Timelines

The origins of higher education in Lviv trace back to 1661, when the Jesuits established an academy in the city. This institution aimed to provide advanced education in theology, philosophy, and the liberal arts, and became the intellectual center of Lviv under the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

The Jesuit Order was suppressed by Pope Clement XIV in 1773, affecting the Lviv Academy. This led to a period of transition in which the Habsburg authorities sought to reorganize and secularize higher education in the region.

Following the suppression of the Jesuits, the Habsburg administration transformed the existing academy into a state-supported institution known as the Theresianum. This period marked the beginning of the university's shift from a religious to a secular educational model, reflecting Enlightenment ideals.

In 1784, Emperor Joseph II of Austria officially founded the Royal Franciscan University of Lviv (later Lviv University). It initially included faculties of philosophy, law, medicine, and theology. This step formalized the university as a major center for higher education in the Austrian Empire.

During this period, Lviv University expanded its academic programs and built a reputation for rigorous scholarship. It attracted students from across the Habsburg Empire, with instruction primarily in Latin and later German, reflecting the multilingual and multicultural environment of the city.

The university continued to develop under Austrian rule, consolidating its faculties and expanding research activities. Despite political challenges, it became a center for intellectual life in Galicia, contributing to the cultural and scientific development of the region.

The Dormition Stauropegion Brotherhood established a secondary school in Lviv, teaching Church Slavonic, Greek, Latin, Polish, mathematics, grammar, rhetoric, astronomy, and philosophy. The Brotherhood planned to transform this "gymnasium" into a higher educational institution. Notable figures like Lavrentiy Zyzaniy, Stepan Zyzaniy, Kyrylo Stavrovetsky, and Ivan Boretsky studied and worked here.

The Jesuit order, which had arrived in Lviv in the late 16th century, opened a secondary school-college. By the mid-17th century, this college had declined but was saved by the Jesuits with support from Polish magnates, as they sought to defend Catholicism in Ukraine.

King Jan II Kazimierz signed a diploma granting the Jesuit college in Lviv "the dignity of an academy and title of university" with rights to teach all contemporary university disciplines and award degrees of bachelor, licentiate, master, and doctor. Despite immediate opposition from Krakow University, teaching began following European academy models.

The university operated under complete control of the Jesuit order, subordinate to the Jesuit General in Rome. It consisted of philosophical and theological faculties with a preparatory college. By 1667, approximately 500 students studied under eight instructors; by mid-18th century, this grew to 700 students and 15-17 instructors, with 75% being Polish and the remainder Ukrainian and other ethnic groups.

A mathematics department was opened, headed by F. Grodzicki, along with a mathematical-physical cabinet and astronomical observatory. The university began teaching Polish, French, and German languages, geography, and history as separate subjects, reflecting the development of scientific knowledge.

Polish King Augustus III confirmed the diploma of January 20, 1661, officially recognizing the university's status despite earlier opposition.

Following the papal dissolution of the Jesuit order, Lviv University was closed. However, several divisions of the Jesuit academy would soon become foundations for a new university.

After Galicia became part of the Austrian Empire in 1772, Emperor Joseph II established a new university with four faculties: philosophical, legal, medical, and theological. The university opened in the former Trinitarian order building on Krakowska Street, with teaching positions filled through competition regardless of religious affiliation or nationality.

The theological faculty operated Ukrainian courses (studium Ruthenum) with two years of instruction in Ukrainian language, providing education for Ukrainian students within the Austrian university system.

Due to higher education reform in the Austrian state, the university functioned as a lyceum. Despite the name change, most disciplines continued to be taught at university level with the same faculties functioning.

A department of Polish language and literature was established, reflecting the growing importance of Polish language instruction at the university.

University alumnus I. Mohylnytsky prepared the first grammar of Ukrainian language in Galicia, with a preface defining Ukrainian as an independent language among East Slavic languages.

During the November uprising of 1848, the university building burned down, destroying its valuable library of over 51,000 volumes, precious manuscripts, and equipment. A Ukrainian philology department was established this year, headed by Yakiv Holovatsky.

Yakiv Holovatsky, professor of "Ruthenian Philology" and author of "Grammar of the Ruthenian Language," was appointed rector of the university, marking significant Ukrainian representation in university leadership.

The university moved to a building on Mykolai Street (now Hrushevsky Street). Geological sciences became mandatory subjects at the philosophical faculty. The university had 699 students: 302 at law faculty, 89 at philosophical, and 308 at theological.

Zoology and botany departments were created from the former natural history department. A mineralogical museum was also opened.

Two departments with Ukrainian language instruction began operating: civil law, and criminal law and procedure, marking important Ukrainian language presence in legal education.

By special imperial order, Polish was recognized as official language throughout the region, beginning the gradual Polonization of Lviv University. By 1870, 13 subjects were taught in Polish, 46 in German, 13 in Latin, and 7 in Ukrainian.

Ivan Franko, who would become a world-renowned Ukrainian writer, scholar, and political figure known as a "titan of labor," studied at the philosophical faculty, along with other future prominent figures like M. Pavlyk, O. Terletsky, and V. Navrotsky.

Emperor Franz Joseph I issued an order abolishing restrictions on lectures in Polish and Ukrainian at the legal and philosophical faculties, though Polish continued to dominate.

A separate building designed by architect Yu. Braunsohn was constructed on Dlugosz Street (now St. Cyril and Methodius Street) for chemical, geological-mineralogical and pharmacological institutes.

After prolonged delays, the medical faculty was solemnly opened by order of Emperor Franz Joseph I. A new building was completed on Pekarska Street. The university also established an archive this year, receiving all documents and books issued before 1848.

M. Hrushevsky, one of Ukraine's most outstanding historians and author of the 10-volume "History of Ukraine-Rus," headed the newly created department of general history and history of Eastern European countries, establishing the Ukrainian historical school.

Women were officially allowed to study at the philosophical faculty, marking the beginning of co-education at the university. In 1900, they gained access to the medical faculty and pharmacy department.

World-famous physicist M. Smoluchowski worked at the university, producing groundbreaking works on kinetic theory including "Average Motion of Gas Molecules and Its Connection with Diffusion Theory" and studies on Brownian motion.

A dedicated building for the university library was constructed, reflecting the growing importance of the library collection.

By this year, 185 subjects were taught in Polish, 5 in German, 14 in Latin, and 19 in Ukrainian, demonstrating the near-complete Polonization of the university.

The university reached 5,871 students (3,493 at law, 1,229 at philosophy, 971 at medicine, 358 at theology) with 169 instructors, making it one of the largest universities in the Austrian Empire.

After the collapse of Austria-Hungary, Poland's Ministry of Religious Affairs and Education took control of the university and named it after Polish King Jan Kazimierz. Polish became the only language of instruction (except Latin at theology), departments with Ukrainian instruction were closed, and Ukrainian professors were dismissed within 2-3 years.

The university received the building of the former Galician Sejm, which became its main building and remains so today.

The philosophical faculty was divided into two separate faculties: humanities and mathematical-natural sciences, bringing the total to five faculties. The university had 55 departments, 19 divisions, 6 clinics, 2 polyclinics, and a botanical garden.

Mathematicians including Stefan Banach, Hugo Steinhaus, Stanisław Ruziewicz, Władysław Nikliborc, and others created the renowned "Lviv Mathematical School." Stefan Banach's "Theory of Linear Operations of Fields" gained international recognition.

A department of "Ruthenian Philology" was opened under Professor Ya. Yaniv, one of very few concessions to Ukrainian education. The "numerus clausus" principle limited Ukrainian students to 15% of admissions while guaranteeing Poles at least 50%.

Docent I. Svientsitsky received the right to teach, the first Ukrainian to gain such permission since the Polish takeover.

The famous Lviv-Warsaw philosophical school, founded by Kazimierz Twardowski (1866-1938), gained international recognition. The Polish Philosophical Society at the university conducted extensive publishing activities.

Student enrollment grew from 2,647 in 1919/20 to 5,026, making Lviv University one of the largest in Poland despite discriminatory admission policies against Ukrainians.

Following the secret Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, Soviet troops entered Lviv. On October 26, 1939, the puppet People's Assembly of Western Ukraine proclaimed Soviet power.

The theological faculty was liquidated, the medical faculty became a separate institute, and new departments were created including history of Marxism-Leninism, dialectical and historical materialism, political economy, and Ukrainian language and literature. The university was restructured as a Soviet institution with free tuition for all citizens.

The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR gave the university the name of the outstanding Ukrainian writer and thinker Ivan Franko.

The university began work under new programs with five faculties: historical, legal, philological (with Ukrainian, Slavic, and Romance-Germanic departments), physics-mathematics, and natural sciences. Famous scholars were invited including M. Vozniak, V. Shchurat, F. Kolessa, I. Krypyakevych, and M. Zarytsky.

The first scientific session of instructors took place in January-February, and the first student scientific conference was held in April. Postgraduate studies began with 33 students enrolled.

Hitler's troops invaded Lviv. In the first days, 70 prominent scholars from the university, polytechnic, and medical institutes were arrested, tortured, and shot near present-day Sakharov Street. Victims included world-renowned scientists T. Boy-Żeleński, Roman Longchamps de Bérier, Maurycy Allerhand, Henryk Auerbach, and Stanisław Saks.

German occupation authorities closed all higher schools in Ukraine. University property was looted: equipment was sent to Germany, 20,000 valuable books were taken from the library along with 5,000 early printed books and incunabula, and 500 manuscripts. The folklore library of 15,000 volumes was also stolen.

After Soviet forces liberated Lviv, 127 instructors and technical workers gathered at the university and appealed to the intelligentsia to help rebuild educational and cultural institutions.

After more than three years, 194 students of years 2-4 began studying. On November 1, 226 first-year students started. By March 1945, 799 students were enrolled. Buildings were repaired primarily through efforts of students and instructors.

A separate chemistry faculty was created with four departments, marking the beginning of postwar structural expansion.

A printing house and publishing house were created, later reorganized in 1957 into the statutory publishing house of Lviv University, greatly facilitating educational and scientific publishing.

Renowned mechanical scientist Professor H. Savin was appointed rector. The university began publishing "Scientific Notes" reflecting faculty research work. Three professors (O. Vyalov, B. Hnedenko, H. Savin) were elected full members of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR.

The faculty of foreign philology was separated from the philological faculty as an independent structural unit, bringing the total to nine faculties with 71 departments.

Renowned geologist, professor, and academician Ye. Lazarenko headed the university, a period of significant scientific development and expansion.

The physics-mathematics faculty was divided into mechanics-mathematics and physics faculties. A journalism department was created within the philological faculty, becoming a separate faculty the following year.

A general plan for botanical garden development was created, with departments of introduction and plant physiology organized. In 1970, it gained status as a scientific institution.

The university began accepting students for evening studies in Ukrainian language and literature, history, physics, mathematics, and chemistry. A machine-offset laboratory was created for printing teaching materials.

Educational area was expanded through superstructure additions to the chemistry faculty on Lomonosov Street. The university received buildings on Sichovykh Striltsiv Street for the student library, law and geography faculties, and physics laboratories.

University publications were reorganized under the general name "Visnyk of Lviv University" with series designations, becoming the main outlet for faculty research.

Professor M. Maksymovych, a scholar in electrical engineering, led the university through a period of significant growth in faculties, departments, and scientific directions.

Based on the Lviv branch of the Kyiv Institute of National Economy, an economics faculty was established with departments of economics, finance, accounting, and mathematical methods in economics. The faculty received a building at 18 Prospekt Svobody.

A new educational building for the physics faculty was opened on Drahomanov Street, significantly expanding research and teaching facilities.

The mechanics-mathematics faculty was divided into mathematics and applied mathematics and mechanics faculties. A preparatory faculty for foreign citizens was established. The university now had 13 faculties.

Historian Professor V. Chuhaіov headed the university during the final decade of Soviet rule, a period of continuing academic development despite political constraints.

Another building was transferred to the university on Drahomanov Street. Total educational area exceeded 55,000 square meters. The library collection reached over 2,700,000 units.

Following Ukraine's move toward independence, Professor Ivan Vakarchuk was elected rector, initiating a comprehensive program of reforms to transform the university into a modern European institution while preserving national academic traditions.

The faculty of international relations and philosophical faculty were established. The Institute of Historical Research was founded, headed by Dr. Ya. Hrytsak. Evening studies admissions were discontinued, ending a Soviet-era program.

The faculty of pre-university preparation, Law College, Center for Humanitarian Research, Institute of Literary Studies, and Center for the Study of Italian Language and Culture were established, diversifying the university's educational offerings.

By decree of the President of Ukraine, Ivan Franko Lviv State University was granted "national" status, recognizing its importance as one of Ukraine's most prestigious institutions with high international authority.

The university continues its mission inscribed on the main building's pediment: "Patriae decori civibus educandis" ("Educated citizens are the adornment of the Fatherland"), working to become a modern European educational institution while preserving the best national academic traditions and serving as a powerful scientific center for independent Ukraine.