I am pleased to welcome you to the introduction of Odessa National University named after I. I. Mechnikov - one of the oldest universities in Ukraine. Here you can discover the rich historical past and today's multi-faceted university teaching, research and social activities of its many thousands of teachers, researchers and students.

History

 

I.I. Mechnikov Odessa National University is one of the oldest in Ukraine. It was founded in 1865, when by the Edict of the Emperor of the Russian Empire Alexander II the Richelieu Lycee which had existed in Odessa since 1817 was reorganized into Imperial Novorossiya University. All academic and scientific life of the University - from the day of its foundation - was directed by the Statute of 1863 that formed the liberal-democratic tradition of the Higher Institution which has been preserved in it until now, in spite of all the disturbances in the social and political life of the country.

From the very first years of its existence the University of Novorossiya became an important center of science and of training the science and education cadres of the Northern Black-Sea Coastal Region.

At Odessa (Novorossiya) University, world-famous teachers and scientists have been working in different periods of its existence, such as: the Nobel Prize winner I.I.Mechnikov after whom University was named. Professors I.M.Sechenov, A.A.Kovalevskiy, N.F.Gamaleya, N.Y.Zelinskiy, D.l.Mendeleyev, the outstanding physicist G.A.Gamov, the mathematician A.M.Lyapunov and others. Through their activities, the University of Novorossiya had quickly become one of the centers of the culture of the Ukrainian, Russian and many other peoples dwelling in the Northern Black Sea Coastal Region and begun to play an important role in the development of science.

The first Rector of the University was Professor I.Y.Sokolov. In different periods of time, the University was headed by Professors P.N.Lebedyev, A.l.Yurzhenko, A.V.Bogatskiy, V.V.Serdyuk, I.P.Zelinskiy-all are prominent specialists in different branches of knowledge. At the present time, the Rector of I.I. Mechnikov Odessa National University is the Fellow of the Academy of Higher School of Ukraine V.A.Smyntyna, known specialist in the surface physics.

The University today

 

Nowadays I.I. Mechnikov Odessa National University is situated in two parts of the city and occupies summarily 70 hec.

Structurally, the University consists of 10 Faculties, 4 Institutes, College, two Preparatory Departments for citizens of Ukraine and foreign countries, 15 scientific-research laboratories (SRL), five scientific institutes, administration departments, experimental training shops and nine dormitories for students, post-graduates and trainees. The University has a sports- and health-rehabilitation complex with its own stadium and rest-base for the students, personnel and university guests in a picturesque section of Odessa, the village of Chernomorka. In all the areas of the University location, there are cafeterias, cafes, bars and medical sections.

All work of the University is directed by its Rector in cooperation with the University Council and the Pro-Rectors.

The Rector is the Chairman at the University Council meetings. He settles the questions concerning the personnel and, together with the divisions Pro-Rectors, all other problems concerning the life and activities of the University and the functioning of any of its divisions.

I.I. Mechnikov Odessa National University is acquiring ever more features of a large European higher-school center.

Academic and pedagogical activity of the University

 

At the present, the University has 20 000 students from Ukraine and other countries of the former USSR as well as 256 students from 52 foreign countries.

They may choose any speciality taught at 10 Faculties and preparatory departments. The University engages 1803 teachers including 179 doctors of sciences, professors and 732 candidates of science, and associate professors. The academic and pedagogical work is controlled by three Pro-Rectors in conjunctions with the Academic Departments, faculties authorities and inter-faculty structures. The students of the University acquire deep fundamental knowledge in basic sciences and a serious professional training in specialities chosen by them. The University has adequate facilities for carrying on academic studies, which take place in its 9 academic buildings.

The academic laboratories have modern academic and scientific equipment and object-teaching appliances. Starting with their 2nd year, the students take part in serious scientific research work, go through their teaching-training at common high- and special high schools. Nowadays the training of specialists at the educational institutes of the Ukraine and at I.I. Mechnikov Odessa National University, in particular, is being re-organized to bring it closer to the system of education in the countries of Europe.

In the last few years, a transition to the multi-stage system of education in accordance with the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) and the International Standard Classification of Occupation (ISCO) began in the higher educational Institutions of Ukraine. The multi-stage system of training assumes the possibility of acquiring the occupation and qualification of Junior specialist as an intermediate stage in preparing bachelors as well as a qualification of specialist, master, candidate, and doctor of science. At I.I. Mechnikov Odessa National University, the multi-stage system of education has been accepted by all faculties and institutes. The introduction of this system makes it possible for Odessa National University graduates to work under the market circumstances of the modern Ukraine and the other NIS countries and for I.I. Mechnikov Odessa National University to be integrated into the world system of training of high-qualification specialists. Information on all the faculties and departments is given below.

Scientific-research work of the University

 

Scientific-research work at the University is coordinated by the Pro-Rector for scientific work through the Department of Scientific Research and its Chief.

The Department secures the effective functioning of all scientific-research divisions whose activity is financed from the state budget through the Ministry of Education as well as from the funds received for the fulfillment of orders by industrial enterprises and branches of research-and-production organizations, from the Ukrainian Science-and-Technology Ministry and on the account of the research done in conjunction with foreign firms.

The Pro-Rector in scientific work together with the Scientific-Research Department secures effective activity of all the research divisions of I.I. Mechnikov Odessa National University and their personnel. The Pro-Rector is the intermediary between the I.I. Mechnikov Odessa National University and the Ministry of Education of the Ukraine, the Science-and-Technology Ministry, and other external organizations that finance the University and conclude agreements for the developing and realization of research work in it. The Pro-Rector secures that the information on the scientific achievements of the University and its creative and productive facility should reach the world-wide circles.

Different scientific events, such as conferences, symposia, and exhibitions, are organized by the Scientific-Research Department and the Pro-Rector.

The Department's personnel also undertake the organization of the qualification-attestation of the scientific-staff members and act as the coordinators in receiving funds for research work. The scientific-research laboratories employ 17 Doctors (Dr.Sc.) and 200 Candidates (Ph.D.). In addition, the research in the laboratories is done mostly by instructors of highest qualification, which guaranties high effectiveness of the research carried out.