The Tiraspol State University is the rightful successor of the first higher education institution of our country – the Institute of Public Education of Moldova, inaugurated on October 1, 1930 according to the Resolution of the Regional Committee Secretariate of the former Moldavian Autonomy signed on August 13, 1930. In 1933 the Institute of Public Education of Moldova was renamed into the Pedagogical Institute of Moldova.
The first matriculation to the future Institute of Public Education of Moldova was made in 1929 at the Moldavian College of Education from Balta (former Moldavian city that, at present, belongs to Ukraine) that became the foundation of the first higher education institution of the Republic of Moldova. In the first year of study, 1930 – 1931, there were matriculated 203 students, 137 of them Moldavians. The Institute had three faculties: Faculty of Agrobiology, Faculty of Mathematics and Faculty of Philology. Later some other faculties were founded: Faculty of Geography (1938); Faculty of Pedagogy (1979).
In 1940, due to the foundation of the Pedagogical Institute of Chişinău a big number of the best academic staff of the Tiraspol Institute were transferred to Chişinău. As a result of the World War II outbreak, the two Institutes were fused and evacuated to Buguruslan in Orenburg region (former Chikalov), Russia. Given the unfavorable historical circumstances the Institute had temporarily interrupted its didactic activity. A big part of the lecturers and students joined the Soviet Army. In 1942, still in Buguruslan, the Pedagogical Institute of Moldova restarted its activity and in January 1944 there were already 371 students divided into 16 academic groups and 19 of them graduated from the Institute by the end of 1944. From 1944 until 1952 the Institute had the status of an Education Institute.
In 1954 the Pedagogical Institute of Tiraspol started to offer postgraduate studies for such specializations as Zoology, Botany, Chemistry and Geography.
The Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Moldova was formed in 1960 and its first President was a graduate of the Pedagogical Institute of Tiraspol, Academician Iachim Grosul.
The period from 1960 until 1970 was a period of tremendous growth of the Institute: there were equipped many classrooms and scientific laboratories for practical and theoretical classes of Physics, Chemistry, Geography, Geology, Pedagogy and Psychology.
In 1990 the Institute had 5 Faculties that offered 11 specializations and the total number of students was of about 5800. The Pedagogical Institute of Moldova had about 1000 graduates every year. By January 1, 1990 among the teaching staff of the Institute were 5 Full-Professors and 168 Associated Professors and Doctors.
In 1992, as a result of the reorganization of the educational system of the Republic of Moldova, the Institute became a State University. In July, 1992 due to the outburst of a military conflict in the eastern part of the country, the Government of the Republic of Moldova decided to evacuate the University of Tiraspol to Chişinău. Due to the Bolgna Process, in the year 2000 there began a new phase in the process of accreditation of the higher education institutions from the Republic of Moldova. In October, 2003 the Tiraspol State University was successfully accredited.
In the process of its tumultuous and, at times, difficult evolution the Rectors of the University had a crucial role to play in its destiny. Among them an important role had: A. Bihman (1930-1932), N. Nartsov (1932-1933), M. Holostenco (1933-1934), I. Volcov (1934-1935), A. Ponin (1935-1937), A. Gozun (1937-1939), M. Radul (1939-1940), A. Baranovskii (1940-1941), A. Crăciun (1944-1948), I. Cotenco (1948-1954), M. Todica (1955-1958), M. Cozlovskii (1958-1962), I. Procopets (1962-1967), A. Novac (1967-1978), A. Hariton (1978-1987).
The main aim of the University is to support the young specialists and scholars, thus, contributing to the growth of the intellectual elites of the country. During its more than 75 years of activity the Tiraspol State University trained at its Faculties and departments more than 60.000 specialists with a high professional level, including people that made themselves known in the fields of arts, literature as well as in the didactic and scientific fields. Hand in hand with preparing qualified specialists, the staff members of our University are also efficient and successful in the field of scientific research.
Thus, the Tiraspol State University put the basis of the higher education of our country and greatly contributed to the development of the cultural, social, politic and economic aspects of the Republic of Moldova.
The way the Tiraspol State University has passed since its beginnings until today has some dramatic aspects, a fact strongly reflected in the social and political circumstances that had a deep and crucial impact upon the historical fate of the Republic of Moldova. There occurred many events that negatively affected the process of evolution of our University: between the years 1937-1938 it was repressed; in the years 1941-1944 the University was evacuated to Orenburg, Russia; from 1945 until 1966, as a result of the emergence of new research and higher education institutions, many faculties of the University were transferred to different regions of the Republic of Moldova in order to consolidate the higher education institutions emerging there; in July 1992, as a result of the military conflict started by the separatist antinational forces, it was evacuated to Chişinău where the University continues its didactic and scientific activity. In spite of its uncertain status in terms of location, the University continues its activity and greatly contributes to the education of professional teaching staff, to the restructuring of formative education, to the process of national renaissance and reestablishment of national identity.
Professor Efim Feldman meeting students
of the Faculty of Geography (1985)
In the last years, rather complicated and difficult for our country, as they led to an economic and moral crisis and implicitly to a crisis of education in common, the staff members of the University maintained themselves at a high professional level being able not only to preserve, but also to develop the professional traditions inherited from the previous generations of scholars of our University.
Year by year the scientific and didactic collaborations of the Tiraspol State University broaden and expand to other national and international higher education institutions. These professional ties are first of all focused on the teaching staff training, academic exchange, participation in scientific conferences, symposiums, all sorts of professional meetings, shared publication of course books, organization of pedagogical practice, etc.
Due to all above mentioned facts and details, October 1 is a special date not only for the Tiraspol State University, but also for the Moldavian system of higher education as such.
On October 2005 the Tiraspol State University celebrated its 75th anniversary. On this occasion there were organized anniversary conferences with national and international guests. Many Professors and lecturers of the University received awards due to their prolific didactic and scientific activity.In spite of the unfavorable conditions and its uncertain status the University witnesses a quantitative and qualitative development as it managed to broaden the spectrum of institutionalized scientific research by initiating post-graduated studies.
The Tiraspol State University often organizes trainings and refresher courses for secondary school teaching staff, participates in the elaboration and implementation of curriculum innovations, elaborates and publishes textbooks and course books, didactic materials for primary and secondary schools. Much attention is paid to the Psycho-pedagogical disciplines, to the organization of the pedagogical practice and practical work as such. The graduates of the Tiraspol State University continue their didactic and scientific activity at the majority of the secondary and higher education institutions of our country.
The academic strategy of the Tiraspol State University derives from the objectives formulated in the Status of the University:
- to train specialists that would be oriented towards European and global integration and would correspond to the requirements of national economy;
- to perform scientific research in the field of basic and applied sciences prioritized by national economy;
- to popularize and implement the results of scientific research and advanced technologies in order to find more effective ways to cope with the problems encountered by education, science, culture, etc.;
- to satisfy the professional, intellectual and spiritual necessities of a person;
- to provide technical, scientific, methodical and consultative help to ministries, departments, economic agents, individuals, etc.;
- to promote the main principles of democracy based on respect of the fundamental rights and liberties of the individual during the didactic process;
- to offer qualitative didactic work and provide appropriate training support;
- to participate in the elaboration of training innovations and contribute to their further implementation according to the Bologna Process requirements; to constructively direct these efforts towards reaching the European standards of higher education.
At present the Tiraspol State University has 5 Faculties with 13 specializations in Science and Humanities and 29 specializations in Sciences of Education. The postgraduate studies offer 9 Master specialities:
- Mathematics;
- Physics;
- Computer Science;
- Biology;
- Chemistry;
- Geography;
- Philology;
- Psychopedagogy;
- Psychology;
- Pedagogy;
- Geometry and Topology;
- Mathematical Logic;
- Algebra and Theory of Numbers;
- Mathematical Analysis;
- Differential Equations;
- Condensed State Physics;
- Botany;
- Geophysics and Geochemistry of Landscapes;
- Protection of Environment and Reasonable Use of Natural Resources;
- Theory and Methodology of Teaching;
- General Pedagogy.
The university has councils for doctoral theses defense.
The Tiraspol State University has 17 Chairs that are able to deliver 686 courses, among these 32% being fundamental disciplines, 56% - speciality disciplines, including 34% - optional courses, 12% - courses for abilities and competences training.
The academic staff of the University has 218 members, among them 16 Full Professors, 103 Associated Professors and Doctors of Science and of Humanities, 49 Senior lecturers and 50 lecturers and assistant lecturers. Most of the last ones have got an M.A (Master of Arts).
At present about 4400 students attend the Tiraspol State University, among them 2500 being part-time students.
From 2005 on, the evolution of the didactic activity of the University has been constructively directed towards reaching the Bologna Process objectives. For each general field of study and domain of professional training were elaborated curricula approved by the Ministry of Education and Youth of the Republic of Moldova. At present, the process of instruction at all Universities of the Republic of Moldova, including the Tiraspol State University, is divided into two cycles:
- cycle 1 (higher licensed studies)
- cycle 2 (Master studies).
The common priorities established and approved by the University Senate deal with several directions:
- To continuously improve and adapt all study plans so that the Diploma issued by the Tiraspol State University is accepted in the European Community states; to provide a high level quality of education;
- To clearly define the responsibilities of the staff members; to evaluate the activity of the academic staff and students as often as possible;
- To develop a two cycles-based higher education, a fact that would offer the possibility of mobility to students, as well as to the academic staff; to include interdisciplinary courses in the University curricula; to elaborate new courses aimed at preparing specialists for the labor market; to create centers of life-long education and consulting services; to develop and improve the quality of the Postgraduate studies.
The Tiraspol State University offers scholarship and accommodation to students and guest-Professors. The University offers the following possibilities and choices: free of charge or paid education; full-time or part-time studies; courses delivered in Romanian, Russian or English.
