg covering mechanical engineering, civil engineering and physics, and its profile resembles the polytechnic tradition of Tomsk.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Xi'an Jiaotong University in China is a public university whose main fields include energy and power engineering and mechanical engineering, a close match for TPU's energy emphasis.
Chimie ParisTech - PSL in France is a public school of chemical engineering and materials chemistry, comparable to the chemical side of Tomsk Polytechnic.
Georgia Institute of Technology in the United States is a public technological university with engineering, computer science and aerospace as main fields.
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay in India is a public institute of technology working in engineering, computer science and management, similar in type to a polytechnic university.
Dalian University of Technology in China is a public technical university with chemical engineering and mechanical engineering among its main fields.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
When was Tomsk Polytechnic University founded?
The Tomsk Technological Institute was founded in 1896 and opened in 1900. The present name has been used since 1991, after earlier names such as Tomsk Industrial Institute (1934) and Tomsk Polytechnic Institute (1944).
What status did TPU obtain in 2009?
It was granted National Research University status in 2009, as the university's history page records. Applicants interested in research careers can look at the laboratories and schools listed on the official site.
Does the university operate its own nuclear reactor?
Yes, the IRT-1000 research reactor on the campus was first started in 1967 and is run by the university. It links the institution's nuclear energy teaching with hands-on research facilities.
How many students are enrolled in Tomsk?
Sources give different totals, from more than 11,500 to more than 15,000 students, even within the university's own history page. The most reliable approach is to read the figures in the latest official fact sheet.
Which subject areas does TPU emphasise?
Its schools include energy and power engineering, nuclear science and engineering, and computer science and robotics. Degree lists, languages of instruction and entry requirements differ by programme, so they should be checked page by page.
Where is Tomsk Polytechnic University located?
TPU is in Tomsk, Russia, the city where it was founded in 1896. International applicants should consult the admissions pages for fees, visa guidance and deadlines, which the university sets each year.
Engineering, Industrial Automation, Innovation, Materials Science, Non-Destructive Testing (NDT), Renewable Energy, Research and Development, Sustainable Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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