Ural Federal University is one of the oldest higher educational institutions in the Ural region. It was founded in Ekaterinburg in 1920 by the decree of Vladimir Lenin, the head of the Soviet Government. Initially it was called Ural University.

Newly established Soviet state motivated the inauguration of Ural University with the need to combine scientific and industrial potentials of the region. A new country emerged from ashes of the WWI and Russian Civil War, new rules were applied, new competencies needed to be put on the table.

A few years in operation, the Ural University was split into two institutions: Ural State University (USU), specializing in fundamental, natural and mathematical sciences, humanities and social studies, and Ural Polytechnic Institute (UPI, later - Ural State Technical University, USTU-UPI) which was essentially focused on training engineers for metallurgy, heavy engineering, construction, radiotechnology and power engineering. UPI was also engaged in the dynamic development of the knowledge areas which were new for the USSR back then: nuclear power engineering, organic chemistry, telecommunication technologies.

Construction of the University campus started in the 1940-s; now it is an inalienable piece of the city' landscape. Both universities maintained close ties with each other and their partners – Ural industrial enterprises, turning Sverdlovsk (Soviet name: 1924-1991) into one of the largest higher education centers of Russia.

In 2008 the modernisation reform of the Russian higher education system was launched. A number of universities already having close relations were merged, received a federal status and additional financing.

Federal universities are located in Rostov-on-Don, Krasnoyarsk, Kazan, Arkhangelsk, Yakutsk, Kaliningrad, Vladivostok, Stavropol and Ekaterinburg. They now rank among Russia's top higher educational institutions along with Moscow State University and St.Petersburg State University.

The merger process of USTU-UPI and UEU to create Ural Federal University (UrFU) began in 2009 and was fully completed by the spring of 2011. UrFU has succeded in realizing the propositions of the higher education reform. Although complex and multipolar, the reform has pushed UrFU for new limits.

Today Ural Federal University is home to 35'000 students from almost 100 countries and 4'000 faculty members. We noticeably moved up into Top-400 of the world's best universities, currently occuping 364th position, according to QS World University Rankings.

In 2018, we helped to host FIFA World Cup in Ekaterinburg. In 2019, we initiated a breakthrough scientific platform - Ural Interregional Research and Education Center. As our Centennial Anniversary is approaching us, we look forward to fulfill the plans we have set for ourselves. In 2023, we will actively participate in hosting the 2023 FISU World University Games. After the event is over, we plan receive a brand new university campus, ready to accomodate 7000 students.