Ivan Franko National University of Lviv is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Ukraine and Eastern Europe. The Ivan Franko National University of Lviv is a classical institution of higher education with enduring traditions and powerful scientific schools incorporating modern innovative trends.
History
The Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, a cornerstone of Ukrainian and Eastern European education, traces its roots to the 1658 Treaty of Hadiac. The treaty promised the establishment of two higher schools-academies in Ukraine, one in Kyiv and the other to be determined. The Jesuit order, known for its defense of Catholicism, arrived in Lviv in the late 16th century, establishing a high school college in 1608. By 1661, King Jan II Casimir granted the Jesuit college in Lviv university status, allowing it to teach all university disciplines and confer degrees. Despite initial opposition, the Lviv Academy flourished, attracting students from diverse ethnic backgrounds.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Lviv University underwent significant transformations. Following Galicia’s annexation to the Habsburg Empire in 1772 and the dissolution of Catholic monastic orders, the university acquired the monastery and Trinitarian church buildings. The library, inaugurated in 1784, suffered losses during the 1848 bombardment of Lviv, with only 13,000 books remaining from an original 50,000. In 1805, the institution was converted into a lyceum. In 1787, the “Studium Ruthenum,” a scientific institute teaching in Ukrainian, was established and operated until 1804. Noteworthy educators at the institute included Mykhailo Garasevych and Antin Angelovych.
The university was restored in 1817 with German as the language of instruction. The mid-19th century saw efforts to introduce Ukrainian and Polish languages into the curriculum. In 1849, a Ukrainian language and literature department was established, led by Yakiv Holovatskyi. The university’s student body grew substantially, reaching 3,582 students by the 1906-1907 academic year. In 1923, the university relocated to the former Galician Diet building after it ceased functioning post-World War I.
In the 1870s, Ivan Franko, a renowned Ukrainian thinker, writer, and public figure, studied at Lviv University’s philosophy faculty. In 1894, the university established a department focused on world history, with an emphasis on Eastern Europe, led by Mykhailo Hrushevskyi. Franko sought a position in the Department of Russian Literature but faced opposition from Galicia’s governor, Count Kazimyr Badeny, due to his advocacy for Ukrainian social and national liberation. In 1940, the Lviv State University was renamed Ivan Franko University by decree of the Ukrainian SSR Supreme Council Presidium. Presently, the university hosts one of Ukraine’s prominent French studies programs. On October 11, 1999, by the Decree of the President of Ukraine the Ivan Franko Lviv State University was granted the status of “National”.
University Today
The Ivan Franko National University of Lviv holds the 4th level of accreditation of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and trains specialists in licensed programs: 9 specialities of an educational-proficiency level ‘junior specialist’, 49 bachelor’s degree programs, 82 specialities ‘specialist’ and 87 specialities ‘master’ in 17 branches of knowledge.
The Ivan Franko National University of Lviv has 142 departments, 99 of them are headed by doctors of sciences, 41 are candidates of sciences.
According to the Universities webometric ranking uniRank University Ranking 2019, L’viv University pursued from 4th to 3rd place among 171 Ukrainian Universities. The ranking is arranged by the Austrian company uniRank and it covers more than 12 thousand universities from 200 countries.
The Ivan Franko National University of Lviv maintains a strong international presence, fostering close ties not only with Ukrainian institutions but also with foreign partners through bilateral agreements. In total, 256 international agreements have been signed, including 68 within the Erasmus+ programme. During the reporting period, 125 university staff members participated in international academic visits, while 96 students and PhD candidates benefited from academic mobility opportunities abroad.
Among the University’s most treasured assets, recognized as part of the national heritage of Ukraine, are: the Herbarium, the Collection of Microorganism Cultures that Produce Antibiotics, the Collection of Tropical and Subtropical Plants in the Botanical Garden, the Scientific Collections and Exhibitions of the Zoological Museum, the Research Complex for Studying Artificial Celestial Bodies at the Astronomical Observatory, the Collection of Manuscripts, Early Printed Books, and Rare Editions at the University’s Scientific Library.
Since April 6, 2022, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv has become an associate (strategic) partner of the European University Alliance. This collaboration is designed to encompass all areas related to teaching and learning, research, and cultural activities. The partnership foresees the implementation of mobility programs for researchers, academic staff, and students, as well as the development of joint certificate (degree) programs, educational curricula, co-publications, research initiatives, and the organization of joint events, such as summer schools and conferences.
Member Universities of the Alliance:
- University of Coimbra (Portugal)
- Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași (Romania)
- Friedrich Schiller University of Jena (Germany)
- University of Pavia (Italy)
- University of Poitiers (France)
- University of Salamanca (Spain)
- University of Turku (Finland)
Faculties
- Faculty of Biology;
- Faculty of Geography;
- Faculty of Geology;
- Faculty of Economics;
- Faculty of Electronics and Computer Technologies;
- Faculty of Journalism;
- Faculty of Foreign Languages;
- Faculty of History;
- Faculty of Culture and Arts;
- Faculty of International Relations;
- Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics;
- Faculty of Pedagogical Education;
- Faculty of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science;
- Faculty of Financial and Business Management;
- Faculty of Physics;
- Faculty of Philology;
- Faculty of Philosophy;
- Faculty of Chemistry;
- Faculty of Law.
Accommodation
Student accommodation at the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv comprises various housing options to meet the diverse needs of its student body. The university offers dormitories equipped with essential amenities, including beds, bedside tables, tables, and chairs. Each dormitory features comfortable common areas, kitchens, sanitary facilities, study rooms, and recreational spaces. Priority for dormitory placement is given to out-of-town students from underprivileged backgrounds, international students, and student families. Other students access dormitory accommodations based on availability, with preference given to those from low-income families. With seven dormitories on campus, totaling 2,800 beds, the university ensures adequate living conditions for its students. The accommodations foster a conducive environment for academic pursuits promoting a vibrant student life experience.