Southern Federal University is a university in the Rostov Oblast federal subject, Russia. Federal University (SFedU) was established by the RF Government Decree № 1616-р dated November 23, 2006 as a result of Rostov State Academy of Architecture and Arts, Rostov State Pedagogical University and Taganrog State University of Radioengineering being affiliated to Rostov State University. The former rector of Taganrog State University of Radioengineering, Vladislav Zakharevich, has been appointed Southern Federal's first rector, and the former rector of Rostov State University, Alexander Belokon, has been appointed SFU's first president. Rostov State University was the largest scientific and educational establishment of Rostov region, the South of Russia and the Northern Caucasus. It was founded in 1915, when it was successfully transformed from Warsaw Imperial University.