Moscow State University
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225134404
2008-07-12T01:41:56Z
Discospinster
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Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/24.255.117.212|24.255.117.212]] to last version by Fram (using [[WP:HG|Huggle]])
{{Infobox University
|name = M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University
|established = 25 January 1755
|city = [[Moscow]], [[Russia]]
|native_name = Московский государственный университет имени М.В.Ломоносова
|image_name = 52316532 b27574ec03 o.jpg
|image_size = 200px
|caption = Moscow State University's main building
|rector = [[Viktor Sadovnichiy]]
|undergrad = 40,000
|postgrad = 7,000
|faculty = 4,000
|staff = 15,000
|residents = 5,000
}}
{{Redirect|MGU}}
'''M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University''' ({{lang-ru|Московский государственный университет имени М.В.Ломоносова}}, [[romanization of Russian|romanised]]: ''Moskovskiy gosudarstvennyy universitet imeni M.V. Lomonosova'', often abbreviated '''МГУ''', '''MSU''', '''MGU''') is the largest [[university]] in [[Russia]]. Founded in 1755, it also claims to be the oldest university in Russia. As of 2004, the university has some 4,000 staff teaching 31,000 students and 7,000 postgraduates. Its current [[rector]] is [[Viktor Sadovnichiy]]. In 1940, the university was renamed in honor of its founder, [[Mikhail Lomonosov]].
==History==
The establishment of the university was instigated by [[Ivan Shuvalov]] and [[Mikhail Lomonosov]], and the decree ordering its creation was issued by [[Elizabeth of Russia|Russian Empress Elizabeth]] on [[January 25]] (January 12 old style), [[1755]]. The first lectures were held on [[April 26]]. January 25 is still celebrated as [[Tatiana Day|Students' Day in Russia]]. [[Image:mgu 1798.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Main buildings of the university in the Mokhovaya Street, 1798.]]
It is disputed whether Moscow State University or [[St. Petersburg State University]] is actually the [[List of oldest universities in continuous operation|oldest higher education institution]] in Russia. While the former was established in 1755, the latter, which has been in continuous operation under the moniker "university" since 1819, claims to be the successor of the university established on [[January 24]][[1724]] by a decree of [[Peter the Great]] together with the Academic Gymnasium and [[Saint Petersburg Academy of Sciences]].
Originally located in the [[State Historical Museum|Principal Medicine Store]] on [[Red Square]], the university was transferred by [[Catherine II of Russia|Catherine the Great]] to the present [[Neoclassicism|Neoclassical]] building on the other side of Mokhovaya Street. The main building was constructed between 1782 and 1793 in the Neo-Palladian style, designed by [[Matvei Kazakov]], and rebuilt after the [[Fire of Moscow (1812)]] by [[Domenico Giliardi]].
In the 18th century, the university had three faculties: [[philosophy]], [[medicine]], and [[law]]. A college for future students was affiliated with the university before being abolished in 1812. In 1779, [[Mikhail Kheraskov]] founded a boarding school for noblemen (Благородный пансион), which was transformed into a gymnasium for the [[Russian nobility]] in 1830. The university press, run by [[Nikolay Novikov]] in the 1780s, published the most popular newspaper in Imperial Russia — ''[[Moskovskie Vedomosti]]''.
[[Image:Staruniversity.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Today, the Old Building houses the departments of [[MSU Faculty of Psychology|Psychology]] and [[MSU Faculty of Journalism|Journalism]].]]
In 1804, medical education was split into Clinical (therapy), [[Surgery|Surgical]], and [[Obstetrics]] faculties. In 1884-1897, the Department of Medicine, supported by private donations, City Hall, and the national government, built an extensive, 1.6 [[kilometer]] long, state-of-the-art medical campus in [[Devichye Pole]], between the [[Garden Ring]] and [[Novodevichy Convent]]. It was designed by [[Konstantin Bykovsky]], with University doctors like [[Nikolay Sklifosovskiy]] and Fyodor Erismann acting as consultants. The campus, and medical education in general, were separated from the University in 1918. Devichye Pole is now operated by the independent [[Moscow Medical Academy]] and various other state and private institutions.
In 1905, a social-democratic organization was created at the university calling for the tsar to be overthrown and for Russia to be turned into a republic. The Tsarist government repeatedly began closing the university. In 1911, in a protest over the introduction of troops onto the campus and mistreatment of certain professors, 130 scientists and professors resigned en masse, including prominent figures such as [[Nikolay Dimitrievich Zelinskiy]], [[Pyotr Nikolaevich Lebedev]], and [[Sergei Alekseevich Chaplygin]]. Thousands of students were also expelled.
After the [[October Revolution]] in 1917, the school began allowing the admission of children of the proletariat and peasants, not just those of the well-to-do. In 1919, tuition fees were abolished, and a preparatory facility was created for children of the [[working class]] so that they would be able to pass the admission examinations. The political repressions of the 1930s and 1950s severely limited the development of scientific ideas, as Soviet scientists had virtually no contacts with their colleagues abroad. Certain branches of science (e.g. genetics) were condemned for being based on anti-Communist ideologies, and a number of scientists and scholars were sentenced to life imprisonment.
[[World War II]] (known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War) was one of the most difficult periods in the history of Russia. University students and staff began to enlist in the army on the third day of fighting. One of the divisions formed out of University volunteers fought heroically defending Moscow.
Many Moscow State University professors, students, and staff were evacuated during the war first to [[Ashgabat]], [[Turkmenistan]], then to [[Yekaterinburg|Sverdlovsk]], returning to Moscow in 1943, after the German troops were defeated near the capital. During the war, over 3,000 specialists were trained at the University. University scientists continued their research, and their contributions to applied science allowed improvements in aircraft development, the accuracy of artillery fire, etc. Also, new explosives were invented, a study of uranium was carried out, a blood coagulant was introduced into medical practice, University geologists discovered tungsten and new oil deposits in Central Asia, and University geographers supplied the Red Army with maps and charts. University scholars also popularized the ideas patriotism, and University lawyers made their contribution during the Nuremberg and Tokyo trials.
During the post-war period, the leading role of Moscow State University in the restoration and further development of the country was fully recognized. There was a fivefold increase in state funding, and a new University campus was built on Vorobievy Gory (Sparrow Hills), where all the lecture halls and laboratories had the most modern equipment available at the time.
After 1991, nine new faculties were established. In 1992, the university was granted a unique status: it is funded directly from the state budget (bypassing the ministry of education), which provides a significant level of independence.
On [[September 6]], [[1997]], the entire front of the university was used as the backdrop for a concert by French electronic musician [[Jean Michel Jarre]], who had been specially invited to perform there by the mayor of the city. The entire front of the building was used as a giant projection screen, while [[fireworks]], [[lasers]], and [[searchlights]] were all launched from various points around the building. The stage was directly in front of the building, and the concert, titled "The Road To The 21st Century" in Russia, but renamed "Oxygen In Moscow" for worldwide video/DVD release, attracted a world record crowd of 3.5 million people.
On [[March 19]] [[2008]], Russia's most powerful [[supercomputer]] to date, the SKIF MSU ({{lang-ru|СКИФ МГУ}}; ''skif'' is Russian for "[[scythian]]") was launched at the university. Its peak performance is 60 [[TFLOPS]] and [[LINPACK]] is 47.170 TFLOPS, making it the fastest supercomputer in the [[CIS]].<ref>http://www.top500.org/blog/2008/04/16/8th_edition_top_50_list_most_powerful_computers_russia_released</ref><ref>http://www.t-platforms.ru/en/news.php?zone=engnews&id=75</ref><ref>http://www.km.ru/magazin/view.asp?id={C6614179-B3CA-468D-9045-3354B1DA3D4E}</ref>
==The campus==
[[Image:Msu-main-seabhcan.JPG|thumb|left|MSU Main Tower]]
Since 1953, most of the faculties have been situated on [[Sparrow Hills]], in the southwest of Moscow. The Main building was designed by [[architect]] [[Lev Vladimirovich Rudnev]]. In the post-war era, [[Stalin]] ordered [[Seven Sisters (Moscow)|seven huge tiered neoclassic towers]] to be built around the city. The MSU Main building is by far the largest of these. It was the tallest building in the world outside of [[New York City]] at the time of its construction, and remained the [[List of tallest buildings in Europe|tallest building in Europe]] until 1990. The central tower is 240m tall, 36 stories high, and flanked by four huge wings of student and faculty accommodations. It is said to contain a total of 33 kilometers of corridors and 5,000 rooms. Facilities available inside the building include a concert hall, a theatre, a museum, various administrative services, a library, a swimming pool, a police station, a post office, a laundry, a hairdresser's salon, several canteens, bank offices and ATMs, shops, cafeterias, a bomb shelter, etc. Along with the university administration, the Museum of Earth Sciences and four of the main faculties - [[MSU Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics|Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics]], the [[MSU Faculty of Geology|Faculty of Geology]], the [[MSU Faculty of Geography|Faculty of Geography]], and the [[MSU Faculty of Fine and Performing Arts|Faculty of Fine and Performing Arts]] - now reside in the Main building. The star on the top of the tower is large enough to include a small room and a viewing platform; it weighs 12 tons. The building's facades are ornamented with giant clocks, barometers, thermometers, statues, carved wheat sheaves, and Soviet crests (recently renovated). It stands before a terrace featuring statues of male and female students gazing optimistically and confidently into the future.
While the [[Sparrow Hills]] were on the outskirts of the city at the time of the construction of the Main building, they are now about halfway from the [[Kremlin]] to the city limits. Several other buildings and sports facilities were later added to the campus, including the only baseball stadium in Russia. Currently, a new building is under construction for the social sciences faculties, and a vast new facility has just been built for the library, which is the second largest in Russia by volume (number of books). The university also has several dormitory buildings in the southwest of Moscow, outside the campus.
The historical building on Mokhovaya Street now houses mainly the [[MSU Faculty of Journalism|Faculty of Journalism]], the [[MSU Faculty of Psychology|Faculty of Psychology]], and the [[MSU The Institute of Asian and African Studies|The Institute of Asian and African Studies]].
Moscow State University has campuses in Russia and abroad (Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan). In 1996, the Ulyanovsk affiliate of MSU was reorganized into [[Ulyanovsk State University]].
==Faculties==
[[Image:Msu-Languagebuilding-seabhcan.JPG|thumb|right|The First Humanities Building]]
As of 2008, the university has 29 faculties and 15 research centers:
*[[MSU Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics|Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics]]
*[[MSU Faculty of Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics|Faculty of Computational Mathematics and Cybernetics]]
*[[MSU Faculty of Physics|Faculty of Physics]]
*[[MSU Faculty of Chemistry|Faculty of Chemistry]]
*[[MSU Faculty of Biology|Faculty of Biology]]
*[[MSU Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics|Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics]]
*[[MSU Faculty of Soil Science|Faculty of Soil Science]]
*[[MSU Faculty of Geology|Faculty of Geology]]
*[[MSU Faculty of Geography|Faculty of Geography]]
*[[MSU Faculty of Materials Science|Faculty of Materials Science]]
*[[MSU Faculty of Fundamental Medicine|Faculty of Medicine]]
[[Image:Msu-stalinweddingcake-seabhcan.JPG|thumb|right|Statue of a student in front of the main building.]]
*[[MSU Faculty of History|Faculty of History]]
*[[MSU Faculty of Philology|Faculty of Philology]]
*[[MSU Faculty of Philosophy|Faculty of Philosophy]]
*[[MSU Faculty of Economics|Faculty of Economics]]
*[[MSU Higher School of Business Administration|Higher School of Business Administration]]
*[[MSU Faculty of Law|Faculty of Law]]
*[[MSU Faculty of Journalism|Faculty of Journalism]]
*[[MSU Faculty of Psychology|Faculty of Psychology]]
*[[MSU The Institute of Asian and African countries|The Institute of Asian and African countries]]
*[[MSU Faculty of Sociology|Faculty of Sociology]]
*[[MSU Faculty of Foreign Languages and Area Studies|Faculty of Foreign Languages and Area Studies]]
*[[MSU Faculty of Public Administration|Faculty of Public Administration]]
*[[MSU Faculty of Fine and Performing Arts|Faculty of Fine and Performing Arts]]
*[[MSU Faculty of World Politics|Faculty of World Politics]]
*[[MSU Faculty of Education|Faculty of Education]]
*[[MSU Faculty of Further Education|Faculty of Further Education]]
*[[MSU Moscow School of Economics|Moscow School of Economics]]
*[[MSU Faculty of Military Training|Faculty of Military Training]]
==Institutions and research centres==
*[http://www.npi.msu.su/ Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear Physics]
*[http://www.imec.msu.ru/ Institute of Mechanics]
*[[Sternberg Astronomical Institute]]
*[http://www.genebee.msu.su/ A.N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology]
*[http://www.srcc.msu.su/ Research Computing Center]
*N.N.Bogoliubov Institute for Theoretical Problems of Microphysics
*[[White Sea Biological Station]]
*''and several others''
==Famous alumni and faculty==
[[Image:Lomonosov University Moscow.JPG|thumb|MSU main building]]
{{main|List of Moscow State University people}}
Moscow State University has produced a number of [[Nobel laureates]], [[Fields Medal]] winners, and [[Heads of state]].
==See also==
*[[Seven Sisters (Moscow)]]
*[[Education in Russia]]
*[[List of universities in Russia]]
==References==
* [http://www.msu.ru/en/info/history.html History of Moscow University] – from the official website of MSU.
{{reflist}}
==External links==
{{Commonscat|Moscow State University}}
*[http://www.msu.ru/en/ Moscow State University]
*[http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Moscow&ll=55.702561,37.530799&spn=0.006191,0.02105&t=k&om=1 Moscow State University campus on Google Maps]
*{{ru icon}} [http://www.mmonline.ru ''MechMath'' faculty - Unofficial website]
*{{ru icon}} [http://www.cmcspec.ru ''CMC'' faculty - Unofficial website]
*{{ru icon}} [http://www.journ.ru ''Journalism'' faculty - Unofficial website]
*{{ru icon}} [http://lj-toys.com/?journalid=365724&moduleid=50&auth_token=sessionless:1206226800:embedcontent:365724%2650:af55043d5365f3d71d5b3576ea6b809c4731a181 1950ies film about constructing of the University]
{{UNICA}}
{{coor title dms|55|42|10|N|37|31|50|E|region:RU-MOW_type:landmark}}.
[[Category:Moscow State University|*]]
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[[Category:Universities and colleges in Russia|*Universities and colleges in Russia]]
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[[ar:جامعة موسكو]]
[[az:Moskva Dövlət Universiteti]]
[[be:Маскоўскі дзяржаўны універсітэт імя М. В. Ламаносава]]
[[bg:Московски държавен университет]]
[[cv:М. В. Ломоносов ячĕллĕ Мускав патшалăх университечĕ]]
[[cs:Lomonosovova univerzita]]
[[da:Moskvas statsuniversitet]]
[[de:Lomonossow-Universität]]
[[es:Universidad Estatal de Moscú]]
[[eo:Moskva Ŝtata Universitato]]
[[fr:Université d'État de Moscou]]
[[ko:모스크바 대학교]]
[[it:Università statale di Mosca]]
[[he:אוניברסיטת מוסקבה]]
[[ka:მოსკოვის სახელმწიფო უნივერსიტეტი]]
[[la:Universitas Publica Moscuensis]]
[[lt:Maskvos universitetas]]
[[nl:Staatsuniversiteit van Moskou]]
[[ja:モスクワ大学]]
[[no:Statsuniversitetet i Moskva]]
[[pl:Uniwersytet Moskiewski]]
[[pt:Universidade Estatal de Moscovo]]
[[ru:Московский государственный университет имени М. В. Ломоносова]]
[[simple:Moscow State University]]
[[sk:Moskovská štátna univerzita M. V. Lomonosova]]
[[sr:Московски државни универзитет Ломоносов]]
[[fi:Moskovan valtiollinen yliopisto]]
[[sv:Moskvauniversitetet]]
[[tt:Mäskäw däwlät universitetı]]
[[th:มหาวิทยาลัยมอสโก]]
[[vi:Đại học Quốc gia Moskva]]
[[tr:Moskova Devlet Üniversitesi]]
[[uk:Московський державний університет]]
[[zh:莫斯科大学]]