Verbitskaya Lyudmila Alekseyevna

   Principal of St. Petersburg State University.
   Born June 17, 1936 in Leningrad. Received an honorary degree from St. Petersburg State University in Russian Language and Literature in 1958.
   Later on all her professional work has been associated with the University. She worked as a lab assistant in the Department of Phonetics of the Philological Faculty, became a graduate student there, later a Junior Researcher, an Assistant Researcher, a Senior Lecturer and, in 1979, a Professor at the Department of Phonetics. Since 1985 she has headed the Department of General Philology. Since 1984 she has been Assistant Principal in charge of educational work, later Chief Assistant Principal, from May 1993 through April 1994 she has been performing the duties of the Principal. In April 1994 she was officially elected Principal of the University.
   In 1965 she received her Candidate's Degree, in 1977 she completed her Doctor's Thesis on the topic of modern Russian pronunciation (an experimental phonetic study).
   In 1992 she became an associate of the Russian Academy of Education (RAE), since 1995 she is a RAE academician. She is a member of the Presidium of RAE's North-Western branch.
   Active member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, of the International Academy of Higher Education, Academies of Humanities andEcological Sciences and the International Academy of Information Systems.
   Honorary doctor's degrees at a number of universities abroad.
   She is an important scholar in the areas of Russian and general philology, phonetics, phonology and the techniques of teaching Russian.
   She is the author of more than 200 research papers, published in many countries.
   A member of the Commission for the Creation of a Political Consulting Group for the President of Russia, a member of the government Russian Language Council, the government Council on Awards in the Areas of Science and Technology.
   In 1998 she became the President of the St. Petersburg Branch of the Association of English Speakers, created under the patronage of Queen Elizabeth II.
   A member of the executive committee of the International Association of Russian Language and Literature Teachers.
   A member of the Governing Board of the Russian Principals' Association, a member of the Presidium of the Council of Principals of St. Petersburg's Higher Schools.
   She is the only representative of Russia in the executive council of the International Association of Universities.
   She has been elected to the administrative bodies of the Conference of Principals of Europe, the International Association of University Presidents, the Association of Universities of the Baltic Region, the Eurasian Association of Universities.
   Vice President of the UNESCO Commission on Women's Education. A member of the Russian Federation's Commission on UNESCO Issues. A member of the Coordination Council for Interaction with P.L.O.'s Special Programs.
   St. Petersburg's Governor's councillor on the issues of science and education.
   Co-founder of "Our City" public fund.
   Awarded the Order of Friendship (1996), an "Honorary Worker of Russia's Higher Education" badge (1997), a premium of Great Britain's Royal Anniversary Fund for achievements in higher education (1997), French "Academic Palm" Order of the higher degree with the appropriation of a "Commandor" title.
   Mother of two daughters.

go back

go top

go home

russian version