University of Karazin: history, faculties, famous graduates

Cognoscere, docere, erudire - this is the main credo of one of the oldest universities in Eastern Europe. In Latin it means: "To learn, to teach, to enlighten." Kharkiv University. Karazin was founded in 1804. Today he is in the TOP-3 of higher educational institutions of Ukraine.

University Karazin - in the forefront of Ukrainian universities

In 2016, the rating of universities "TOP-200: Ukraine" put the university from Kharkov to the third position. Above him were only two metropolitan universities - the Kiev national name Shevchenko and the Kiev Polytechnic (KPI). The rating is compiled annually, based on three main parameters. This is an assessment of the quality of teaching, scientific and pedagogical potential, as well as international recognition.

In the popular worldwide ranking of universities Webometrics last year National University Karazin occupies the 1694th place. The level of accreditation of the educational institution is the fourth (the highest in the country). To date, the university employs 381 professors and trains about 15 thousand students.

In Soviet times Karazin University was awarded several honorary awards for merits before the homeland (in particular, he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor). Today, the university is the second in Ukraine in terms of the total number of scientific articles and publications.

V.N. Karazin is the founder of Kharkov University

Active public figure, scientist and inventor Vasily Nazarovich Karazin was born in 1773 in the village of Krucik, Kharkov province. It is to this man, as the name implies, that the University of Karazin owes his appearance. And it was he who installed a monument at the entrance to the main building of the educational institution on Liberty 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 on agriculture. By the way, it was Karazin who proposed to create a ramified network of meteorological stations throughout the country.

At the beginning of the XIX century the Kharkov nobleman VN Karazin enlisted the support of the new emperor Alexander the First and even became his adviser. This time he used with great benefit: in particular, established the Ministry of Education (one of the first in Europe) and achieved the opening in his hometown of the university.

Contemporaries were amazed by the activity and indefatigability of Vasily Karazin, emphasizing also his phenomenal erudition.

KhNU named after Karazin: history of the university

The organization of the Karazin University in Kharkov was by no means universally accepted with enthusiasm. For example, Alexander Pushkin in his diary wrote that he "is not worth any restaurant in Kursk." Nevertheless, it was this university that created the ground for the transformation of Kharkov into a major scientific and economic center in the future.

His first students accepted this educational institution in 1805. And in its long history the university has produced about 130 thousand people.

Teachers of Kharkov University have always been his main pride. Among them, for example, were the Nobel laureates - 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 hence in the whole world).

The creation of the first scientific communities in the city, the publication of the first newspapers and magazines, is closely connected with this university. Since 1807, the Museum of Nature has been functioning at the university. The number of its exhibits to date is just impressive - about 250 thousand. Since 1808, an astronomical observatory has been working here, which is now actively engaged in research of planets, asteroids, comets and satellites of our solar system.

Faculties and buildings

Today, the Karazin University 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), objects of culture, sports and leisure.

The funds of the main library of KhNU are extraordinarily rich. It holds about 3.5 million copies of books, manuscripts and magazines, 50,000 of which are unique. Here you can find lifetime editions of many classics of world literature.

Initially, the students and teachers of the educational institution huddled in an old mansion on University Street, 16. New modern buildings for the university were erected only in the first third of the twentieth century.

The main building of Kharkiv National University named after Karazin is located in the heart of Kharkov - on the largest in Europe Square of Freedom. 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 skyscrapers." In appearance, the building resembles the main building of Moscow State University. On the opposite side of the square is the Northern KhNU building, 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 alumni

Many famous scientists taught at Kharkov University . In addition to the already mentioned Nobel laureates, Peter Gulak-Artemovsky, Alexander Potebnya, Dmitry Bagaly, Timofey Butkevich, Nikolai Beketov, Vladimir Palladin and others worked here.

It is very difficult to list all the famous graduates of this university. Let's try to mention at least a small part of them. So, KhNU them. Karazin at one time graduated:

• Economist M. Tugan-Baranovsky;
• The 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…

Kharkiv University. Karazin is one of the best in the country. It exists and has been functioning successfully for more than two centuries! During this time the university has trained and produced dozens of talented scientists - chemists, mathematicians, biologists, as well as prominent artists. Many well-known teachers worked there, including two Nobel laureates.