My University

Vitebsk State University named after P.M.Masherov is the oldest educational institution in the Republic of Belarus/ It is famous for it main traditions in training professionals. The history of our higher educational institution dates back to the year of 1910, when the Ministry of Peoples Education of Russia decided to set up a Teacher-training Institute in Vitebsk. It was the first educational establishment of such a type on the territory of modern Belarus. A new page in the history of the Institute was opened after the October Revolution. In May, 1918 an all-Russian Congress of Representatives of Teacher-training Institutes was held. It made a decision to reform Teacher-training Institutes into Higher Educational Establishments. So in October 1, 1918 Vitebsk Teacher-training Institute was renamed into Vitebsk State Pedagogical Institute. It became the first higher educational establishment of Belarus after the October Revolution of 1917 and the first higher teacher-training establishment of Belarus. The temporary occupation of the territory of Belarus by fascist invaders stopped the activity of the Institute. The majority of lecturers and students fought against fascists. Three graduates of the Institute – P.M.Masherov, K.A.Abazovski, M.A.Vysagoratz were awarded the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union for their heroism and courage, manifested in the struggle against fascists. After the liberation of Vitebsk from German invaders the Institute resumed its work on the second of October 1944. The same faculties that had existed before the war resumed their work. Subsequently Vitebsk State Pedagogical Institute became the main center for training teachers for national schools. 33599 internal and external students graduated from its departments.

On the 1-st of September 1995 Vitebsk Pedagogical Institute named after S.M.Kirov was granted the status of Vitebsk State University. The new name meant also new directions of activities. Research work has become one of the main directions. Today the University is a center of international, republican and regional conferences. The University has 4 buildings, 6 hostels, a botanical garden, and agricultural biological station, a center for field practice, a stadium, 7 gym halls, a camp, calculating and television centers, a publishing house, 5 museums. The Museum of the History of the University was awarded the honorary title “national”.

In February 1998 the university was renamed after the statesman of the Republic of Belarus, a graduate of Vitebsk Teachers-training Institute Peter Mironovich Masherov.

Today the efforts of the staff are aimed at turning Vitebsk State University into a leading educational, scientific and cultural center of the Vitebsk Region. There are 2 faculties at the University: the Biology faculty, the Physics faculty, the Philology faculty, the Mathematical faculty, the Law faculty, the faculty of Belarussian phylology and History, the Music and Arts Faculty, the Faculty of Social Pedagogies, the Physical training and sport Faculty and the Arts Faculty.

Now the total number of students taking full-time courses is more than 5000. The teaching staff (over 520 people) consists of Doctors of Sciences (15), candidates of Sciences (215), Associate Professors (187), Professors (16).

The University library was founded in 1918 on the basis of Teacher-training Institute’s library. Nowadays the library is an informational center of the Higher Educational Establishments in the Vitebsk Region. There are 5 museum in the University: the museum of the history of the University, P.M.Masherov’s memorial museum, the museum of biology, the museum of literature and the museum of decorative and applied arts.

The scholars of our University our graduates and students do their best for the stabilization of the economy of the republic, its further development.

Ex. 9. Ask questions following the model: