DUSHANBE, September 14, 2009, Asia-Plus  - Lessons began at the Branch of Moscow State University in Dushanbe today.

According to presidential press service, lessons are still being conducted in the building of the Public Servants Advanced Training Instituted at the President of Tajikistan until repairs to the branch’s building are finished.

Deputy Prime Minister Ruqiya Qurbonova, Education Minister Abdujabbor Rahmonov and the head of the education and science department within President’s Executive Office, Homidullo Faqiorv, came to congratulate the students.

According to the Branch director Haydar Odinayev, they accepted 45 students this year; 20 of them are studying applied mathematics and 25 others are studying international relations.

Major subjects are taught by teachers from Moscow State University while teachers from local universities will be invited for teaching some humanities subjects.

Lomonosov Moscow State University is the largest university in Russia.  Founded in 1755, it also claims to be the oldest university in Russia and the tallest educational building in the world.  As of 2004, the university has some 4,000 staff teaching 31,000 students and 7,000 postgraduates.

Branches of Moscow State University now function in Sevastopol (Ukraine), in number of Russian cities, Astana (Kazakhstan), Baku (Azerbaijan) and Tashkent (Uzbekistan).