The Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, initially named the Moscow Institute of Economics and Finance, was established by the People’s Commissariat of Finance, the Soviet Union’s financial governing body, in 1918. The university is wholly state-owned, with the Government of the Russian Federation as its sole founder, and its rector is appointed by direct government decree rather than through an independent academic process. The university has evolved into a research and academic complex with eight faculties across 27 campuses. In 2026, during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to China, the university signed a cooperation agreement with China Media Group outlining collaboration on culture, research, and mass communication, including the co-production of news and short videos.