Nationality Russian Residence Moscow, Russia Role Diplomat | Name Anatoly Torkunov Notable awards Fields International relations | |
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Born 26 August 1950
Moscow, Soviet Union ( 1950-08-26 ) Institutions Moscow State Institute of International Relations Alma mater Moscow State Institute of International Relations Known for Diplomat, IR Scholar,
Rector of Moscow State Institute of International Relations Education Moscow State Institute of International Relations | ||
Anatoly Vasilyevich Torkunov (Russian: Анатолий Васильевич Торкунов; born 26 August 1950) is a Soviet and Russian diplomat and international relations scholar.
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The rector of Moscow's State Institute of International Relations, Torkunov is a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Collegium of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
He serves as chairman of the United Nations Association of Russia.
Biography
Anatoly Torkunov was born on 26 August 1950 in the family of ZiL factory workers in Moscow. His father, Vasily Torkunov, was one of the chief organizers of Soviet automobile industry.
After graduation from MGIMO-University (the Moscow State Institute of International Relations) in 1972, Anatoly Torkunov began teaching at the institute, while carrying out post-graduate research related to Africa and Asia. He was awarded the degree of candidate of sciences in history for a PhD thesis on the installation and consolidation of bureaucratic military rule in South Korea in 1977. His administrative career included working on positions of the rector's assistant, dean of the international office, vice-rector for international cooperation.
In 1983 A. Torkunov left the Institute of International Relations to work at the Soviet embassy in the United States, serving as second and first secretary until 1986.
Upon returning to the Soviet Union he resumed his work at the Institute, where he was elected dean of the School of international relations (1986), then promoted to the position of the first vice-rector (1989). In 1991 he was granted the title of professor. In 1992 Anatoly Torkunov was elected as rector of the Institute (re-elected in 1997, 2002, 2007 and 2012). In 1993 he was awarded the rank of Ambassador, in 1995 he received the degree of doctor of political sciences (thesis: "Korean Peninsula Security Challenges: International and intra-Korean aspects").
In 1999 A. Torkunov was elected president of the Russian International Studies Association.
Elected corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences in 2003, he became a full member of the Academy in 2008.
Torkunov holds the diplomatic rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary since 1993.
Current activities
Anatoly Torkunov is Rector of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, president of the United Nations Association of Russia, Chair of the Board of Channel One Russia, Co-president of the Russian History Society, president of the scientific council of the Russian-Polish centre for dialogue and cooperation, member of the Board of Trustees of the Russian International Affairs Council, honorary member of the Russian Academy of Arts. A. Torkunov is co-chair of the Russian-Polish Group for Difficult Issues together with Poland's former Foreign Minister Adam Daniel Rotfeld and the Commission on difficult matters of Russian-Japanese relations. He is also foreign member of Polish Academy of Sciences, honorary citizen of Seoul, honorary doctor of a number of universities.