In 1996 Bard and Saint Petersburg State University formed a partnership to establish Russia's first liberal arts college. Smolny College is located in one of Russia's culturally richest cities, the historic nexus of cultural encounters between Russia and the West. This first project to introduce liberal arts teaching and learning at a major university is a significant step forward in higher education reform in Russia.

The structure of Smolny's four-year B.A. curriculum resembles Bard's. Students attend First-Year Seminar, pass Moderation, and write Senior Projects. At the same time, Smolny's programs of concentration and courses have different emphases and strengths, reflecting Russian cultural and intellectual traditions and the interests of contemporary Russian faculty and students. Major programs of concentration are art history and architecture, complex systems, economics, history of civilizations, literature, music, performing arts in theater and film, philosophy, and sociology and anthropology. A program in political science and international relations is being developed. Programs of minor concentration include American studies, democracy, gender studies, international relations, practicing arts, religious studies, and Russian studies.

Smolny College opened in October 1999 with 78 students and now enrolls 270. An eventual student body of 450 is planned. The great majority of students are Russian. Graduates receive a dual B.A. in liberal arts and sciences from Bard College and Smolny College of Saint Petersburg State University.

Smolny is in the process of renovating the 17th-century Bobrinskiy Palace in St. Petersburg as its future campus. In 2002 the Russian Ministry of Finance announced a major grant to support the project. In a city of many palaces, the Bobrinskiy stands out by virtue of its park, courtyard, and charming, intimate interiors. Three wings of the palace, constructed more recently than the original structure, offer ample space for classrooms, faculty offices, and the faculty and student exchanges and activities that are important for liberal education. Renovation of the palace is expected to be completed in 2005.

The languages of instruction at Smolny are Russian and English. Courses in Russian as a second language are offered at the intermediate and advanced levels. Smolny and Bard will offer a Russian language summer intensive for students who may need to improve their skills in Russian before enrolling.

Bard students with sufficient knowledge of Russian, including Russian studies majors, are encouraged to spend a semester or more at Smolny. Students from Bard and other U.S. colleges who attend Smolny for a semester or a year earn Bard College credit; Bard students attending Smolny pay Bard tuition.

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