120 YEARS OF TEACHING TEACHERS: THE TOMSK STATE PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY CELEBRATED ITS ANNIVERSARY

On October 4 more than 800 guests gathered in the Tomsk Philharmonic Hall. The occasion of the meeting was quite serious - it was the 120th anniversary of the Tomsk State Pedagogical University. Governor of Tomsk region V.V. Mazur, Chairman of the Tomsk Region Legislative Duma O.V. Kozlovskaya, representatives of Roscosmos, managers, employees and students of the Big University of Tomsk and different educational organizations of the region gathered to congratulate the TSPU on its anniversary.

The national anthem of the Russian Federation opened the ceremony. Andrei Nikolaevich Makarenko, rector of the Tomsk State Pedagogical University, was the first to address the guests and spoke about the formation and development of the Tomsk Pedagogical University and the achievements of the university throughout the years:

"Today we have gathered to celebrate the present of our university and to draw parallels with its past and future, - the head of the university began his speech. - Tomsk Teachers' Institute was founded 120 years ago on July 1, 1902 by a supreme command of Emperor Nicholas II. It was one of the first seven institutes that initiated the history of higher pedagogical education in Russia".

The rector pointed out that the key vector of the university's strategic development is pedagogical education and pedagogical science, and its mission is to contribute to the accumulation of human capital in the region and the country by means of pedagogical education. For the success of these goals, new institutes and training centers began to work on the basis of the TSPU. In recent years, the Institute for Development of Pedagogical Education, which included the Park of Innovative Educational Practices and Scientific and Educational Interdisciplinary Center of Pedagogical Technologies for Human Development, has been opened at the TSPU. The Institute of Childhood and Art Pedagogy and the Technopark of Universal Pedagogical Competencies have been launched. The Kvantorium Pedagogical Technopark named after the People's Teacher of the USSR B.I. Vershinin is in the process of establishment, and a number of projects to help teachers and parents have been launched.

According to Makarenko, the Tomsk State Pedagogical University is always open for cooperation. The Tomsk State Pedagogical University is part of the Big University of Tomsk project and actively interacts with its other representatives through joint initiatives. The history of the Pedagogical University is definitely created by the people. Andrey Nikolayevich stressed the fact that Tomsk State Pedagogical University became the Alma Mater for many outstanding personalities, including Heroes of the Soviet Union and Socialist Labor, People's Teachers of the USSR and RF, Olympic champions, honored figures of science and art, famous artists, musicians, and specialists of large international organizations and enterprises of Tomsk.

"The Tomsk State Pedagogical University is one of the best universities in Russia and the world, so it keeps and multiplies high positions in international and national ratings, but this is only the beginning of the glorious way. Everything has just begun!" - summed up the Rector of the TSPU.

Vladimir Vladimirovich Mazur, governor of the Tomsk region, delivered his warm congratulations:

"It is difficult to list all the merits of the TSPU, but one thing is certain: the word 'teacher' is very precious to all of us, as we all remember from our first school desk. The TSPU train teachers that children really love. And the school, as Andrey Nikolayevich noted, is the future of our country. So much is connected with teachers. I want this connection of generations closely unite each of us. And I wish more professional, human and modern work in your life, because it brings good, joy and confidence to everyone who leaves the walls of the school and the Pedagogical University"

Vladimir also said that the established connection between Tomsk universities is very important and should be maintained. After congratulations, the Governor presented the awards. The K. D. Ushinsky Medal of the Russian Ministry of Education and a name watch were presented to Professor Valery Vladimirovich Obukhov, who served as rector of the Tomsk State Pedagogical University from 2001 to 2019. University employees also received honorary awards from the Russian Ministry of Education.

Chairman of the Tomsk Oblast Legislative Duma Oksana Vitalievna Kozlovskaya continued the anniversary program. She addressed congratulations from her and the whole deputy corps and presented the university staff with honorary awards from the Tomsk Oblast Legislative Duma for their fruitful work in training highly qualified personnel.

Acting Mayor of Tomsk Mikhail Arkadievich Ratner congratulated everyone on the significant event and awarded the representatives of the Tomsk State Pedagogical University with letters of gratitude from the Mayor for many years of diligent work, successful work in science and education, and high professional performance.

The cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev, Denis Matveev, and Sergey Korsakov delivered their warm words straight from the International Space Station, and their colleague Alexander Cherniavsky, advisor to the General Designer of the Sergei Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia, congratulated the Tomsk State Pedagogical University on the anniversary and gave space gifts to Andrei Makarenko and the TSPU. 

In the hearts of everyone lives the memory of those who wrote the history of the Tomsk Pedagogical University with their work, founded faculties and new scientific directions, headed the departments. These people were honored in a special part of the evening, dedicated to the employees of the University, who themselves became its history.

After that, there were speeches by representatives of the Tomsk scientific and educational complex, represented by Rector of National Research Tomsk State University Eduard Vladimirovich Galazhinsky, Director of Seversk State Technological Academy Sergey Alexeyevich Karpov, Vice-Rector for Educational Activities of National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University Mikhail Aleksandrovich Solovyov, Vice-Rector for Youth Policy of the Siberian State Medical University Alexander Valentinovich Ratkin, Deputy Director for Research Work of Institute of Chemistry and Oil Sergey Vladimirovich Kudryashov. Colleagues congratualte everyone on the occasion and noted that they are always ready for cooperation and development of joint projects with the Tomsk State Pedagogical University.

The video gift for the guests was a story about the important role of teachers in today's world: they work together with parents to bring up humanity in young people. Alexander Gennadievich Saybedinov, Director of the Governor's Svetlensky Lyceum, People's Teacher of the Russian Federation, presented his work, devoted to school and teacher, to the Tomsk Pedagogical University. In response, the Rector of the Tomsk State Pedagogical University awarded the guest of the festival with a silver medal of the Tomsk State Pedagogical University.

The final chord was the demonstration of shots of the modern life of the TSPU: students' everyday life, scientific conferences, projects with partners from Russia and abroad, strategic sessions, summer practices and many other things. The show was accompanied by a live musical performance.

After the ceremonial part, the audience was invited to engage in an informal conversation. In the format of an open microphone, anyone could congratulate the university, talk about their victories in the pedagogical arena, and share memories that are associated with the Tomsk Pedagogical University.