Dagestan State University was founded in October, 1931 as the Teachers' Training Institute, and later, in 1957, it was transformed into Dagestan State University (DSU). During its formation and development the university has played a prominent role in the socio-economic and cultural development of the peoples of Dagestan as well as in the development of its scientific, technical, educational and artistic communities. Thereby, the University performed a historical mission in the life of the peoples of Dagestan and Russia.
Today DSU ranks as a major educational, scientific and cultural center which provides training at all levels of pre-university, university, postgraduate and further education in 59 specialties and degree programs for natural sciences, liberal arts and technical studies.
The University has an innovative academic, research and organizational structure that includes 17 faculties, 7 filial branches, 103 departments, 2 museums (historical and biological), a fundamental library containing more than 2.5 million volumes, a biological station and a planetarium. It also owns its own seaside recreation base, a sports complex, a clinic and students’ resort centre.
Extensive structure of the university’s scientific and innovative complex comprises the following:
• 4 Research Institutes (Research Institute of Biology, Research Institute of Socio-Economic and Ethno-Cultural Problems of the Peoples of Dagestan, Research Institute of Applied Ecology and Research Institute of Law);
• 9 Research and Educational Centres, of which 3 RECs (REC of Nanotechnology, REC of Plasma Physics and REC of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering) have been granted the status of Federal Research and Educational Centres;
• 14 scientific and innovation centres including the Federal Multiple-Access Centre “Analytical Spectroscopy”, the Innovative Technological Centre and the Internet Centre;
• 14 basic research laboratories.
Within the university a number of scientific schools meeting high international standards have been formed. These scientific schools provide the base for training and comprise different forms of education such as specialization, postgraduate studies and doctorate. DSU is an advanced research centre with 70 subject areas for post-graduate studies and 18 subject areas for doctorate. There are 7 dissertation councils in Dagestan State University specializing in these areas of scientific research.
DSU team amounts to nearly 3,000 members made by academic staff and other employees. The University academic staff includes 1 member of the Russian Academy of Education, 4 corresponding members of the Russian Academy of Science, 11 members of branch academies, 216 professors and doctoral degree holders, 618 senior lecturers – holders of candidate degree, more than a hundred distinguished scientists and education workers of Russia and Dagestan. The total number of DSU students exceeds 20,000. At present nearly 600 DSU postgraduates are seeking candidate and doctoral degrees.
Dagestan State University is a leading University of North Caucasus Federal District for its extensive use and promotion of modern technologies in academic and scientific work as well as in management. It was first in Dagestan to open the Internet Centre and to introduce distance education.
Currently, much attention is being paid to innovation in the sphere of higher education, to creation of small enterprises and to the use of young researchers’ projects in small enterprises. All these measures are aimed at creating and marketing high-tech products.
Since 2010 Dagestan University has been carrying out the Innovative Infrastructure Development Program within the framework of the contest organized by the RF Government Decree № 219 of April 9, 2010.
Innovative infrastructure is created in order to provide modernization and development of education in the following:
• perspectives and main directions of Russian long-term social and economic development;
• working toward the top-priority goals of the national policy in the sphere of education;
• integration of Russian education system into the international educational space;
• better meeting of the citizens’ educational requirements.
In implementing the Innovative Infrastructure Development Program, in fact, a new model of the University’s innovation infrastructure is being formed, when around the classical structure consisting of departments and faculties a certain innovative belt is created. This belt is made of integrated scientific and educational institutions, innovation centers, including the Innovation and Technology Center and small innovative companies, established at the university. By this, DSU solves a triune task as it builds an innovative infrastructure, changes the contents and technology of education now focused on the production of innovative competencies and aims at creating an innovative product.
In 2012, Dagestan State University starts implementing Program of Strategic Development for the period of 2012-2016. This program is the winner of the contest held by Russian Ministry of Education and Science. The contest was announced in November 2011 and attended by 248 high schools which are under the general jurisdiction of Russian Ministry of Education and Science.
DSU's mission in modern conditions is to provide educational services in domestic and foreign educational space. The University considers modern education as a process that combines instruction, education, research and innovation. At the same time the university aims to develop its own intra-culture which will base on the socio-cultural values and traditions formed in DSU for its more than 80-year history. Aware of its great civil responsibility, the university fully contributes to the formation of a harmoniously developed personality, combining high proficiency, active citizenship and adherence to cultural values.
In implementing these objectives the university collaborates with leading Russian and world educational and scientific centers, including Dagestan Scientific Centre of Russian Academy of Science which signed several agreements on joint scientific and educational cooperation with DSU. Development of arts and sports as well as evolving students’ talents are important components of the youth’s humane education and intellectual development. Far beyond the borders of our country are known amateur artists from Dagestan University. Choreographic group "My Dagestan" and folk instruments orchestra were awarded the honorary title "People's Amateur Ensemble". The University is proud of its alumni, the team of KVN (Club of the Funny and Inventive) "Makhachkala tramps", whose members are in the national team of the CIS. Among our alumni are Olympic champions and prizewinners, world and European champions.
The University is full of plans and prospect for the future. It is aware of its place in Russian educational, scientific and cultural space and focuses its attention on satisfying the republic’s needs and contributing to solving the problem of national revival.
