Vladimir Putin's speech at the ceremony:

Please accept my warmest greetings on the first day of the new academic year. I would like to wish you success and I am confident that each of you will have some achievements this year. This is an excellent building and an excellent project - a great project involving the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the federal government and a business (although it is still state controlled, it invested over 700 million roubles). More than 400 million came from the federal budget, while the territorial government contributed about 150 million.

Look what a great institute we've got here. Well, it did not just appear out of nowhere, but is part of the Siberian Federal University, one of the leading Russian universities.

The Siberian Federal University, established through a merger of several Krasnoyarsk institutes, has certainly moved into a leading position in Russia's educational system. It has 40,000 students. Just imagine that, 40,000 students. And many more would like to get enrolled I am sure.

This university trains professionals in a broad range of fields. Graduates of the Oil and Gas Institute will certainly be in demand in Russia's oil and gas sector, which is showing booming growth. Such professionals are especially needed here in East Siberia and the Far East - desperately needed in fact because a lot of major oil and gas projects are being implemented here. They are among Russia's and the world's largest mineral extraction projects.

Best wishes on the first day of the new academic year. Thank you very much.