Despite the fact that the first university in Russia, the teaching of which was organized in accordance with Western European standards, was opened in St. Petersburg, the history of higher education does not begin with it. The first institution of higher education in the Kingdom of Moscow was the Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy, which trained mainly translators who spoke the languages of neighboring major powers.
The first university in Russia
The first university, modeled on Western European educational institutions, was St. Petersburg State University, the date of organization of which is considered January 28, 1724. However, the first time the university did not ask, and soon due to a lack of students, it was closed and resumed its work only in 1819.
The official version says that the current university derives its pedigree from the Peter's decree, although many scientists adhere to an alternative point of view. According to an alternative view, the modern SPbU University was created on the basis of the Main Pedagogical Institute, which, in turn, was a reorganized Teachers' Seminary, founded in 1786.
However, in Soviet times, the myth of the continuity of the current university and the institution created by Peter the Great was established. The current leadership of the country and the institution itself adheres to the same point of view. Thus, according to official history, St. Petersburg is considered the first university in Russia. In 1999, the 275th anniversary of the university was solemnly celebrated. So the legend of the first university in Russia was confirmed at the highest level. Despite all the difficulties in determining the historical primacy, St. Petersburg University remains today one of the most prestigious higher education institutions in the country.
History of Moscow State University
Despite the fact that the university in Moscow was organized thirty years later than St. Petersburg, its history, unlike the first, was not interrupted. Thus, there can be no doubt about the date of its foundation, which is reliably established on the basis of the decree of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, signed on January 24, 1755. On the day of the foundation of the university, students celebrate Tatyana's Day every year, which is considered the holiday of all Russian students. Contrary to the official point of view, some historians are sure that Moscow is the first university to be considered the first one.
The first university building was located on Red Square, on the site of the modern Historical Museum. Since the university was a state institution in the eighteenth century, it was directly subordinate to the Governing Senate, and there were special conditions for the court and dismissal for its professors.
Already in the XVIII century, the university acquired its own press, gymnasium and in 1791 received the right to award academic degrees. However, the number of students at the time of the foundation of Moscow State University was only one hundred people.
Significant changes in student life occurred in 1804, when the new charter of the Imperial Moscow University was adopted. He now had to manage the University Council, headed by the rector, which, however, was personally approved by the emperor.
Modernity of Moscow University
The history of Moscow State University has always been inextricably linked with Moscow and its intellectual elite. Today, the university is the largest and one of the most prestigious universities in the country. At the disposal of the university are more than six hundred buildings and structures, the most famous of which is the main building on the Sparrow Hills.
In 2017, the university has forty-one faculties. Research institutes actively working and developing, working in close conjunction with the scientific structures of the Academy of Sciences.
In addition to the Moscow buildings, the university also has branches in cities such as Sevastopol, Astana, Yerevan, Baku, Bishkek, Tashkent and Dushanbe. Each of the branches makes a significant contribution to the development of the intellectual environment of the cities in which they are located.
Kazan and other universities
Kazan University was opened in 1805 and immediately turned into one of the most important centers of scientific centers. In addition, not the most central position on the map of Russia made it possible to maintain a certain level of freedom at the university, which made Kazan the center of attraction for freedom-loving students.
At the end of the nineteenth century, Kazan University became the center of the socialist movement thanks to several student groups in which young Vladimir Lenin took part. It was in his honor that the university was named in 1924.
In addition to universities founded by order of a particular Russian monarch, other higher schools existed on the territory of the Russian Empire. For example, Imperial University of Derpt was organized by order of the Swedish king Gustav ll in 1632, when Derpt, the current Estonian Tartu, was ruled by Sweden.
Until 1710, the university taught exclusively in Swedish, after which the dominant position in the city and the university came from German lands, and, therefore, the teaching was conducted in German. However, the history of the university was interrupted in the middle of the eighteenth century. Once again, he resumed his work only in 1802 by decree of Paul l, which forbade sending students to study abroad. As in other universities of the Russian Empire, teaching in the new educational institution was conducted in Russian.
University of Derpt in the 20th Century
After the fall of the autocracy and the defeat of Russia in the First World War in Derpt, persecution of Russian-speaking professors and students began, and the university itself was evacuated to Voronezh.
It was on the basis of Derpt and the Voronezh State University was created. And the Voronezh Kramskoy Art Museum was created on the basis of the collection of the Derpt Gallery.
After Estonia joined the USSR, teaching at the university resumed in Russian, and it was this time that became the heyday of local science. The activity of Yuri Mikhailovich Lotman and his philological school, which went down in history under the name of Tartus, brought worldwide fame to the university.
Modern University of Dorpat
After Estonia gained independence and proclaimed Estonian the only state language, university teaching is conducted in Estonian and English.
The university is well integrated into the system of European and international education. It has many international exchange programs for the European Erasmus program.