‘220 years is an age after which every year is an anniversary’: how Kazan Federal University celebrates a milestone date
Kazan Federal University has signed an agreement on a branch in the Emirates and awarded the title of Honourary Doctor of Kazan University to Tatyana Chernigovskaya
One of the oldest higher educational institutions in Russia, Kazan Federal University (KFU), celebrated its 220th anniversary on a grand scale on 22 November, although the university's birthday is celebrated on November 17 — on this day in 1804, Emperor Alexander I signed the Letter of Approval and the Charter of Kazan Imperial University. Minister of Science and Higher Education of Russia Valery Falkov, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Science and Higher Education Sergey Kabyshev, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Director of the Institute of Cognitive Research of St. Petersburg State University Tatyana Chernigovkaya came to congratulate the KFU. About what they value they KFU for and what surprises the university has prepared for their birthday — in the material of Realnoe Vremya.
“You have shown that it is necessary to develop ties with universities of friendly countries”
On 22 November, as part of the celebration of the anniversary of the university, of course, the emperor who stood at its origins was remembered. “He conquered Paris, he founded the lyceum," Alexander Pushkin wrote about the merits of his namesake, Alexander I. For the people of Tatarstan, the main decision of the Russian ruler was the establishment of the Kazan University. In honour of the holiday, the KFU decided to perpetuate the memory of the emperor. A bronze bust of Alexander I was installed in the courtyard of the main building.
The festive events continued in the Imperial Hall, where a solemn extended meeting of the Academic Council of the University was held. According to the rector of the KFU Lenar Safin, over the years of its existence, the university has trained more than 90,000 specialists. During the Great Patriotic War, institutions of the USSR Academy of Sciences were located here, which gave an additional incentive for the development of scientific research. Today, more than 53,000 students receive knowledge within the walls of the university — as Prime Minister of Tatarstan Alexey Pesoshin later clarified, this is a third of the entire student body of the republic. About 10,000 employees teach for them.
“Pupils, graduates and teachers of the Kazan University make up the glory of Russian science, culture and education," stressed the Minister of Science and Higher Education of Russia.
He called the focus on global cooperation a distinctive feature of the development of KFU today, despite the difficult geopolitical situation:
“It would seem that the international agenda should have been removed from the priorities of any university. As true leaders, you have shown in the last few years that it is necessary to quickly rebuild and move to new regions, promote Russian education, and develop ties with universities in friendly countries.”
It is symbolic that soon at a meeting between the university and the Egyptian company Modern Group an agreement was signed on the establishment of a KFU branch in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It also provides for the training of qualified personnel for the Emirates and the countries of the Middle East. According to the first vice-rector — vice-rector for Scientific Activities of the KFU, Dmitry Tayursky, the new branch will open within a year and a half.
“We will train highly qualified specialists of a wide profile who are able to work in conditions of severe uncertainty," he said.
“We are ready to share anything you want!”
Sergey Kabyshev congratulated the KFU on behalf of Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin. The speaker recalled that for many years the university was the most “eastern” higher educational institution in Russia — the centre for Oriental studies and the study of Oriental languages. And Alexey Pesoshin assured that the holiday for the university is just beginning: "220 years is the age after which every year is definitely an anniversary. I think there will be enough anniversaries for our century.”
Distinguished guests presented the employees of the KFU with departmental awards of Russia and state awards of Tatarstan. Tatyana Chernigovskaya, who was present at the meeting, was not left without a gift. She was awarded the title of Honourary Doctor of Kazan University.
“When I heard that this could happen, I didn't even believe it. Kazan University is an absolutely legendary place, we all know about it. I couldn't even imagine that I could be here in such a role. I have a thrill in my soul," she shared her feelings.
She was most impressed by the so-called “Lenin Auditorium” and the Imperial Hall in the KFU. “The impression is a journey through time," admitted Chernigovkaya.
“On the basis of the Institute of Philology and Intercultural Communication (IFMC), the KFU conducts very interesting and in-demand interdisciplinary research at the intersection of linguistics, mathematics, linguistics and information technology. In recent years, we have been working very closely at the intersection of linguistics and medicine: neurolinguistics, clinical linguistics. This is what Tatyana Vladimirovna has been doing all her life. We hope that we will continue to work closely in this direction," said IFMK Director Radif Zamaletdinov.
Chernigovkaya's answer pleased him. She assured: “We are ready to share anything you want!”