Head of the division - Yakov Yakovlevich Grishin, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Honoured Professor of Kazan University, Honorary Figure of Russian Higher Education.

December, 6th 1994 the rector of Kazan State University ordered to establish interdepartmental Division of International Relations. Professor Yakov Yakovlevich Grishin was appointed as the head of this division. The division worked autonomously until May, 2000.

In June, 2000 the division was included into newly-established faculty of International Relations and Political Sciences. At the same time there was formed the department of International Relations members of which were the leading educators of the faculty of History such as professor Ya.Ya.Grishin, professor R.N.Imangaliev, associate professors A.V.Beloglazov and V.A.Shagalov, in 2001 associate professor R.V.Pentkovtsev. In June, 30th 2008 the department became part of Institute of Oriental Studies, and in September,1st 2013 part of Institute of International Relations, History and Oriental Studies.

The department trains specialists, bachelors and masters on International Relations and Foreign Regional Studies. In the process of education students learn fundamental courses on History and Theory of International Relations, Diplomacy, Geopolitics. As well as they get a good training in foreign languages. In the division of International Relations for the last 20 years such languages as Turkish, Korean, Persian, Chinese, Arabic, Japanese and such European as English, German, French, Spanish were taught.

The department trains postgraduate students, among who there are citizens of foreign countries like Seo Don Chan from Republic of Korea, Mehdi from Islamic Republic of Iran.

In 2003 there was the first successful PhD defense of Lyudmila F.Devyatova. Soon after there came Kamil Nurgaliev and Sergei Nedel'ko. In 2009 there were several PhD defenses, among who there was the third secretary of Russia's embassy in Turkey B.Biktimirov. All in all 40 graduates of the department became Candidates of Science.

Some of the graduates are trained for their postgraduate degrees in different departments of the University, other Universities of Kazan and Russian cities, as well as in Moscow, Oxford, Sorbonne, Berlin, and Istanbul, Singapore and so on.

Currently, 16 postgraduate students and 1 degree-seeking student are trained in the department.

Department stuff takes active part in the University conferences (scientific, research and practice) as well as regional, all-Russian, international.

Students of the department also take active part in research work in the frames of Student Research Society and individually also. For example, the chair of the Student Research Society, 5 year student of the department of International Relations Liliya Romadan was awarded a diploma for the best report at the International scientific conference “Lomonosov - 2012”.

The department established contacts with the Academic forum on International Relations, Center of European security problems study (the Institute of Scientific Information for Social Sciences of Russian Academy of Science), and Center of political researches in Russia. Also with the higher education institutions of Russia, such as Moscow State Institute of International Relations, Academy of Diplomacy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Institute of Latin America, University of Nizhny Novgorod, University of Uralsk, Pedagogical Institute of Arzamas, University of Samara, and University of Perm. Professor Ya.Ya.Grishin is a member of Russian International Studies Association in Moscow, member of the association of the researchers of Latin American world.

Students of the department undergo language internships in the Hunanese Pedagogical University (China), University of Tehran (Iran), University of Marmar (Turkey), University of Giessen, and University of Berlin (Germany), Universities in Japan, France, the UK, and South Korea.

The graduates of the department of International Relations work in the Central office of the Ministry of Foreign affairs of Russia and foreign diplomatic missions in Austria, Canada, Kirgizia, Congo, Mali, Nigeria, Nepal, North Korea, Turkey, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Chad, South Africa, Switzerland, France. Some work in the framework of government of Russia, UNESCO (Russian office), FSB (Moscow), mayor's office in Moscow, also Republic of Belarus, Republic of Chechnya, Kabardino-Balkaria, in the framework of Cabinet of Ministers of Tatarstan, Presidential Administration of Tatarstan, and mayor's office in Kazan. Also our graduates work in different governmental and non-governmental enterprises like Gazprom, Gazpromneft, Tatneft, Helicopter factory, Nizhnekamskneftechim, TAIF. Some work as educators in different higher education institutions of Russia as well as abroad.

All in all during 20 years of work there were 15 years of University leavers.