Revisiting the Evolution of the System of Higher Education in the Russian Empire in 1830–1916

Abstract

This paper examines the evolution of the system of higher education in the Russian Empire in . It gives consideration to the classification and typology of such educational institutions.The study's findings revealed that in the first third of the 19th century the Russian higher education sector mainly relied on two types of educational institution -classical universities and lyceums. By 1830, Russia had 11 institutions of higher learning. In the mid-19th century, classical universities continued to lead the way. There was a decline in the number of lyceums. It is in this period that The Main Pedagogical Institute emerged. By 1869, there had emerged the first veterinary institutes in Russia and its first private institution of higher learning, with the number of educational institutions in the sector reaching 13.By 1890, Russia now had 25 institutions of higher learning, with these including universities, lyceums, and veterinary institutes. This period saw the emergence there of higher vocational education institutions, institutes of history and philology, the country's first institute of Oriental languages, and its first female institution of higher learning, with the number of private educational institutions there increasing fourfold.By 1910, the number institutions of higher learning in Russia had increased by 10. This was the result of the opening of a classical university, a veterinary institute, four higher vocational education institutions, an institute of foreign languages, a private educational institution, and two female schools. Six years later, on the eve of the February Revolution, the country saw the establishment of another 20 institutions of higher learning, with 16 of these being a private educational institution, three -a higher vocational education institution, and one -a folk high school. Thus, during the period under review the Ministry of Public Education had under its purview an entire network of educational institutions of varying types, with the combined number of these reaching 55 in 1916.