Legal status of privatdozents in Russian universities (1803-1884)

• Main Author: Piskunov Il'ia
• Format: Article
• Language: Russian
• Published: St. Tikhon's Orthodox University 2014-08-01
• Series: Vestnik Pravoslavnogo Svâto-Tihonovskogo Gumanitarnogo Universiteta: Seriâ II. Istoriâ, Istoriâ Russkoj Pravoslavnoj Cerkvi
• Subjects: Privatdozentur; Ministry of Public Education; universities; University Statute; professorship; test lectures; pro venia legendi.
• Online Access: http://periodical.pstgu.ru/en/pdf/article/2661

Article is devoted to the formation of a special legal position of privatdozentur in Russian universities 1803-1884. The author analyzes a wide range of sources: Russian university statutes, documents and publications of the Ministry of National Education, comments on the draft statute in 1862. The aufer gradually build up the whole picture of the legislation on privatdozentur in its development. Article is thematically divided into sections in which the basic aspects of the Ministry of rulemaking activities are represented. Among them: the problem of privatdozentur, requirements to occupy the post, sources of fi nancing, the rights and obligations of university lecturers. Article is preceded by a brief excursion into the history of privatdozentur and reasoning about the discrepancies in the terminology. The author comes to new conclusions that the basic legislation on university lecturers have been laid already in the Charter of the University of Dorpat in 1803, and the term «privatdozent» came into use in the late 50s. (to fix the statute in 1863). The most important step in the development of institutions was the University Statute of 1863 and the University Statute of 1884 became a closing link in the chain of transformations privatdozentur in the universities of the Russian Empire. After 1884 Russian privatdozentur continued existence in a new environment and on a new qualitive basis, resulting in a tremendous increase in the number of privatdozents. Despite all the changes occurred from 1804 to 1884, following provisions remained constant: privatdozents were university professors, who were not included in the staff, were not involved in lectures, had no salary or other regular sources of funding. Until 1884 when they took office, they had to read a public trial lecture (or two) and defend a thesis pro venia legendi.