Ural Federal University: A Regional Branch of the Russian Historical Society is Created in the Urals
Victor Koksharov, Rector of Ural Federal University, was nominated today to the position of the Chairman of the Council of the Russian Historical Society branch being created in the region. This decision was made at an enlarged meeting of the council of the regional branch, which was held at Ural Federal University.
According to Dmitry Redin, professor of the Department of Russian History at Ural Federal University, the creation of the Sverdlovsk branch of the Russian Historical Society will improve coordination between professional historians and public local history organizations.
“Today a big problem for us – members of the professional community – is communication with a wide range of readers, work to popularize historical knowledge. On the one hand, we note a huge interest of people in history – both national and global. This concerns all kinds of issues – from ancient times to the present. There is a demand for a deep, systematic understanding of history, not just individual facts, to understand history as a phenomenon. On the other hand, we often encounter a great deal of unprofessionalism. The activities of the regional branch, which will be headed by Victor Koksharov, will contribute to the solution of such an urgent issue”, says Dmitry Redin.
Dmitry Redin also notes that the university’s close work with the Russian Historical Society will provide additional support for leading scientists and teachers. The society’s serious publishing program also offers great opportunities, and this is an additional resource that must be used. The joint organization of conferences will also allow to hold them at the highest level and actively participate in both federal and world scientific agendas.
During the meeting, the participants also discussed the main areas of work for the near future. Among them is the upcoming anniversary of Ekaterinburg.
“Two years from now the city will celebrate its 300th anniversary, which requires uniting the whole history community. For this anniversary books, encyclopedias will be published, and scientific conferences will be held. The regional branches of the society are our strong points, uniting all members of the historical community in the country: higher educational institutions, the academic community, museums and archives. We see in such unification an opportunity to make full use of our huge scientific and intellectual potential. The main task of the society is historical educational. We work to educate people. This also concerns preparation of textbooks for schools, organization of exhibitions to commemorative dates and development of research priorities. It is a very big and important work”, says Yury Petrov, member of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Director of the Institute of Russian History.
Ural Federal University and the Institute of History and Archeology of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences were the initiators of the foundation of the Ekaterinburg branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. In the organizational and creative alliance with them for the decision of problems of perfection of process of historical education of the population it is planned to involve state structures, museum, archival, library establishments and public organizations of Sverdlovsk region.
Urals region has always been notable for its powerful higher education and academic research potential which extends the frontiers of historical knowledge both regionally, nationally and internationally. Experts are sure that on this basis the creation of the Sverdlovsk branch of the Russian Historical Society, uniting the efforts of educational, scientific and public organizations to counteract dilettantism and attempts to falsify history, is an objective necessity.