History

Syktyvkar State University was founded on the 10^th of February in 1972 in the result of scientific justifications of V.A. Vityazeva and her colleagues (1961, 1966), decision of Komi Bureau of the Committee of the CPSU Regional Committee and of the Council of Ministers of Komi Commission of Autonomic Soviet Socialist Republic (ASSR) № 447 “About measures of preparation to the opening of a state university in Syktyvkar City” from the 27^th of November, 1970; decision of the CPSU Regional Committee about creation of a state university in Syktyvkar № par.-9/8 from the 13^th of July, 1971, decision of the Council of Ministers of the USSR № 698 from the 24^th of September, 1971 “About organization of Syktyvkar State University”, the order of Ministry of Higher and Specialized Secondary Education of the USSR № 783 from the 12^th of October, 1971 “About organization of Syktyvkar State University”, decision of the Council of Ministers of RSFSR № 580 from the 25^th of October, 1971 “About organization of Syktyvkar State University”, the order of  Ministry of Higher and Specialized Secondary Education of the USSR №458 from the 11^th of November, 1971 “About organization of Syktyvkar State University”, the order of Ministry of Higher and Specialized Secondary Education of the USSR № 49 from the 10^th of February, 1972 “About structure approval of Syktyvkar State University” (the date of founding). Dating from the 29^th of December, 1972 to the 29^th of May, 1992 the university had the name of 50^th anniversary of the USSR (SSU named after 50^th anniversary of the USSR), then in short SyktSU. 

February 14, 2013 – Komi State Pedagogical Institute was joined to Syktyvkar State University. It was opened on the 21^st of February, 1932.

 

August 22, 2014 – a monument to a prominent scientist and sociologist Pitirim Alexandrovich Sorokin (1889-1968) was installed near the main building of Syktyvkar State University.

 

March 2, 2015 – the university was named after Pitirim Sorokin. In April, 2017 Syktyvkar State University was be awarded the status of the main regional university.

 

Rectors of the university:

The first rector of Syktyvkar State University was appointed a famous scientist in Economics of South, Doctor of Geographical Sciences, professor Valentina Alexandrovna Vityazeva (1919-2010). She has been the Chancellor of the University for 15 years.

In 1987, a Doctor of Physics and Mathematics, Alexey Eliseevich Grishchenko (1937-2011), became the rector of the university. In 1990, this position was occupied by a Doctor of Physics and Mathematics, Sergey Ivanovich Khudyaev (1934-2004). During the years 1995-2012, the university was managed by a Doctor of Economics, Professor Vasiliy Nеkiforovich Zadorozhny. From February 20, 2013 this occupation was headed by PhD in Law, Marina Dmitriyevna Istikhovskaya, and from 2016 – by PhD in Economics, Natalia Alekseyevna Mikhalchenkova. Dating from the 17^th of April, 2020 till nowadays, the rector of Syktyvkar State University is a Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Olga Alexandrovna Sotnikova.

First faculties:

Only 2 faculties in the University’s structure: History & Philology and Natural Sciences were the founders in the opening days of 1972. Over 40 teachers worked in nine departments. The main institutes, providing with teaching staff, became Komi Department of the USSR Academy of Sciences (now – Komi Scientific Center of the Ural Department of the Russian Academy of Sciences), Leningrad (Saint Petersburg), Moscow, Perm National Universities and Komi State Pedagogical Institute, wherein 1/3 of teachers were sent from Leningrad State University.

In 1972, 350 students were accepted on 8 programmes of study: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History, the Russian language and literature, the Komi language and literature and Industrial Planning.

In 1973, improving the management of educational process, the faculty of Natural Sciences was divided into three branches: physical and mathematical, chemical and biological and economical. And in 1977, the faculty of History & Philology was divided into two: Historical and Philological faculties. In 1994, the faculty of Physics & Mathematics split apart into physical and mathematical; in 2000 – the Economical faculty became the faculty of Management and the faculty of Economics and Finances.

 

New faculties:

Also, new faculties appeared with time: Law (1993), Finno-Ugric (1994), Physical Education and Sports (1996), Psychology and Social Work (1998), Arts (2000), and a lyceum (1992), Economics and Law College (2000), IT and Calculating Technologies College (2004), Vorkuta Department of Modern Humanitarian University (2005).

From 2011, institutes started to be established on the basis of the faculties.

 

Currently, there are the following institutes working at Pitirim Sorokin Syktyvkar State University:

• Medicine;
• Humanitarian Sciences;
• Natural Sciences;
• Foreign Languages;
• History and Law;
• Culture and Arts;
• Management and Entrepreneurship;
• Pedagogics and Psychology;
• Social Technologies;
• Exact Sciences and IT;
• Economics and Finances;
• Law;
• Individual Educational Programs;

 

The structure of the university also includes:

– Economics, Law and IT College;

– the Museum of History of the Komi Region’s Education;

– the Museum of Archeology and Ethnography;

– Zoological Museum;

– the Museum of History of Komi State Pedagogical University;

– the Virtual Department of Russian Museum;

– the Botanical Garden;

– the Biostation;

– the Art Center;

– the Sanatorium;

– a swimming pool; sports gym, ski center.

 

There are three levels of degree programs at the University: Bachelor, Specialist and Master.

The teaching staff consists of highly-qualified teachers, Doctors of Sciences and PhDs.

 

Syktyvkar State University has got a lyceum and a pedagogical institute in its structure.

• There is the Komi Republic Lyceum within Syktyvkar State University. It was established in 1991.

 

• Komi State Pedagogical Institute was created on the 18^th of November in 1931 on the basis of the decision of the Council of People’s Commissars of the Russian Federation.

 

On the 1^st of November in 1931, after getting an order №1 according to Komi State Pedagogical Institute, A.F. Bogdanov started to organize the work of the institute.

The opening ceremony took place on the 21^st of February, 1932. There were 12 teachers and 127 students; three educational departments: social-literary, physical-technical and chemical-biological.

In 1934, two-year Pedagogical Institute for the training of junior high school teachers was established (closed in 1954).

In 1991, the Komi Republic Part-time Boarding School was created within Komi State Pedagogical University for the gifted children from the countryside (more than 500 students of 9-11 forms);

In 2014, Komi State Pedagogical University was joined to Syktyvkar State University.