Tavrida National V.I. Vernadsky University

Taurida University
Таврійський національний університет імені В. І. Вернадського
	New University Logo from 2021
	Latin: Universitas Taurica
Motto	Latin: Nosce Te Ipsum
Motto in English	Know thyself
Festive Day	October 14
Type	Public research university
Established	September 3, 1918
Budget	₴81.38 million (US$1.96 million) (2024)
Rector	Valerii Bortniak
Prorectors	Liliia Makarenko; Oleksandr Bessarab;
Students	2,125 (December 2023)
Location	Kyiv, Ukraine; 44°56′11″N 34°08′03″E / 44.93639°N 34.13417°E
Campus	Urban, 1.73 acres (0.70 ha)
Affiliated Institutions	College of Municipal Services, Crimea Renewal Center
Colors	Blue
Website	tnu.edu.ua

The Taurida University, or officially the V.I. Vernadsky Taurida National University (Ukrainian: Таврійський національний університет імені В. І. Вернадського, Crimean Tatar: V. İ. Vernadskiy adında Tavriya Milliy Universiteti) is a public university in Simferopol, Ukraine, currently temporarily relocated to Kyiv.

The university was originally founded in 1918 in Simferopol (Crimean Tatar: Aqmescit) as the first Western-style university in Crimea (in contrast to the earlier madrasahs), during the turbulent period of the Civil War in the former Russian Empire. Between 1920 and 1921, the university was headed by the Ukrainian scientist Volodymyr Vernadsky, who later resigned in protest against Soviet educational reforms. Eventually, the institution was reorganized into “people’s institutes.”

Throughout the 20th century, the institution was reorganized and renamed several times. In 1999, the then-named M. V. Frunze Crimean State University restored its historical name. Following the occupation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, Taurida University was reestablished in Kyiv in 2016.

As part of a new reform initiative, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine plans to merge Taurida University with the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, where it would function as a dedicated center for Crimean studies. However, this proposal has been postponed until 2025.

History

Founding

Taurida University was founded in 1918 in Simferopol, Crimea, following a resolution by the short-lived Crimean Regional Government. The idea for the university had been initially proposed in 1916 by entrepreneur and scholar Solomon Krym, who advocated for the establishment of a higher education institution in the region. The university officially opened on October 14, 1918, with Dr. Roman Helwig serving as its first rector.

Soviet period

After the death of its first rector, Ukrainian scientist Volodymyr Vernadsky led the university, having declined to emigrate abroad. Under Soviet rule in the 1920s, the institution was reorganized into M. V. Frunze Crimean University. Some departments were closed, funding was cut, and the university’s autonomy diminished — a process Vernadsky criticized as the erosion of academic freedom.

In 1921, Vernadsky resigned in protest. Despite political instability, the university attracted prominent scholars, including Vladimir Obruchev, Boris Grekov, and Abram Ioffe. In the 1920s–30s, Soviet educational reforms led to the division of the university into several institutions. One of them, the Crimean State Pedagogical Institute (est. 1925), was later transformed into the Simferopol State University in 1972.

Modern period

After Ukraine gained independence, the university retained its Soviet name for some time. In 1999, a presidential decree restored its historical title and granted it national university status.

Following Russia’s occupation of Crimea in 2014, the occupying authorities dissolved the university’s Department of Ukrainian Philology and integrated the institution into the newly created V. I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University. In response, Ukraine’s Ministry of Education terminated its contract with the then-rector for collaboration with the occupying regime.

In 2016, Taurida National University was reestablished in Kyiv under the leadership of its new rector, Volodymyr Kazarin.

In late 2023, Ukraine’s Minister of Education and Science, Oksen Lisovyi, announced a higher education reform aimed at modernizing the university system, citing factors like demographic decline and low enrollment in smaller institutions. A government draft proposal circulated in early 2024 suggested merging V. I. Vernadsky Taurida National University with the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, with plans to create a specialized Center for Crimean Studies. The proposal sparked backlash from Taurida University’s administration, prompting meetings with ministry officials and public debate. By February 2024, the government decided to postpone any merger until at least the end of the year, giving Taurida University the opportunity to present a new development strategy and remain independent. Meanwhile, NaUKMA has independently pursued the creation of an interdisciplinary center, focused on research, policy development, and preserving Crimean Tatar language, culture, and history. While NaUKMA supports reform, its leadership clarified that it was not the initiator of the proposed integration.

Accreditations of TNU Ukraine

Fully accredited by the Ministry of Education;
Member by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation CIQG (United States of America);
Affiliated with CHEA;
Member of the Silk Road University Alliance in Ukraine;
Member and the host of the European Council of Leading Business Schools ECLBS;
ISO certified;
ASIC accredited;
Listed on the International Association Of Universities UNESCO.

Notable professors

References

^ (in Ukrainian) https://tnu.edu.ua/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/%D0%9A%D0%BE%D1%88%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%81-2201160-%D0%BD%D0%B0-2024-%D1%80%D1%96%D0%BA.pdf. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
^ ^a ^b "Ректорат – Таврійський національний університет імені В. І. Вернадського" (in Ukrainian).
^ (in Ukrainian) https://tnu.edu.ua/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/%D0%97%D0%B2%D1%96%D1%82-%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%BA%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B0_2023.pdf. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
^ "Центр реінтеграції та розвитку Криму – Таврійський національний університет імені В. І. Вернадського" (in Ukrainian).

External links

Official site (Ukrainian, Russian, English)

[1] (in Ukrainian) https://tnu.edu.ua/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/%D0%9A%D0%BE%D1%88%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%81-2201160-%D0%BD%D0%B0-2024-%D1%80%D1%96%D0%BA.pdf. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

[auto-2] "Ректорат – Таврійський національний університет імені В. І. Вернадського" (in Ukrainian).

[3] (in Ukrainian) https://tnu.edu.ua/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/%D0%97%D0%B2%D1%96%D1%82-%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%BA%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B0_2023.pdf. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

[4] "Центр реінтеграції та розвитку Криму – Таврійський національний університет імені В. І. Вернадського" (in Ukrainian).

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v t e Universities in Ukraine
Universities	Alfred Nobel University Cherkasy National University Chernivtsi University Classic Private University Donetsk State University of Management Donetsk University East Ukrainian Volodymyr Dahl National University Interregional Academy of Personnel Management International Solomon University International Christian University – Kyiv Kharkiv University Kharkiv National University of Economics Kherson State University Kryvyi Rih National University Kyiv National Linguistic University Kyiv International University Lviv University National Defence University of Ukraine National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy National University Ostroh Academy Odesa University Oles Honchar Dnipro National University Dnipro Academy of Continuing Education Poltava V.G. Korolenko National Pedagogical University Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv Tavrida National V.I. Vernadsky University Transcarpathian State University Ukrainian Catholic University Uzhhorod National University West Ukrainian National University Zaporizhzhia National University
Technical universities	Admiral Makarov National University of Shipbuilding Chernihiv Polytechnic National University Dnipro Polytechnic Dnipro National University of Rail Transport Donetsk National Technical University Donbas State Technical University Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical University of Oil and Gas Kharkiv National University of Radioelectronics Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute Kryvyi Rih National University Kyiv Polytechnic Institute Kyiv National Economic University Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture Prydniprovska State Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture Lviv Polytechnic National Aviation University National University of Food Technologies National Metallurgical Academy of Ukraine Vinnytsia National Technical University Zaporizhzhia National Technical University
Medical universities	Bogomolets National Medical University Bukovinian State Medical University Cherkasy National University Crimea State Medical University named after S. I. Georgievsky Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University Dnipro State Medical University Donetsk State Medical University Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University Kharkiv National Medical University Luhansk State Medical University Odesa National Medical University Poltava State Medical and Dental University Vinnytsia National Medical University. N. I. Pirogov Zaporizhzhia State Medical University
Pedagogical universities	Bogdan Khmelnitsky Melitopol state pedagogical university Hlukhiv National Pedagogical University of Oleksandr Dovzhenko Kryvyi Rih State Pedagogical University Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National Pedagogical University National Pedagogical Dragomanov University Nizhyn Pedagogical University H.S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University Ternopil Volodymyr Hnatyuk National Pedagogical University K. D. Ushinsky South Ukrainian National Pedagogical University Vasyl Stefanyk Prycarpathian National University Vinnytsia State Pedagogical University Dnipro Academy of Continuing Education

Authority control databases
International	ISNI VIAF
National	United States
Other	IdRef