The chronicle of formation and revival

The chronicle of formation and revival

1576 — Prince Kostiantyn of Ostroh founded a Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy and built it near the castle ‘with great devotion’. He invited scholars and teachers from leading European universities to teach at Ostroh Academy.

7 February 1577 — the first record about the Academy in the foreword to Pro Yednist Kostiolu Bozhego (About Unity of the God’s Church) by Petro Skarha was published.

18 June 1578 — scholars of Ostroh Academy together with Ivan Fedorovych published The Greek-Russian-Church-Slavonic Reader and The ABC-book, the first on the territory of Ukraine. These books contained the first information about the foundation of the school in Ostroh.

9 March 1579 — the niece of the Prince Vasyl-Kostiantyn of Ostroh, princess Elzhbeta-Halshka of Ostroh, acknowledged in her testament the sum of 360,000 groshes (Lithuanian currency of that time) for Saint Savior Monastery, village of Dorosyn and Ostroh Academy. It was the first documented donation to the Academy.

1580 — Academy scholars together with Ivan Fedorovych published The Book of the New Testament and Sobranie Veshchei Nuzhneishykh Vkratse Skorago Radi Obretienia v Knizie Novago Zavieta (Short Collection of Essential Things For Better Understanding of the New Testament) by Tymofii Mykhailovych, the first on the territory of Ukraine. It was the first printed alphabetic index to The Book of the New Testament and the first scientific and information book.

5 May 1581 — the first poetic and religious calendar Kotorogo Sia Miesiatsa Shto Za Starykh Viekov Dielo Korotkoie Opisanie (Short Description of the Deeds of Old Times), known as Chronology by Andrii Rymsha, was published.

12 August 1581 — The Ostroh Bible, the first complete issue of the Holy Book, was published. The first Orthodox canon, a complete register of constituent works of both Old and New Testaments (together 76 books), was compiled.

1588 — one of the scholars of the Academy, ‘the famous theologist of Ostroh’, Vasyl Surazkyi (Maliushynskyi), wrote a prominent polemic work, The Book About Sole True Orthodox Religion, where he provided scientifically grounded replies to all controversial issues between Catholic and Orthodox theologists and vindicated the dogmas of Orthodox religion.

6-9 October 1596 — the leaders of Ostroh Academy actively participated in the anti-union Brest synod which opposed and denied the union of Kyiv Metropoly with the Catholic Church.

1598–1599 — the most prominent polemic masterpieces were published. Among them were Apokrysys Albo Otpovied Na Knizhki O Soborie Beresteiskom (The Apocryphal Work, or Response to the Books of Brest Synod) by Christopher Filaret (Martin Bronevskyi); Knyzhytsia v 10 Rozdilakh (The Book of 10 Chapters) — a collection of epistles by the Patriarch of Alexandria Meletii Pigas, Vasyl-Kostiantyn of Ostroh and Ivan Vyshensky; Otpis Na List... Ipatia Volodimerskago I Beresteiskago Yepiskopa (The Response to the Letter from Ipatii, the Bishop of Volodymyr And Brest) (1598); and a reply to The Second Letter of Bishop Ipatii To... Prince Kostiantyn... (1599) by an unknown student who named himself Kliryk Ostrozkyi (clergyman of Ostroh).

1604 — the issue of Oktoikh (Octet) was published, the first on the territory of Ukraine.

29 July 1607 — the collection of religious and ethic works edited by Damian Nalyvaiko, Liekarstvo na ospaly oumysl choloviechy, was published. This book played a great role in regaining moral and spiritual level of Ukrainian society.

23 (13) February 1608 — Prince Vasyl-Kostiantyn of Ostroh, the founder of the Academy, died.

22 January 1623 — Princess Anne-Aloise Khodkevych in her letter to «Russian bachelors» banned teaching Latin and Greek in the Academy, practically converting this institution into a primary school.

15 October 1625 — Anne-Aloise Khodkevych took away half of the donation granted for the development of Ostroh Academy by prince Vasyl-Kostiantyn of Ostroh in 1585 (360 zloty, the income of 8 villages of Surazh volost (district) and gave 180 zloty to the Latin school at the Roman-Catholic Church.

1636 — on the second day of the Easter, the rebellion of lower middle class citizen of Ostroh against princess Anne-Aloise Khodkevych began. After the rebellion she ordered to close Ostroh Academy, pull it down and use its bricks for building Jesuit College. The Academy ceased to exist for 360 years.

1989 —The Spadschyna (Heritage) Society, with Petro Andrukhov as its Head, was established with the aim to revive Ostroh Academy and national and cultural heritage of Ostroh.

September 1993 — the Head of The Spadschyna Society, Petro Andrukhov, the town mayor, Mykola Hryschuk, and Doctor of History, Mykola Kovalsky, initiated the first conference of Ostroh dwellers. The conference spoke for reviving Ostroh Academy as the first institution of higher education in Ukraine. For this purpose, the organizing committee was created.

13 October 1993 — the meeting of Ostroh intelligentsia took place where again the issue of Ostroh Academy revival was discussed. The meeting resolution was used to appeal to the President of Ukraine Leonid Kravchuk to assist in this initiative.

December 1993 — the first meeting of the Mayor of Ostroh, Mykola Hryschuk, with Vice-Prime-Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, academician, Mykola Zhulynsky, took place. During this meeting the ways of Ostroh Academy revival were discussed.

18 January 1994 — Ostroh Town Council decided to address the President of Ukraine with the issue to revive Ostroh Academy. After that, the President Leonid Kravchuk was sent a letter. It concerned the importance of Ostroh Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy of the 16th century in spiritual development of Ukrainian nation and its revival.

24 March 1994 — the Rector of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy Viacheslav Briukhovetsky wrote a letter to the President of Ukraine, Leonid Kravchuk, in which he supported the initiative of Ostroh dwellers. The idea of the Academy revival was supported by the Chairman of Rivne regional council, R.Vasylyshyn; a Vice-Minister of Education, V.Babak, a counselor of the President of Ukraine, V.Rudenko.

12 April 1994 — the President of Ukraine, Leonid Kravchuk, issued a decree About Establishment of Ostroh Collegium (College) under No156 / 94.

7 December 1994 — first 100 students began to study at Ostroh Higher Collegium. The College of the Humanities was founded. It consisted of the Department of History and the Department of Culture Studies.

1 September 1995 — the College of Economics was founded.

5 June 1996 — the Decree of the President of Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma, About Renaming Ostroh College into Ostroh Academy was issued under No403 / 96.

22 May 1999 — Ostroh Academy was rewarded with the 27th international trophy For Quality by the International Trade Club in Paris for outstanding achievements in professional training in Ukraine.

22 January 2000 — the Decree of the President of Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma, About Renaming Ostroh Academy into the University of Ostroh Academy was issued.

30 October 2000 — the Decree of the President of Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma, About Granting the status of the National University to Ostroh Academy was issued under No1170 / 2000.

23 August 2003 — in accordance with the decree of the President of Ukraine, the National University of Ostroh Academy went under the jurisdiction of the President and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

2005-2006 — the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine awarded the National University of Ostroh Academy with the Diploma for innovative development of education and modern pedagogical technologies, and the Diploma for student research work organization.

29 July 2009 — the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine issued a decree stating that the National University of Ostroh Academy became a self-governing autonomous research national higher educational establishment.

It became possible owing to a good management of the University. On 27 June 2006 the Rector Ihor Pasichnyk won the National Prize of Ukraine for the project of renascence of the National University of Ostroh Academy.

19 August 2009 — in accordance with the decree of the President of Ukraine No. 636, the Rector of the National University of Ostroh Academy Ihor Pasichnyk was awarded the title Hero of Ukraine, the highest decoration of the State.

21 October 2010 — Ostroh Academy became an associate member of The European Universities Association.