University

University

St. Petersburg University was founded in 1724 by Peter the Great's edict. Russia's first institution of higher education was linked with the Academy of Sciences and the Grammar School. The first members of the Academy and professors of the University were foreign scholars, such as L. Euler, G. Graft, I. Braun. Practically all the Russian academicians of the XVIII century were graduates of St. Petersburg University. The University originally provided tuition in three fields: mathematics, physics, and the humanities.

In 1758-1765 the Academy's University and Grammar School were headed by M. V. Lomonosov. After his death in 1765 the University and Grammar School were reorganised into the Academy school.

On 8 February 1819, St. Petersburg University was re-created by an edict of Alexander I. Initially, it consisted of three faculties: those of History and Philology, of Philosophy and Law, and of Physics and Mathematics. The faculty of Oriental Studies was added to them in 1854. These faculties made up the university structure until 1918.

In 1838 the University took over the entire building of the Twelve Colleges designed by D. Tresini.

During the second half of the XIX century a number of world-famous scientific schools appeared within the University. Among their leaders were such outstanding scholars as D. Mendeleyev and A. Butlerov in chemistry, V. Dokuchaev in soil science, A. Inostrantsev in geology.

In the period between the late 1860s and 1890s, a number of University-affiliated academic societies were formed, such as the Naturalists' Society, the Russian Chemical society. The Botanical Garden and the Observatory were created. In 1878 the Bestuzhev Higher Education School for Women was founded by some professors of the University. In 1918 the School was included in the University.

In the 1920s to 1930s several departments grew into new faculties: the Faculty of Physics, the Faculty of Mathematics and Mechanics, the Faculty of Geography, the Faculty of Geology and others.

Since the 1960s the University has developed as a bipolar system with two bases – the older base on the Basil's Island and the new suburban campus in Peterhof.

Today St Peterburg State University is a major Russian centre of science, education and culture. Many important universities in Europe, America, and Asia, have maintained various academic contacts with the University of St. Petersburg. The discoveries and achievements of the University professors and graduates have become part of the history of both international and Russian science and technology. Eight of them were awarded Nobel Prizes – I. Pavlov and I. Mechnikov for physiology and medicine; N. Semenov for chemistry; L.Landau and A. Prokhorov for physics; V. Leontyev and L. Kantorovich for economics; I. Brodsky for literature.