Welcoming the graduates, special guests, and students in the magnificent hall of the Yekaterinburg Opera and Ballet Theater, the USUE Rector Yakov Silin congratulated all comers on the nice holiday. He reminded the audience that half a century ago, the foundation of the University was laid by the USU Faculty of Economics and the branch of the Plekhanov Moscow Institute of National Economy. Based on these training grounds the first six departments were established: 232 staff members trained 2,399 students.