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About the University
V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University is a classical, research-driven university in Kharkiv with a long academic tradition and a strong modern profile. It was founded on the initiative of Vasyl Karazin in the early 19th century and today presents itself as a large multidisciplinary community that combines teaching, research, and public engagement.
Mission of V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University
The university publicly formulates its mission as: “to learn – to teach – to enlighten.”
This mission is supported by a values framework that emphasizes (among others) the unity of science and education, democratic and collegial self-government, civic consciousness, and enlightenment.
Organisational structure
Karazin University is organised as a network of faculties and education & research institutes, supported by university-wide units and academic infrastructure. Concrete examples from the University’s own listings include:
- Faculties such as Biology, Chemistry, Computer Sciences, Economics, Foreign Languages, History, Law, Medicine, Philology, Physics, Sociology, Psychology, and others.
- Education & Research Institutes such as Karazin Business School, Karazin Banking Institute, the Institute of Public Administration, and units focused on areas like physics & technology, ecology, international economic relations, and Educational and the Research Institute “Ukrainian Engineering and Pedagogical Academy”.
- Scientific and cultural divisions that strengthen both education and outreach: the University Botanical Garden (a research and nature-conservation institution) and university museums (Archeology, Nature, and University History).
- Central Scientific Library, founded on Karazin’s initiative, with major collections and a rare-books/manuscripts collection recognized as national scientific heritage.
Research activity:
- Fundamental and applied research across major scientific fields, including natural and mathematical sciences, engineering and technology, biomedical sciences, social sciences, humanities and arts, and other priority areas.
- Research training with postgraduate pathways (graduate and doctoral studies).
- Development of internationally visible scientific schools and participation in academic cooperation projects and networks.
Educational activity:
- Training specialists in a wide range of specialties and specializations that cover the spectrum of classical university education.
undergraduate and graduate education, plus postgraduate (PhD/doctoral) training; - A large academic staff body (2,228 instructors and researchers, including 381 Doctors of Sciences and 1,057 PhDs).
- International education: international student training began in 1948, and the University highlights a long-standing, broad international student community.
V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University in brief facts:
- One of Eastern Europe’s oldest classical universities – founded in 1804.
- A rare “Nobel footprint” in Ukraine: the University emphasizes that three Nobel Prize laureates studied and worked here – Ilya Mechnikov, Lev Landau, and Simon Kuznets.
- A major university natural history museum with global seniority: the University’s Museum of Nature was founded in the early 19th century and is presented as one of the oldest university museums with a large scientific and educational role.
- A Central Scientific Library with nationally recognized heritage collections: the rare books and manuscripts collection is explicitly listed in Ukraine’s State Register of Scientific Objects of National Heritage.
- State-level recognition of research capacity: the University included in the State Register of research institutions and higher education institutions eligible for state support, referenced via an order of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.
- Institutional growth through integration: in 2024, the University officially announced the incorporation of the Ukrainian Engineering Pedagogics Academy into the Karazin community – a concrete step in expanding capacity and expertise.
- International visibility in European rankings: the University reported January 2026 ranking releases and, separately, its placement in the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2026, including Top 400 Europe / Top 30 Eastern Europe positioning.
Contact person of the project team of UEPA
Deputy Director of Educational and Research Institute “Ukrainian Engineering and Pedagogical Academy”
