Baku State University - History

History

BSU was established on September 1, 1919 by the decision of the Parliament of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. In its first year, the university had two faculties — Faculty of Philology and the Medical Faculty — and an enrollment of 1094 students.

Among the leading professors in 1920-40 were Azerbaijani writer Abdurrahim bek Haqverdiyev, Orientalist Professor P.K. Juze, Professor A.O. Makovelski, Professor A.O. Mishel and other scholars. During that period the administration of the university invited to Baku such teachers as N.Y. Marr, V.V. Bartold, the academician of the Eastern Science Academy Fuad bek Kuprulluzade.

In 1930 the university was liquidated according to the decision made by Council of the People’s Commissar on reorganization. The High Pedagogical Institute was created. Only in 1943 the state university resumed its activity and very soon became the republic’s scientific-pedagogical center. Despite the great shortage of university teachers because most of teachers went to the Second World War, the university managed to keep its leading position. In 1945 the teachers took an active part in founding the Azerbaijan Academy of Science. Most of the republic's universities — such as Azerbaijan Medical University, Azerbaijan University of Economy, Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University and others — were founded on the basis of Baku State University.

The years after 1969 can be considered as the years of development in the direction of knowledge and science. Covering a wide historical period, in those years there were founded faculties on modern specialties, departments and about 30 scientific research laboratories started. As a result there was created a strong assurance of future development.