Kharkiv National Pedagogical University after G.S.Skovoroda

The history of pedagogical University goes back to 1803; the first students were admitted to the university on September 1, 1811. Educational activities of V.Karazin, G.Kvitka-Osnovyanenko, P.Gulak-Artemovsky and others contributed to its establishment. The educational establishment became Alma Mater for lots of famous scientists, writers, artists, sportsmen and teachers providing its students with deep knowledge and moulding their personality.

Kharkiv State Pedagogical University is one of the oldest in Ukraine; it has gained wide educational and scientific experience, interesting history and distinctive traditions. In 1991 administration, lecturers, workers of the university and students saved up money and erected the monument to G.S.Skovoroda on the territory of the university. It was not only the manifestation of deep love and respect for the philosopher, it also proved to be the symbol of pedagogical science, pedagogical mastery, selfperfection, great achievements of educationalists and teachers in Slobozhanschina.

More than 190 years (first as an institute and since 1994 as a university) Kharkiv State Pedagogical University has been providing training of highly qualified specialists. Today it is one of the leading higher educational pedagogical establishments in Ukraine with complex structure. It comprises 47 educational establishments (schools, colleges, lyceums, gymnasiums) and 8 institutes (The Institute of World languages, The Institute of Economics and Law, The Institute of Postgraduate Education, The Institute of Arts, The Institute of Primary Education and Psychology, The Institute of Natural Science and Mathematics, The Institute of Ukrainian Kozatstvo, Pedagogics and Psychology Research Institute) which include 17 departments; 60 chairs with more than 700 professors and lecturers carry out the educational process in the University.
The University also provides studies for those working on their Candidate of Science (in 34 specialities) and Doctorate (in 22 specialities) theses.

Students get involved into the research work from the first years of their studies: they write synopses, essays, scientific reports, course and diploma papers, they take part in scientific and methodological conferences and in Olympiads. The University functioning as a leading scientific and methodics centre of school and higher education makes a valuable contribution to the development of fundamental and applied science, ensures improvement of the qualitative level of training of future teachers for various types of secondary educational establishments.

In the University modern educational standards and technologies are being introduced, material and technical resources are constantly improved, and the amount and quality of research work constantly grow. Much attention is paid to publishing activities, 1861 publications were published last year including 19 monographs, 14 textbooks, 178 manuals, 31 issues of scientific professional journals.

The staff of the University consists of devoted to their work professionals, tolerant people, who work at implementing the tasks which are set before the University and education in Ukraine. Kharkiv State Pedagogical University functions as an efficient system following the new pedagogical technologies and standards. The new organizational and management structure has been introduced in the teaching process, material and technical resources have increased, scientific and pedagogical staff has been trained, the amount and quality of research work has improved.

More than 15000 students study at the University, the majority of them (60%) are from rural areas. The University provides training for 89 orphans and 422 students from Chernobyl region. The peculiarity of training at the university is the possibility to master two specialities simultaneously. All graduates are fluent in three and more languages. University has trained more than 150 000 specialists, 35000 of which has been trained since Ukraine proclaimed its independence. The training of specialists is carried out in 59 specialities and specializations.

Ivan Fedorovych Prokopenko, doctor of Pedagogical Science, professor, academician of the Academy of Pedagogics of Ukraine, a member of the Academy of Education of Russia, Honoured Worker of Education of Ukraine, head of the chair of Economic Theory and Management, has been the rector of the University for more than 20 years. Well-coordinated work of rector and his deputies has made it possible to establish creative working atmosphere in the University.

The system of educational activities, which promotes spiritual and mental growth of future teachers, awakens their initiative, independence, creativity, has been elaborated in the university. There are 76 art groups in the University: musical, theatrical, singing, dancing, youth organizations, interest clubs which unite about 5000 students. Five amateur art groups were awarded the title of "National Amateur Group of Ukraine". Our students are active members of Youth associations: The Association of Youth and Students, The Student Parliament, The Union of Young Lawyers and others.

The international contacts of the university have intensified. The University maintains contacts with Great Britain, The USA, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria, Poland, Hungary, Israel, Japan, KPDR, Iran, Turkey, Jordan, Byelorus, Russia, Moldova etc. Some departments take part in international projects, exchanges of lecturers and groups of students are rather common. One of the directions in international collaboration is winning international grants.

In October, 2002 to celebrate the professional holiday of those working in the field of education the first monument to the Teacher in Ukraine was built on the territory of the University.

In 2002 Kharkiv State Pedagogical University after G.S.Skovoroda was awarded "A Silver Cup" and a Diploma of "Quality of the Third Millennium" at the International Academic Rate "Fortune".

The University is a constant participant of international educational exhibitions. It has become a good tradition to present new teaching and methodics publications and scientific editions at the yearly exhibition "Modern Education in Ukraine", at which in 2003 Kharkiv State Pedagogical University was awarded a Gold Medal for "Inculcation of new Technologies into Teaching of Foreign Languages".

All achievements are being used by the University to pursue the goal of creating the teacher of XXI century, capable of teaching and upbringing the generation, which will be proud of Ukraine and will be ready to work for the benefit of the country.