Tomsk State University (TSU) is the largest classical university in the Asian part of Russia and the acknowledged centre of science, education, and innovation. It was founded by the decree of Emperor Alexander II as Imperial Tomsk University on the 28th of May, 1878. 31 members of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, and the Academy of Sciences of the CIS, over 50 State Prize winners, and 2 Nobel Prize winners have been affiliated with TSU. More than 150,000 TSU graduates and the university itself have significantly contributed to the progress in education, science, and culture in the region and Russia in general. Today, there are 20 faculties and educational institutes, 20 dissertation councils, and 33 leading scientific schools at TSU, and there are over 15,000 students. The number of international students is continually increasing; currently there are more than 3,000 students from 70 countries. Since 2006, TSU has been a member of the European University Association (EUA). In 2010, Tomsk State University won the competition and gained National Research University status. It was one out of 15 institutions chosen from among 128 applicants. Since 2013, TSU has been one of the leaders among Project 5-100 participants (competitiveness enhancement of Russian universities among global leading research and education centers). In 2016, TSU established Strategic Academic Units - interdisciplinary postgraduate institutes that focus on studying the transformations taking place in humans, society, and natural and man-made environment.