Cognoscere, docere, erudire - this is the main credo of one of the oldest universities in Eastern Europe. Translated from Latin, this means: "Cognize, teach, educate." Kharkov University Karazin was established back in 1804. Today he is in the TOP-3 of higher educational institutions of Ukraine.
Karazin University - at the forefront of Ukrainian universities
In 2016, the ranking of universities “TOP-200: Ukraine” put the university from Kharkov in third place. Above it were only two metropolitan universities - the Kiev National Shevchenko and the Kiev Polytechnic (KPI). The rating is compiled annually based on three main parameters. This is an assessment of the quality of training, scientific and pedagogical potential, as well as international recognition.
In the popular world ranking of Webometrics universities last year, Karazin National University takes 1694th place. The accreditation level of the institution is the fourth (highest in the country). Today, 381 professors work at the university and about 15 thousand students study.
In Soviet times, Karazin University was awarded several honorary awards for services to the motherland (in particular, it was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor). Today, the university is the second in Ukraine in the total number of scientific articles and publications.
V.N. Karazin - founder of Kharkov University
An active public figure, scientist and inventor Vasily Nazarovich Karazin was born in 1773 in the village of Kruchik in the Kharkov province. To this person, as the name implies, the University of Karazin owes its appearance. And it was to him that a monument was erected at the entrance to the main building of the educational institution on Freedom Square.
The range of scientific interests of Vasily Karazin was incredibly wide: chemistry, agronomy, meteorology, astronomy, statistical accounting. He is the author of a number of works in agriculture. By the way, it was Karazin who proposed creating an extensive network of meteorological stations throughout the country.
At the beginning of the XIX century, the Kharkov nobleman V.N. Karazin enlisted the support of the new emperor Alexander the First and even became his adviser. He used this time with great benefit: in particular, he established the Ministry of Education (one of the first in Europe) and achieved the opening of a university in his hometown.
Contemporaries were amazed by the activity and tirelessness of Vasily Karazin, focusing also on his phenomenal erudition.
KhNU named after Karazin: history of the university
Karazin’s organization of the Kharkov University was far from enthusiastic. For example, Alexander Pushkin wrote in his diary that he "is not worth any restaurant in Kursk." Nevertheless, it was this university that paved the way for the transformation of Kharkov into a major scientific and economic center in the future.
This educational institution accepted its first students in 1805. And in its entire long history, the university graduated about 130 thousand people.
Teachers at Kharkov University have always been his main pride. Among them, for example, were Nobel Prize winners - biologist Ilya Mechnikov and physicist Lev Landau. If we talk about the Kharkov school of physics, then it was one of the strongest in the Soviet Union (and, therefore, all over the world).
The creation of the first scientific communities in the city and the publication of the first newspapers and magazines are closely connected with this university. Since 1807, the Museum of Nature has been operating at the university. The number of exhibits today is simply impressive - about 250 thousand. Since 1808, an astronomical observatory has been operating here, which today is actively engaged in the study of planets, asteroids, comets and satellites of our solar system.
Faculties and buildings
Karazin University today has 20 faculties and over a hundred different departments. The structure of the university also includes a number of scientific units (botanical garden, biostation, observatory and others), cultural, sports and leisure facilities.
The funds of the main library of KNU are unusually rich. It stores about 3.5 million copies of books, manuscripts and magazines, 50 thousand of which are unique. Here you can find intravital editions of many classics of world literature.
Initially, students and teachers of the educational institution huddled in an old mansion on University Street, 16. New modern buildings for the university were built only in the first third of the twentieth century.
The main building of Kharazin KhNU is located in the heart of Kharkov - on Europe’s largest Freedom Square. And the building itself is impressive in its scope. It was built in 1932 in the style of constructivism, and after the war - rebuilt in the style of "Stalin's skyscrapers." In appearance, the building resembles the main building of Moscow State University. On the opposite side of the square is the Northern building of KNU, built in the same style in 1929. Both buildings of the university, together with the pompous Derzhprom, create a single and very impressive architectural ensemble.
Famous teachers and graduates
Many famous scientists taught at Kharkov University . In addition to the already mentioned Nobel laureates, here worked: Pyotr Gulak-Artemovsky, Alexander Potebnya, Dmitry Bagaliy, Timofey Butkevich, Nikolay Beketov, Vladimir Palladin and others.
It is very difficult to list all the famous graduates of this university. Let us try to mention at least a small part of them. So, KNU them. Karazin at one time graduated:
- economist M. Tugan-Baranovsky;
- historian M. Kostomarov;
- astronomer O. Struve;
- archaeologist and ethnographer D. Yavornitsky;
- philologist A. Potebnya;
- Zoologist I. Lopatin;
- writer B. Grinchenko;
- poet V. Sosyura and many other outstanding personalities.
Finally…
Kharkov University Karazin is one of the best in the country. It exists and has been successfully functioning for more than two centuries! During this time, the university has prepared and graduated dozens of talented scientists - chemists, mathematicians, biologists, as well as prominent artists. Many famous teachers worked in it, including two Nobel laureates.