Russian "вуз" - what is it? "Вуз" is abbreviation: высшее учебное заведениe (higher educational institution). This is an educational institution that provides knowledge and skills in the field of higher professional education and conducts scientific activities, i.e. conducting research in various fields. Universities can be public or private and, regardless of this, they can have their own divisions in different cities of the country. Since 2016, higher education institutions have been renamed into higher-level educational organizations (ULEOs). Вузы (pl.) are subdivided according to their forms: academies, institutes and universities. In the structure of any «вуз» there are institutes, faculties and departments.