History

There were 3 faculties at the Institute: the faculty of history and philology, the faculty of physics and mathematics and the faculty of primary education.

Four chairs were organized at the Institute: the chair of Marxism and Leninism, the chair of pedagogics and methods of primary education, the chair of physics and mathematics, the chair of the Russian language and literature.

One hundred first-year students entered three faculties of the Institute. Representatives of 15 nationalities were among these students.

In 1959 an extra-mural department was organized. It included the faculties of mathematics, history, the Russian language and literature, primary education.

In 1958 only fourteen teachers worked at the Institute, three of them were assistant professors. Among the first graduates were Laikov V.Ya., Finko Z.M., Akhmetova G.Ya., they have been working at our Institute for more than 30 years now.

In 1963 a new building of the Institute was built, its total area was 3514,2 square meters. Sixteen classrooms and laboratories were at the disposal of teachers and students. The library had 75125 educational and scientific books.

In 1963 students' hostel was built, its total area was 3495 square meters. It was at the disposal of 440 students. The rest 330 square meters were under the classrooms.

In 1963 the faculties of primary education and history were closed, because Kamchatka region was fully provided with such specialists. The number of students at the faculties of the Russian language and literature and at the faculty of physics and mathematics was increased instead.

The new department of the English language appeared at the faculty of the Russian language and literature and the faculty was renamed into philological.

In 1965 the chair of physical training was organized and the chair of pedagogics and methods of primary education was transformed into the chair of pedagogics and psychology. At the same time an evening department was opened, where specialists of English and mathematics were trained. This depart ment was closed in 1978.

In 1968 the faculty of social professions was created. It had 4 departments: pedagogical, propaganda, sport and creative. The faculty worked in the evening and prepared students to educational work at school.

In 1968 students' theatre ( STEM ) was organized on the base of the faculty of social professions. It played an important role in the creative history of the Institute. The creator and the first leader of this theatre was Pastushenko L.M.

The structure of the Institute continued to change. The new department “History, social science and English” was opened on September, 1st, 1972. It included the English language department. In 1973 the chair of English philology and later the chair of history were formed. Then three new chairs appeared: the chair of the English language, the chair of the second foreign language, the chair of computer studies. Several chairs were renamed: the chair of Marxism and Leninism was renamed into the chair of public political sciences and later into the chair of social humanitarian sciences, the chair of the Russian and foreign literature into the chair of literature and so on.

During 1976 - 1981 the Institute took prize-winning places in the All-Russia competitions among pedagogical institutions: in 1976 it took the third prize, in 1977 the second prize, in 1978 again the second prize, in 1979 the first prize.

In 1980 Kamchatka State Pedagogical Institute was awarded a challenge Red Banner of the Ministry of education of the USSR.

In 1976 the number of the first-year students was 285 ( 185 students entered full-time departments, 100 students an extra-mural department). The number of graduates was 120.

In 1976 the preliminary courses ( or the faculty of “ future teachers”) were organized, in order to improve the quality of candidates' knowledge. Annualy more than 60 pupils of the ninth or tenth forms attended these courses.

Soon “the school of young pioneer leaders” was created on base of the faculty of social professions and an instructive camp.

Since 1976 students have been going to country schools regularly, in order to hold different parties under the motto “ Success of country school is in your hands”. The “school of graduates” was organized.

In 1977 for the first time the Institute could achieve full attendance of graduates at work.

Since the first days of Institute's existence students have been involved into scientific and research work:

work of students' scientific circles at the chairs ( there were 32 circles in 1976 and 48 circles in 1980);

- active participation in teachers' scientific work;

- preparation of undergraduates' and graduates' theses ( for the first time 6 graduates' theses were prepared for defence);

- publication of students' and professors' scientific works;

- participation in scientific conferences and contests inside and outside the Institute;

-lecture work with population and pupils ( reports on science, technology and culture).

During 1976-1980 sixteen assistants entered post-graduate courses, six candidates' theses were defended, 134 scientific works were published ( 3 of them were monographs, 7 textbooks, 1 dictionary, 2 collections of documents).

In 1981 the structure of scientific research work was changed. The report of the eleventh five-year plan runs: ”The great work in actualization of scientific researches was done, elaboration of narrow and unpromising themes was canceled. This work was finished in 1982 and effectiveness of scientific researches, held at the Institute, was increased.”

In 1983 Kamchatka State Pedagogical Institute celebrated its twenty fifth anniversary. The Institute was still one of the leaders in All Russia contest among pedagogical institutes of the third group (1981-1985).

In 1984 the first pedagogical class began to work on the base of school №1. In 1985 another four pedagogical classes were opened, two of them were on the base of the Institute.

The first three-day regional rally of students of pedagogical faculties took place on March, 24th, 1984. It was organized by the Institute, the Regional De-partment of education and the regional committee of the Komsomol. 97 delegates from all the districts of Kamchatka participated in this rally.

In 1985 eighty eight teachers worked at the Institute, 55,4% of them had doctor's or candidate's degrees. 2 Doctors' and 7 candidates' theses were defended.

The quantity of scientific students' circles was constantly increasing. There were 49 circles in 1981 and 55 circles in 1985. Students made 669 reports at the annual scientific conferences. 53 students' works were sent to the republican contest. 20 students took part in All Union, republican and interregional contests.

The school of young lecturer continued to work. Lecture groups were created at nine chairs and more than 300 students were attached to them. During five years nearly 12000 lectures were delivered by the students. Also students ran 68 circles at schools of our town.

In 1983 the faculty of social professions celebrated its fifteenth anniversary. 300 students were trained at 7 departments of the faculty of social professions. They got additional pedagogical profession.

Creative departments of this faculty prepared different concerts, which be came traditional soon. The Institute often took the first prizes and diplomas in amateur talent reviews. In 1982 the constant agitpop team was created. It appeared with concerts at plants and military communities.

In 1982 there were 5 students' building groups and 1 pedagogical group “Torch” (“Fakel”), its participants worked at pioneer camps in summer.

In 1985 the enrolment of students was the same as in 1984, but the compe tition increased. In 1981 it was 1,3 person per place, in 1984 1,6, and in 1985 1,8. In 1986 the first pupils left pedagogical class of school № 1, seven of them entered our Institute.

In 1985 computers were introduced into educational process. Computer laboratory was equipped with the first computer “Iskra 226”and computer programs “Session” and “Candidate”.

The new subject “Principles of informatics” was included in the curriculum of the faculty of physics and mathematics. The report of that year runs:” There are 35 microcalculators of different kinds at the Institute. They are situated at the chairs of physics and mathematics”. “Almost all the students are trained in the subjects, connected with informatics and computers. These subjects are interconnected and they present integral complex. In spite of the absence of necessary computers at the Institute, the chair of mathematics used computer centers of different enterprises of our town and tried to teach them not only theoretical, but also practical skills”.

In 1987 a new speciality “The English language and pedagogics” was opened at the Institute. Thirty students entered this speciality. At the same time the speciality “Pedagogics and methods of primary education” appeared at the extra-mural department.

In 1987 the faculty of physics and mathematics was subdivided into two specialities: mathematics and physics.

In 1988 the Institute celebrated its thirtieth anniversary. Scientific body fulfilled “The main tendencies of reformation (perestroika) in higher and secondary professional education”. Curricula were changed and it created new difficulties at the faculties and chairs. The course of studies was also changed at the philological faculty. It became five-year. The faculty and the chair of pedagogics introduced three week educational practice for the third-year students. Gradually practice for the first- and second-year students was transformed into professional pedagogical one. In 1991 this practice was in the curricula of all the faculties.

The spectrum of specialities became wider. The new additional departments appeared: geography, economics, oriental languages.

In 1993 the new speciality “Psychology” was opened on the base of higher education at the extra-mural department.

The number of students was increasing. In 1994 it was 1844 students at full-time and correspondence departments. In 1991 nine candidates were taken to the first course by the contract and in 1994 already 116 students studied in such a way. In 1992 the Institute rented a building in Lenin Street, 69 and in 1996 it was given by the government of our town to the Institute. Students' hostel was recon structed: second, third and fourth floors were re-equipped into the classrooms, chairs and so on.

In 1992 when Kamchatka region was opened to foreigners, the Institute was able to develop international connections. Since 1991 twenty foreign teachers have been working at the Institute. Many students of the faculty of foreign languages had practical studies at the universities of USA, England, Japan, China. The professors of special chairs went to England and USA to deliver lectures and practical classes.

On January, 31st, 1992 Kamchatka State Pedagogical Institute got publishing licence ( the editor was Ryazantsev A.E., the curator was Goryushkin A.P.)

In 1994 the certification committee of the Ministry of education worked at the Institute. The conclusion of the committee was positive and the Institute was certified in 5 specialities.

In 1995 the faculties and chairs started to realize State Educational Standard: new curricula and methodics complexes were worked out, regional components were determined.

In 1997 specialities “Psychology” and “Informatics” were licensed.

At the same year the post-graduate courses were opened at the Institute. There were only two specialities at that time. Nowadays there are 16 post graduate specialities.

In 1999 the chair of Oriental languages was separated from the chair of the second foreign language. In September the laboratory of psychological researches and the laboratory of multimedia technologies were created at the Institute. In May, 1999 scientific research department of the Institute was organized.

In 2000 the most remarkable event in the history of the Institute took place. Kamchatka State Pedagogical Institute was renamed into Kamchatka State Pedagogical University, according to the order of the Ministry of education №3149.

Changing of the status caused creation of new departments, laboratories, chairs. Thus, on September, 1st, 2000 the faculty of psychology and pedagogics was reorganized as a separate faculty independent on the philological one. Then the department of pedagogical practice appeared. In October and November, 2000 the laboratory of Northern man's ethnoecology and the laboratory of geolo- gical problems started to work. Later the laboratory of volcanism and geodyna- mics was opened.

The scientific research department was reorganized into the department of scientific research work and international connections by rector's order №75. Simultaneously the scientific technical council of the University and the council of post-graduates' supervisors were created.

On December, 1st, 2000 editorial board of the large-circulation newspaper “Alma Mater” appeared. Today this newspaper is the best means of getting information about all events at the University. What is more, those who want to try their hand in journalism, have such an opportunity. The editorial board of the newspaper consists of students from different faculties.

In 2001 the chair of geography was reorganized as a separate chair. The chair of biology and chemistry and the laboratory of applied ecology were created at the faculty of psychology and pedagogics.

In 2001 such scientific research subdivisions appeared at the University as: scientific research institute of geophysics, geology and ecology of Kamchatka, scientific research institute of regional humanitarian problems, scientific research center of informatization of education and TV-com-munication. They were organized in order to perfect the structure of scientific activity, to concentrate all the efforts on the most promising researches and to provide necessary conditions for fundamental scientific researches. In 2002 the chair of psychology of professional education was created.

Today 150 permanent professors and 64 plural professors work at the Uni- versity, 27% and 37% of them have Doctor's and candidate's degrees.

The number of students is constantly increasing. Nowadays there are 22 specialities at the University, 14 of them are budgetary.

Many professors have been working at the University for a long time. They are Finko Z.M., Kravchenko G.G., Aksyonov L.A., Akhmetova G.Ya., Laykov V.Ya., Tsurupa V.P., Kozlova A.N., Suschyova M.V., Pastushen-ko L.M., Ustinov A.A., Mankova G.D., Denisova T.N., Shevchenko O.G., Chursina T.I., Fedorchenko V.P., Grigoryeva T.A., Goncharova A.A., Onischenko E.V. and many others.

The history of Kamchatka State Pedagogical University, the oldest University of Kamchatka, was written by these talented professors.