Moscow State Institute of International Relations

This is the exterior of the Moscow State Institute of Internaional Relations, and it is important to note the various flags at the front of the building.

This is the logo of this institute, and the logo's colors are identical to the colors of the Russian flag. 

Another noteworthy university that reflects another important aspect of Russian society and government is the Moscow State Institute of International Relations that was established in 1944 because it is an academic institution that is directly run by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, serving as a prime example of the inextricably intertwined relationship between the government and education. Furthermore, the influence of the state is reflected by the composition of the faculty because many of them were ministers, ambassadors, or other government officials (2). Because it is controlled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it can be assumed that the interests of the state inevitably influence the university to a large degree. Dubbed the "Harvard of Russia" by Henry Kissinger, this institution has many prominent alumni who belong to the political, economic, and intellectual elite of Russia, with notable alumni including Sergei Lavrov, who is the minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia and the former Russian ambassador to the United Nations, and Petar Mladenov, who was the former president of Bulgaria (1). 

Furthermore, the importance of the government in shaping the character of this educational institution is epitomized by the design of the logo, whose colors reflect the same three colors of red, white, and blue of the Russian flag. Even the shapes on the logo are reminsicent of the three stripes of the Russian flag, and the globe in the background highlights the school's mission in educating students on international relations and preparing them to become key players in the political arenas of both Russia and the world. The manifestation of the interactions between Russia and the rest of the world is the establishment of MGIMO's European Educational Institute, which also reflects the joint efforts of Russia and Europe to provide educational training for officials who would have to frequently navigate both Russia and Europe and the continued integration between these two spheres of power (1).

(1) Müller, Martin. Making Great Power Identities in Russia: An Ethnographic Discourse Analysis of Education at a Russian Elite University. Berlin: Lit, 2009. Print.

(2) Encyclopedia of Contemporary Russian Culture, Smordisnkaya et al., 2007 Edition, pp. 400-401