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Armenian Higher Education 
in the 19th and Early 20th Centuries

After joining Russia, Eastern Armenia experienced years of economic andcultural growth.
Along with the general rebirth of culture, the demand for a national higher

educational institution was naturally getting more relevant. And though Tsarist Russia
was pursuing a policy of colonial pressure in the Transcaucasia, the leading Armenian
intellectuals never gave up the idea of having a national higher educational institution.

The idea of establishing an Armenian university proved to be a matter of real
concern for the devoted sons of Armenia since the 40s-50s of the 19th century. The issue
was raised at different times by Khachatur Abovian, Hovhannes Tumanian, Michael

Nalbandian and others. M. Nalbandian wrote: “Our
nation should have the opportunity of receiving a
regular education on trade, agriculture and economics
to put both agriculture and trade on firm bases”. This
statement by Nalbandian did not bear an abstract
nature. On the contrary, he viewed the problem from
the perspective of the challenges of the time. He was
sure that the professional education should be result-
oriented and should meet the requirements of the
development of the material life in the country. “A
certain branch of science may prosper in Armenia

only if it leads to its well-being”. He added: “The university that may become an endless
source of enlightment for our nation should teach Armenian, Latin, Greek, French,
German and Russian, general history, general geography, Armenian history, the history
of Russia, law, commerce, the history of commerce, mathematics, physics, chemistry,
agriculture, religious studies, painting etc. That is the university that we all long to
have”. 

The problem of having their own educational institution
was so evident that the nations of Transcaucasia turned to the
Tsarist government urging to be allowed to set up their own
national universities along with their demands for freedom of
speech, press and association.

The issue of establishing an Armenian higher
educational institution was once again emphasized
particularly in 1912, on the 1500th anniversary of the
Armenian alphabet and the 400th anniversary of that of the
printing practice. Hovhannes Toumanian was one of the
main proponents and advocates of the idea of establishing a
national university or academy and he did not spare his

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Yerevan State University is 90 Years Old Armenian Folia Anglistika

Kh. Abovian

M. Nalbandian



efforts for its realization. At one of the meetings in his own
house Toumanian said: “We must unite Armenian scientists,
set up science in Armenia, a home of science – the
Armenian Academy”. 

This dream was to remain a mere dream for years to
come. And this was not accidental. The policy pursued by
Tsarist Russia, the economic and spiritual backwardness of
Armenia, as well as the fact that the Armenian intelligentsia
had spread all over the world for the lack of a relevant area
of activity in the country, made it impossible to establish an
Armenian university. Seeking to leave the small nations on
the outskirts of the great country in ignorance, the Tsarist
government rejected any application and explained its
policy of suppressing the nations with the groundless
argument of “Financial difficulties”.

Thus, Armenia, too, having no other higher educational institution except
Gevorgian Chemaran, was deprived of the opportunity of training specialists and
professionals inside the country. This was the reason why there were only 12 specialists
of agriculture, 73 doctors, 107 teachers and a small number of other specialists in 1922.

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Armenian Folia Anglistika Yerevan State University is 90 Years Old

H. Toumanian