as of the 2007–2008 academic year, russia had 8.1 million students enrolled in all forms of tertiary education (including military and police institutions and postgraduate studies). foreign students accounted for 5.2% of enrollment, half of whom were from other cis countries. 6.2 million students were enrolled in 658 state-owned and 450 private civilian university-level institutions licensed by the ministry of education; total faculty reached 625 thousands in 2005.