History of the University

Irkutsk State Transport University (IrGUPS)

  • The history of IrGUPS begins with the opening in Irkutsk of the East Siberian Institute of Railway Transport Engineers in 1932. The Institute was located in the brick buildings at the Innokent'evskaya station, and then in Glazkovo in the unfinished two-story buildings. At the same time, the Institute of Railway Transport Engineers was open in Novosibirsk, and in 1934, the two institutions merged, whereas, all the property of Irkutsk Institute was transported to Novosibirsk, and students were sent there either.
  • Twenty-one years later, in 1955, in accordance with the decision of the Ministry of Higher Education of the USSR of January 14, 1955 and the Order of the Ministry of Railways of February 28, 1955, the Training and Counselling Center for the All-Union Correspondence Institute of Railway Transport Engineers (VZIIT) was established in Irkutsk. Two hundred and forty students were training in the Center at that time.
  • In 1956, Irkutsk Training and Counselling Center became subordinate to Khabarovsk Institute of Railway Transport Engineers. In 1961, by the Order of the Ministry of Railways, the Center was reorganized into a correspondence branch of Khabarovsk Institute. The East-Siberian Railways allocated for training premises in the city of Irkutsk on Sovetskaya Street, 1a. In 8 months, the branch was again reassigned to Novosibirsk Institute. At this time, the branch included  five sections - future departments.
  • In 1965, the training and counselling centers of Krasnoyarsk, Abakan and Ulan-Ude were subordinated to Irkutsk branch. This event has become the basis for establishing an independent institute in Irkutsk, and the branch began to develop actively, new areas of training on in-person and evening-time study were opened, including a preparatory department.
  • 1975 year, this year is considered to be the year of the University birth, as by the Order # 1534 of July 18, 1975 the Ministry of Railways gives its consent to the opening of the independent Railway Transport Institute (IrIIT) in Irkutsk.
  • The associate professor Pozdeev Vladimir Nikolayevich, who previously worked as a director of Novosibirsk Institute of Railway Transport Engineers branch became the first rector of the Institute. The Vice-rector for Academic Affairs and Research was the Associate Professor Protsenko Alexander Ignatievich. They both began working on the formation of the University structure. Originally, two faculties were established: the day-time "Construction and operation of railways" and evening-correspondence courses.
  • Further, in the institute, new departments, scientific research laboratories began actively created. In 1976, Bratsk Training and Counselling Center was opened. In 1977-78, the structure of the institute consisted in four training and consulting points: Abakan, Krasnoyarsk, Ulan-Ude and Bratsk. In 1979, Severobaikalsk TCC was also open. According to data for 1981, more than 4.000 students were trained at the Institute in three departments: day-time, evening-time and correspondence studies

The faculty staff comprised 127 people, including 27 people who had academic degrees and titles.

  • In 1982, a new building of the Institute was built on Chernyshevsky street. In 1985, the structure of IrIIT has already included four faculties:  «Transportation Process Control", "Railway Construction", "Electromechanical" and "Evening-correspondence". More than five thousand students were enrolled in full-time and part-time departments. For 10 years, the institute has graduated 1637 engineers of railway transport and transport construction.  In May 13,1985 a museum of IrIIT history was opened.
  • In 1986, the Institute accepted foreign students – the citizens of Mongolia. In 1987, there was the first election of the University rector. The staff elected Associate professor Surkov Leonid Petrovich, candidate of science in Economy. The University continued its developing, there were appeared some new departments. By the beginning of the nineties, the University had already had a State Prize for a large scientific research work.
  • In 1992, the program for the construction of the Institute main educational building with an engineering and technical base and a new hostel was approved. In 1993, Irkutsk Institute of Railway Transport Engineers (IrIIT) opened admission to a postgraduate school. In the same year, the East Siberian Training Center was established, which included IrIIT, Ulan-Ude railway college and the lyceum No. 42. In 1994, the State Committee for Higher Education of the Russian Federation licensed IrIIT for the right to conduct general educational activities in the sphere of secondary, higher, postgraduate and continuing education.
  • In 1995, in the city of Ulan-Bator the Training and Counseling Center was established to work with the students of the correspondent department – the citizens of Mongolia.
  • In 1996, Severobaykalsky OTF was transformed into a branch of IrIIT. In 1998, Bratsk, Abakan and Ulan-Ude educational and counseling centers became the branches of the Institute.

In 1998, the Institute opened a Doctoral program. In the same year Irkutsk branch of the Siberian Research Center of the Russian Transport Academy was founded. By the beginning of 2000, the phase 1 construction of blocks of the academic building with a total area of 13.6 thousand square meters and a new hostel was completed.

In April 2002, Irkutsk Institute of Railway Transport Engineers was renamed Irkutsk State Transport University by the decree of the Ministry of Railways. Krasnoyarsk branch and Zabaikalsky Institute of Railway Transport were transferred to Irkutsk State Transport University.

  • On May 16, 2002, Professor Andrei Khomenko, Dr. Sc. in Engineering, appointed the acting rector of IrGUPS, and in June, he was elected the rector of the University.
  • On December 1 of 2005, the Chairman of the Russian Federation Government signed an order on the reorganization of Irkutsk State Transport University to the regional branch university complex. Today the structure of IrGUPS includes six branches located in the four constituent entities of the Russian Federation and one foreign branch. There is an institute in Krasnoyarsk territory, an institute in Zabaikal’e, another institute in Ulan-Ude, the branches in Severobaikalsk, Bratsk and in Ulan-Bator, Mongolia.
  • On September 20, 2022, Yuri Trofimov was appointed to the post of Rector of Irkutsk State Transport University. From April 2021 to June 2022, Yuri Anatolievich worked as the first vice-rector of IrGUPS.
  • Andrey Pavlovich Khomenko on January 31, 2023 was appointed to the position of scientific director of Irkutsk State Transport University.

There are several educational levels in the structure of the head university and its branches. Training in Irkutsk State Transport University is carried out at the following levels: bachelor's, specialist, master's, postgraduate, doctoral studies, thus, it became possible to implement continuous education, integration of educational institutions of different levels into a unified educational complex.

The university complex is much more powerful than an ordinary university. The association creates conditions and opportunities for the implementation of major educational programs and projects of different levels. The complex makes it possible to improve the use efficiency of intellectual, material, financial, information and other resources that allows it not only to successfully fulfill human resources commitments to the industry, but also makes the university a flagship university, it able to implement many aspects of the Ministry of Transport's strategy for the transport development of the East Russia.

Traditional affiliation to the transport industry and the long-term experience of interaction with the regions allowed the university to be actively involved in the work on projects related to the social and economic development of the territories.

Information about the rector and scientific director

Rector of Irkutsk State Transport University

YURI ANATOLIEVICH TROFIMOV

Rector of Irkutsk State Transport University (IrGUPS)

C. Sc. in Engineering

Yuri Anatolievich Trofimov graduetes from Irkutsk Railway Transport Institute (IrIIT) in 2002. Since 1999, he worked in IrIIT (in the first 2002, by decree of the Ministry of Railways of Russia, Irkutsk Railway Transport Institute was renamed into Irkutsk State Transport University). He had worked his way up from a laboratory assistant to the vice-rector of the university. From 2018 to 2021, Yuri Anatolievich Trofimov headed the Children's East Siberian Railway. From April 2021 to June 2022, he worked as the first vice-rector of  IrGUPS. Since July 2022, he has been appointed as temporarily acting Rector of Irkutsk State Transport University. In September 2022 Yuri Anatolievich Trofimov was appointed as Rector of the University for a period of 3 years.

Хоменко А.П.

ANDREI PAVLOVICH KHOMENKO

Scientific director of Irkutsk State Transport University (IrGUPS)

D.Sc. in Engineering

Andrei Pavlovich is the author of more than 300 academic papers, among them 50 patents for inventions and utility models. He was awarded the RF State Order "The Order of Friendship", the Badge "Honorable Railway Worker, the Badge "Honorary Worker of Higher Professional Education of the Russian Federation", he was granted the title of honor "Honored Worker of the Higher School of the Russian Federation", also the highest award of Mongolia for foreign citizens "The Polar Star". The Chairman of the Rectors' Board for Irkutsk universities of Irkutsk region. The Honorary citizen of the city of Irkutsk. Since 2014 - the deputy of the Duma of Irkutsk city, the deputy chairman of the Duma.