A historic event in the development of Islamic theology in Russia has received official confirmation.
On December 23, 2025, a historic event occurred in the Russian scientific and educational space – for the first time in the history of Russian science, a dissertation in the academic specialty 5.11.2 "Historical Theology (Research Focus: Islam)" was successfully defended under the state academic certification system.
A dissertation entitled "The Islamic Concept of Religious Tolerance as Interpreted by Tatar Theologians of the Volga and Ural Regions in the 18th – Early 20th Centuries" was submitted for consideration by the dissertation council. The author of the study was Ramis Albertovich Fatkhullin. Stanislav Konstantinovich Osipov, PhD, Associate Professor at Pyatigorsk State University, served as the research supervisor.
The dissertation was completed with the scientific and organizational support of the Department for the Coordination of Research and Innovative Project Activities in Specialist, Master's, and Postgraduate Studies at Pyatigorsk State University.
Following a meeting on December 23, 2025, the dissertation council unanimously decided to award Ramis Albertovich Fatkhullin the degree of Candidate of Theology.
In August 2026, this decision received final official confirmation, based on the conclusion of the Higher Attestation Commission (HAC), by order of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation: Ramis Albertovich Fatkhullin was awarded a Candidate of Theology certificate.
PSU continues to make a significant contribution to the development of theological education and science, the training of highly qualified academic and teaching staff, and the formation of a modern academic school in the field of historical theology.