Anatoly Torkunov

Rector of MGIMO-University, President of the MGIMO Endowment

Professor Anatoly V. Torkunov was born in Moscow, Soviet Union on August 26, 1950.

He graduated from MGIMO in 1972. In 1983-1986 he was in the diplomatic service in Washington. In 1986 he was elected Dean of the Faculty of International Relations. In 1989 he was appointed the first vice-rector of MGIMO. He holds an MA and two doctoral degrees in History and Political Science.

Since 1992, Prof. Torkunov has served as Rector of MGIMO-University. In 2008 he became Full Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Currently, Rector Torkunov also holds the position of the President of the MGIMO Endowment.

Prof. Torkunov is the author and co-author of more than 200 scientific works, including a dozen of monographs. He is an expert in international relations, regional subsystems (in the Asia-Pacific region and Northeast Asia), the recent history of Korea, the history of diplomacy.

Prof. Torkunov is editor-in-chief of the journal “MGIMO Review of International Relations” and a member of editorial boards of other Russian and international academic journals.

He is a Member and Head of section of the Academic Council at the Security Council of Russia, member of the Presidential Commission for Strategic Development of the Fuel and Energy Sector and Environmental Security, President of the Russian International Studies Association (RISA), Chairman of the Board of Directors of Russian Channel One, member of the Board of Directors of the Rosoboronexport State Corporation, Chairman of Moscow Region Civic Chamber, co-president of the Russian Historical Society, co-chairman of the Committee on difficult issues in the history of Russian-Japanese relations, co-president of the Trianon Dialogue civil society forum, member of the Supervisory Board of the Swiss Academy for International Law, member of the Board of Trustees of the Alexandrinsky theatre.

The works and services of prof. Torkunov are widely recognized. He has received state awards of Russia, France, Poland, Republic of Korea, Mongolia, Bulgaria, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia.

In 2020 Rector Torkunov was conferred a title of Honoured Worker of the Diplomatic Service of the Russian Federation. He was also awarded Bridging International Relations, Area Studies and Diplomacy: Distinguished Scholar Award by the International Studies Association (2018).

Prof. Torkunov speaks English, Korean, and French.

He is married and has a daughter.