Saint Petersburg State Institute of Technology is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in Russia , it currently trains around 5000 students. In the past, the Institute was named Imperator's Petersburg Institute of Technology , the Institute's name changing with that of the city. During the Imperial period, unlike most other Russian universities, the Institute did not require completion of gymnasium education as a condition of entry; the only requirement was to pass the Institute's examination. Thus, it had one of the most democratic student communities at the time.