Opening of the Moscow University

The opening of the Moscow University in 1755 became possible thanks to the active work of the outstanding scientist, the first academician in Russia - Mikhail Lomonosov. This institution is considered the oldest in the country higher education institution. The name of Lomonosov was conferred in 1940, when the institution turned 185 years old.

On the basis of the Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg, in 1724, a gymnasium and a university were established. Their task was to train Russian scientists. However, these institutions could not cope with their functions. Lomonosov repeatedly proposed the creation of the Moscow University. Formulated in a letter to Shuvalov, the proposals of the scientist were taken as the basis for the project of the educational institution. As you know, Shuvalov was in the favorites of the Empress Elizabeth, he supported the development of Russian culture and science, patronized many of the beginnings of Mikhail Lomonosov.

Upon acquaintance with the submitted draft of the new educational institution, Elizaveta Petrovna, on January 25, 1755, a decree on its foundation was signed. The opening of the Moscow University was held on May 7, 1755. The same day, Elizabeth celebrated the anniversary of her coronation. Since then, these days have become firmly established in the history of the educational institution. The opening of the Moscow University is celebrated by student celebrations. The days of scientific student creativity and the annual conference "Lomonosov Readings" are also timed to this event.

According to the plan of its creator, the opening of the Moscow State University began with the formation of three faculties: medical, legal and philosophical. Training for all students at the Faculty of Philosophy began. They received basic training in the humanities and natural sciences. Further, young people could continue their education, specializing in the same faculty or going to law or medical school. At the Moscow University there was not a theological faculty, in contrast to European universities. This is due to the special preparatory system of Orthodox ministers used in Russia, which suggested lecturing, both in Latin and in Russian.

The MSU was distinguished by a democratic student and professorial staff. This fact largely contributed to the wide dissemination among them of advanced ideas in the field of science and society. The university could come from anybody, except serfs, estates. In this case , the education system was built following the example of Western European educational institutions, in which the principle of estates was terminated long ago.

The opening of the Moscow University required certain expenses. State appropriations covered expenses only partially. In addition, at the beginning of the development of the institution, students were not charged a fee, and subsequently, poor students were relieved of it. The management was forced to look for various sources of additional income, even resorting to commercial activities. A great contribution to the development of the University was made by patrons (Stroganovs, Demidovs, Dashkova). They transferred for the needs of the institution purchased instruments, books, collections, announced student scholarships. The University established a tradition in which professors bequeathed their personal collections to the library.

Moscow University held a leading position in the popularization and dissemination of scientific knowledge. Lectures of teachers and debates of students were open to the public. In the next year after the establishment of the institution, a bookshop and a printing house were opened on its base. Thus, the domestic book publishing began. At the same time, the first non-governmental newspaper Moskovskye Vedomosti was published. From January 1760 began to be issued a literary magazine (the first in the capital) "Useful amusement."