DUSHANBE, June 15, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- On Monday June 15, President Emomali Rahmon visited Urals State University of Mines in Yekaterinburg to meet with Tajik students studying at that establishment of higher education, according to presidential press service.

President Emomali Rahmon is currently in Yekaterinburg to attend the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) that will open there on June 16, presidential press service said.

During Tajik leader’s visit to Urals State University of Mines, the title of Honorary Professor was bestowed upon him.

Situated in Yekaterinburg, Urals State University of Mines was founded in 1914.  In 1917, Nicholas II signed an order titled "On keeping of the Yekaterinburg Institute of Mines under the patronage of His Majesty the Emperor and on giving to this educational establishment the title of The Emperor Nicholas II Urals Institute of Mines".

It is the oldest establishment of higher education in the Middle Urals. It offers education in geology, geophysics, engineering and management of mining, geological prospecting. The university offers dozens of graduate and postgraduate programs.

More than 50 Tajik students currently study at various universities of Yekaterinburg; seven of them are students at Urals State University of Mines.