I’m proud of the fact that I have been working in the best technical university of Ukraine for 58 years. Of course, I keep an eye on all publications dedicated to its history and present days. So I’ve read the book “Kyiv Polytechnics: beginning of the history” by Volodymyr Yankovyi and Dmytro Stefanovych with a big interest. Publication of this book was dedicated to the 120th anniversary of National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”.
The history of foundation of Kyiv Polytechnic Institute always interested people, who were studying and working there. Personally, I knew in broad terms where, when and how the idea of creating an institute was put into practice. However, in the literature I’ve read before I have never met such a detailed and very interesting description of the process of creation a higher technical institution in Kyiv. It was the first of its kind in Russia of that time.
Why was the decision to create an institute made in the end of the 19th century? What the government and people who invested their money in creation of the educational institution were guided by? Answers to all questions are described in the book as if the authors obtained firsthand information about the events from 120 years ago. That’s why every chapter of this book is perceived easily, with the sense that actually every self-respecting person, and especially those living in Kyiv, must know the history of one of the best universities in Ukraine.
The book is full of interesting facts. The authors tried to describe the events as much as possible fairly, without political, ideological or any other preferences. The book was written in scientifically popular style. It can be useful for those who study the history of Kyiv or the history of development of Ukrainian higher school. And, of course, the authors complemented the text with the appendices, which would be very interesting for readers. These are the reprints of the documents that defined the rules of work and life of Kyiv Polytechnic Institute in the first years after its foundation – “The regulation on Kyiv Polytechnic Institute named after Imperator Aleksandr II”, its Statute and Provisions for its students.