The Pridnestrovian State University

History

On October 1, 1930 the Moldavian Institute of Public Education was established on the basis of the Moldavian State Pedagogical Training College. It was the first higher educational institution in Moldavia.
Five chambers and three faculties (mechanics and mathematics, linguistics and agro biology) were functioning there. 123 students and 80 school leavers (preparatory faculty) were trained in Moldavian, Ukrainian and Russian. Twenty teachers graduated from the institute at that time.
In 1933 the institute was reorganized into the Moldavian Pedagogical Institute (four years of training). In March, 1939 it was named after the great Ukrainian poet and artist Shevchenko T.G. The geographical faculty was open that year.
During the German and Romanian occupation the institute was evacuated to the town of Buguruslan, Orenburg District. Twelve teachers left the town. Many teachers, students and employees joined the Soviet Army.
In 1944 the institute went on functioning – 374 students studied there. 19 specialists (a philologist, four mathematicians and 14 historians) graduated from the institute that year.
After the war the institute returned to Tiraspol. It was difficult to engage students because there were very few young people who had left school. So in October, 1945 workers’ school was organized with a view to train the youth. It was functioning till August, 1948.
In August, 1952 the institute was reorganized into Tiraspol State Pedagogical Institute named after Shevchenko T.G. with four faculties (history and philology, physics and mathematics, natural science and geography). It also became the regional methodological center.
In 1956-57 five-year training course for teachers were introduced in the institute.
Every year practical conferences with the participation of schoolteachers of towns, villages and districts of the republic were held. A planetarium, an agricultural and biological station, some laboratories, a school of physics and mathematics, a learned body of students and traveling club were established. The staff included 5 Doctors in science, 163 Masters in science. In 1970 Tiraspol State Pedagogical Institute named after Shevchenko T.G. was awarded with the Honorary Diploma of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of MSSR for the achievements in training and education of pedagogical and scientific staff. In 1974 the institute was noted down in the Golden Book of Honor, in 1980 it was awarded the Order of Honor according to the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of MSSR.

The formation of the Pridnestrovian State University

The State University of Tiraspol was established according to the resolution -25 of the Provisional Supreme Soviet of PMSSR (September 21, 1990) for the training of specialists in different branches of the economy. Four faculties: History and Law, Economics, Physics and Technology, Agriculture and Ecology were open.
On January 11, 1991 the Association of local Soviets of People’s Deputies and Enterprises of Pridnestrovie became the founders of the State University. In this connection its status and appellation were changed into Tiraspol State Corporative University of the Pridnestrovian region.
The medical faculty and Arts School at the historical faculty were established. Doctor in Law, Professor Yakovlev Vasiliy Nikitovich was the head of the university.
On June 25, 1992 Pridnestrovian State Corporative University named after Shevchenko T.G. was established as a result of the merger of Tiraspol State Pedagogical Institute named after Shevchenko T.G. and Tiraspol State Corporative University of the Pridnestrovian region. In June, 1997 it was renamed into the Pridnestrovian State University in connection with the alteration of its status.
The Public Administration and All-Russia Educational Fund at the State Duma of the Russian Federation are the founders of PSU. In 1995 the university joined the Association of higher educational institutions of the Russian Federation and Eurasian Association of Universities (1999). The representation of PSU in the Russian Federation was registered by Moscow registration chamber (certificate MRII, -000.628 – U, on January 26, 1994)
On June 12, 1996 Beril Stepan Iordanovich (a scientist, Doctor in Physics and Mathematics, a professor, and a member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences) was elected rector of the Pridnestrovian State University at the meeting of the Academic Council.
Nowadays the university is headed for the Russian educational standards and plans. Our diplomas are valid within the territory of Russia.
From 1999 graduates of PSU are given diplomas of a new state standard.
The University includes 79 chambers, 12 main faculties (historical, law, economic, medical, agricultural, engineering and pedagogical, engineering and technological, philological, pedagogical (including arts school), faculties of physics and mathematics, geography and natural science, physical training and sports), a scientific research department, 28 scientific research laboratories, a computing center, an agricultural and biological station, a center of preparatory training, a faculty of social professions, a center of culture for the youth “Sputnik”, a sports club “Record”. The scientific library of the university is the largest in the region (it has over 850 000 books). The drafting publishing department is engaged in providing the university with the scientific, educational and methodological literature. The university also has four museums and an observatory.
Over 9 thousand students from Pridnestrovie, Moldova, the Ukraine Russia and other countries study at the university.

Educational zone

The special international position of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic has a great influence on the status of the university. On the one hand, the university is isolated from the world because of artificial legal and political obstacles. On the other hand, being a polyethnic higher educational institution, it has to interact to other states.
Multi-national Russia keeps relations (both de-facto and de-jure) with our university, so it’s the part of the Russian educational zone. Scientific and educational activity at our university is headed for Russian educational plans and standards. Teachers are given scientific degrees and ranks by the High Examination Board at the Ministry of education of the Russian Federation. Our diplomas are equivalent to diplomas of Russia. The Ukraine and Byelorussia are eager to render assistance to their compatriots. Representatives of our university defend theses, our students and post-graduate students study there.
Our university cooperates to such higher educational institutions of Russia, the Ukraine and Byelorussia as Moscow State University named after Lomonosov M.V., Byelorussian State University named after Skorina F., Kiev State University named after Shevchenko T.G., Moscow State Technical University named after Bauman N.E., etc.
Then agreements on cooperation with Odessa State University named after Mechnikov I., the Institute of Applied Optics of the Academy of Science of Byelorussia, Vinitsa State pedagogical and medical universities, Moscow state pedagogical and economical university were concluded. The Pridnestrovian State University had concluded 21 agreements with educational institutions of CIS by January 1, 2000.
The main lines of interaction are scientific, educational and methodological cooperation, including meetings, visits, exchange of information. Some joint programs have been planned, including the establishment of joint scientific research laboratories.
In 1999 the Pridnestrovian State University joined the Eurasian Association of state universities of CIS countries.
Moscow State University named after Lomonosov M.V. is the main partner of our university. In May, 1999 the scientific methodological center of MSU and PSU started functioning. It has the function of coordination of the activity on post-graduate staff training, it also send the most talented student to study at MSU. The center has the function of making international contacts and relations of the university.
It was decided to establish specialized boards on defending theses under the supervision of the High Examination Board of the Russian Federation.
The cooperation of the Pridnestrovian State University to leading higher educational institutions of CIS countries under the aegis of RANS (Russian Academy of Natural Sciences) led to the close creative integration of chambers and scientific laboratories of PSU into Russian educational zone, the establishment of joint scientific units and cooperation with Russian scientists. The active participation of the Pridnestrovian State University in the First international conference of Universities of CIS and Baltic states “Universities and society” was rather symbolic.
In 1999 the agreement on collaboration with the Center of Testing school leavers of the Russian Federation was concluded. Tests are used at entrance, preliminary and school exams.
The system of informative maintenance of educational institutions of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic was established on the basis of the computer network TV-inform of the Russian Academy of Informatization. “Internet and e-mail service help to connect our university with the world scientific and educational community.