Here is just some history.The Department of Mechanics and Mathematics was founded in 1961. Before separating out in the frameworks of a proper department, the training in mathematics and mechanics was offered first at the Natural Sciences Department (1959), then at the Physical Mathematical Department (1960). Since 1976, the Department of Mechanics and Mathematics has conducted training in applied mathematics as well. The founders of the Department of Mechanics and Mathematics were such distinguished scientists as Academicians M.A.Lavrent'ev, I.N.Vekua, A.I.Mal'tsev, and S.L.Sobolev.

In the spring of 1991, the Academic Council of the Department came to the decision to accept a 2-level system of training (undergraduate and postgraduate). At this time, I was a graduate student at the NSU. Having completed the 4-year (undergraduate) program of the Department, students normally submit a thesis or take a final (state) examination in mathematics (about 5 or 10% of graduates) and get a Bachelor's degree in mathematics, applied mathematics and informatics (computer science) or mechanics. About half of the graduates have the opportunity to continue their education at 2-year postgraduate courses leading to a Master's degree. The department was one of the pioneers in Russia which start offering Master programs in mathematics, computer science, mechanics, mathematics and applied mathematics, mechanics and applied mathematics. The first Masters graduated from the department in 1993.

• About Novosibirsk State University
  
  

Novosibirsk State University was founded in May 1959 in the USSR by Soviet academicians Mikhail Alekseevich Lavrentiev, Sergei Lvovich Sobolev, and Sergey Alekseyevich Khristianovich, in a program of estabilishing a Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Novosibirsk State University is one of the most famous universities in the world (according to its academic standards), although is somewhat young. The university is located 20 kilometers from the city of Novosibirsk, a cultural and industrial center of Siberia. The total number of students in the year 1999 was 5200.

• History
  
  

Three fellow members of the USSR Academy of Sciences Lavrentiev, Sobolev, and Khristianovich, decided to bring international level research over the Urals from Moscow to the vast territories of Siberia. Siberia possessed copious natural resources, but lacked large research institutions which would promote economic development and growth in the region. The idea was implemented with the establishment of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences in 1958 near the large industrial city of Novosibirsk. A new academic town (Akademgorodok) started to grow rapidly and half a year later a new university was founded to train young researchers for the newly born science center.

• Some facts
  
  
  • In May 1959 the USSR Higher Education Ministry issued a decree to begin studies in Novosibirsk State University on September 1, 1959 with Ilia N. Vekua as rector (Russian for president or chancellor of a university). The July 20, 1959 issue of the newspaper Pravda reported the opening of the new university and announced admittance with entrance examinations for future students from all over the USSR in the period of August 1 through 20. 139 first-year students were admitted as full-time students and 119 as part-time students. In addition, the best students from other Soviet universities were selected as second-year students. The applicants for chemistry and physics accounted for eight and five persons per vacancy respectively, with three persons for mathematics, mechanics and geology.
  • The official opening of the University took place on September 26, at the Concert Hall of the Opera and Ballet Theatre in Novosibirsk.
  • First lectures were held in the building of a secondary school, and first dormitories for the students were just tents amidst the forest; but the spirit of novelty and the lust for education and research created a strong motivation among the first students.
  • At first, the only department of the University, the Department of Natural Sciences, combined Mathematics, Physics, Mechanics, Chemistry and Geology. Between 1960 and 1967 new departments began to separate into their own disciplines. In December, 1963 the first graduates of the Novosibirsk State University, including 26 physicists, 24 mathematicians and ten researchers in mechanics, received diplomas.