Ukrainian Physics and Mathematics Lyceum of Kiev University (Ukrainian: Уκраїнський Фізико-Математичний Ліцей Київського Університету, abbreviated: UPML KU, abbreviated Ukrainian: УФМЛ КУ, before 1992: Republican Special Physics and Mathematics School Internate, informally: Fizmat or Физмат), located in Kiev, is the leading Technical High School in Ukraine.
UPML KU was established in 1963. 4,648 alumni graduated from the school by 2005. Its students (named: lyceists) are usually winners of National Ukrainian and International Olympiads in technical fields (for instance, during 1963-2005 65 UPML students were awarded prizes at International Olympiads in Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry and Informatics, 148 - at all-Soviet Olympiads, 696 - at Ukrainian National Olympiads).
The lyceists study from 9th to 11th year of school study (age 15-17). Students of a graduation class (11th year) obtain the right to transfer the grades of their final examination at UPLM KU and be admitted to technical and natural Departments of Taras Schevchenko Kiev University by interview. During 2000-2005 all lyceists were further admitted to the best technical universities and institutes of former Soviet Union (about 90% of them were admitted to Taras Schevchenko Kiev University, 6-7% - Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology).
The lyceum is currently entirely government funded and therefore suffers from regular budget shortfalls. Nevertheless, tuition, five meals a day, and living on campus are free to its students.
All of the students in the lyceum are very bright individuals, surely the very best of Ukraine according to the level of entrance requirements. The distinct feature of the school is that there is a variety of disciplines aimed to bring up harmony and perfection in its students: natural sciences (mathematics, physics, chemistry, and computer science) have always been a major focus, as well as a perfect mix with social sciences and physical activities. The environment is very creative and stimulating, thus resembling the ancient Greek design of Aristotle's lyceum.
In 2007 the UPML became the first Ukrainian school with the name visible from space.
Famous quotes containing the words physics and/or mathematics:
“We must be physicists in order ... to be creative since so far codes of values and ideals have been constructed in ignorance of physics or even in contradiction to physics.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)
“Why does man freeze to death trying to reach the North Pole? Why does man drive himself to suffer the steam and heat of the Amazon? Why does he stagger his mind with the mathematics of the sky? Once the question mark has arisen in the human brain the answer must be found, if it takes a hundred years. A thousand years.”
—Walter Reisch (1903–1963)