The National University of Mongolia ( mn, Монгол Улсын Их Сургууль, ''Mongol Ulsyn Ikh Surguuli'', abbreviated ''NUM'' or ''MUIS'') is a
public university primarily located in
Ulaanbaatar,
Mongolia. Established in 1942, it is the oldest institution of higher learning in Mongolia, and originally named in honour of Khorloogiin Choibalsan as ''Choibalsan State University''.
It hosts 5 main faculties in
Ulaanbaatar, two branches (in
Uliastai, Zavkhan Province and
Erdenet, Orkhon Province
Erdenet ( mn, Эрдэнэт, literally "with treasure") is the third-largest city in Mongolia, with a 2018 population of 98,045, and the capital of the aimag (province) of Orkhon. Located in the northern part of the country, it lies in a valley ...
), and three academies of national importance (
Mongol studies, economics, and sustainable development).
After the establishment of the
Mongolian People's Republic
The Mongolian People's Republic ( mn, Бүгд Найрамдах Монгол Ард Улс, БНМАУ; , ''BNMAU''; ) was a socialist state which existed from 1924 to 1992, located in the historical region of Outer Mongolia in East Asia. It ...
and its first modern secondary school in 1921, it was deemed necessary to establish an academic institution at a higher level. In 1942, the government established the National University of Mongolia as Mongolia's first university, with the first students graduating in 1946. During socialism, the university served as a training center for the party elite. Education was paid for and strictly controlled by the state. After
democratization, it gradually changed into a more modern university. In 1995, it started to offer bachelors, masters, and doctoral programs.
It holds a distinguished place in Mongolia's modern history, serving as both its first university as well as a parent to many of the country's premier universities. Many of the country's higher education institutions can trace their ancestry back to the National University of Mongolia's faculties and sub-institutes, including the
University of Science and Technology,
University of Life Sciences,
University of Medical Sciences, and the
University of the Humanities.
As of 2018, there were over 18,000 students enrolled
in various programs, mostly taught in
Mongolian.
History
Founding
The origins of the National University of Mongolia date to the
ruling party's 10th Congress, held from March to April 1940. According to the resolution passed on 5 April, there was a provision to "prepare for the establishment of an institution of higher learning", which would lay the groundwork for the NUM.
As this resolution was one of the first that involved the participation of future leader
Yumjaagiin Tsedenbal
Yumjaagiin Tsedenbal ( mn, Юмжаагийн Цэдэнбал, ''Yumzhaagiin Tsedenbal'' ; russian: Юмжагийн Цэдэнбал, translit=Yumzhagyn Tsedenbal ; 17 September 1916 – 20 April 1991) was the leader of the Mongolian Peop ...
, a case has been made that the NUM's first proponent was the future leader.
The university was established on October 5, 1942, as the first modern university in Mongolia. The faculties were initially Pedagogy, Medicine, and Veterinary Sciences. Part of its operation were supported by staff and materials provided by the
Soviet Union, so much of the instruction was conducted in
Russian
Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including:
*Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
* Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and p ...
.
93 students were selected for a preparatory course according to their knowledge of Russian, with 57 graduating from the course to enrol in the university. This initial course was mostly taught by teachers from the Soviet secondary school in Ulaanbaatar. In addition to these graduates, some teachers with Russian language skills were selected, with the first enrolment consisting of a total of 93 students. Among Mongolians, those with sufficient Russian language skills were mostly of the
Buryat ethnic group, many of which were the
children of those purged in the 1930s. 70-90 percent of these first students were Buryats, while a sizeable minority were USSR citizens.
Socialist period
In 1943 the Faculty of Zootechnics was formed.
In 1946 the first graduation ceremony was held for 35 graduates.
In 1947 the Faculty of Social Sciences was formed, comprising departments of history and economics. In 1949, the faculties of Veterinary Sciences and Zootechnics merged to form the Faculty of Agriculture. Shortly thereafter in 1951, the Faculties of Chemistry and Biology were formed, while in the same year the Faculty of Pedagogy was spun off into a separate Pedagogical Institute (now the
Mongolian State University of Education). Foreign language programs started in 1956, while programs for performing arts were started in 1957.
In 1958, the Faculty of Agriculture was spun off into a separate Agricultural Institute (now the
Mongolian State University of Agriculture
The Mongolian University of Life Sciences ( mn, Хөдөө аж ахуйн их сургууль, ''lit.'' ''University of Agriculture'') is a national university of Mongolia, with the main branch situated in the capital of Ulaanbaatar. It lies in ...
).
Legal studies commenced in 1960, while programs in Geology in Mechanical Engineering were introduced in 1961. The same year, the Faculty of Medicine was made into a separate Medical Institute (now the
Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences).
In 1962, programs in Meteorology, Construction, and Energy Engineering started.
The Nuclear Research Center was established in 1965, with cooperation of the
Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in
Dubna,
USSR.
In 1969, the Polytechnical Institute was established under the NUM, comprising faculties of Civil Engineering, Power Engineering, Geology and Mining, Mechanical Engineering, and Engineering Economics.
This institute was eventually formed into its own separate university in 1982, the
Mongolian University of Science and Technology.
The Russian language institute was established in 1979, with this separating into an institute in 1982, eventually forming into the current
University of the Humanities.
Modern era
The university played a crucial role in the
Mongolian Revolution of 1990, playing host to various secret groups discussing democracy.
In 1994, 13 students were awarded master's degrees. In 1997, the department of postgraduate affairs was established with the purpose of increasing the number of postgraduate students.
The Mathematical Institute was merged into the NUM in 1997.
A governing board was established in 1999.
In 2004, the Khovd branch was spun off into an independent university,
Khovd University.
Restructurings
In 2010, Ulaanbaatar University and the Institute of Commerce and Business were merged into the NUM, while these both later became independent again, in 2015 (as the
Ulaanbaatar State University) and 2017 (as the
University of Commerce and Business), respectively.
Starting from 2014, a major restructuring took place, with the university now functioning with 5 main faculties, Business, International Relations and Public Administration, Law, Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Sciences.
Administration
Main faculties
* Business School
* School of International Relations and Public Administration
* School of Law
* School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
* School of Arts and Sciences
Branches
* NUM-Orkhon School (based in
Erdenet,
Orkhon Province
Orkhon Aimag ( mn, Орхон аймаг) is one of the 21 Aimags (provinces) of Mongolia, located in the north of the country. Its capital is Erdenet. The province is named after Orkhon River.
This Aimag was cut out of Bulgan Aimag in 1994, to ...
)
* NUM-Zavkhan School (based in
Uliastai,
Zavkhan Province
Zavkhan (; mn, Завхан, Zawhan, ) is one of the 21 aimags (provinces) of Mongolia, located in the west of the country, 1,104 km from Ulaanbaatar. Its capital is Uliastai. The aimag is named after the Zavkhan River, which forms the border ...
)
Affiliate institutions
* Baigali-Ekh
high school and Ecological Education Center - high school (
lyceum
The lyceum is a category of educational institution defined within the education system of many countries, mainly in Europe. The definition varies among countries; usually it is a type of secondary school. Generally in that type of school the ...
) in Ulaanbaatar.
Rectors
Academia
Admissions to NUM are based on
Mongolian General Entrance Examination scores.
Ranking
National University of Mongolia is ranked 831th in the world and 120th in Asia in terms of the Article Influence Score between 1990-2020 in the Tilburg University Economics Ranking . Tilburg University Economics Ranking
Notable people
Alumni
Politics
*
Jambyn Batmönkh
Jambyn Batmönkh ( mn, Жамбын Батмөнх, ; 10 March 1926 – 14 May 1997) was a Mongolian communist political leader and economics professor. He was the leader of Mongolia during its transition into democracy in 1990.
Early life
Bat ...
(economics) - last leader of the
Mongolian People's Republic
The Mongolian People's Republic ( mn, Бүгд Найрамдах Монгол Ард Улс, БНМАУ; , ''BNMAU''; ) was a socialist state which existed from 1924 to 1992, located in the historical region of Outer Mongolia in East Asia. It ...
*
Radnaasümbereliin Gonchigdorj
Radnaasümbereliin Gonchigdorj ( mn, Раднаасүмбэрэлийн Гончигдорж; born 1953) is Mongolian politician from the Mongolian Social Democratic Party and he has served twice as the Chairman of the legislature of Mongolia fr ...
(mathematics) -
Vice President of Mongolia
The vice president of Mongolia was a political position in Mongolian People's Republic from 1990 to 1992. The position was filled by vote in Little Khural at the same time as President of Mongolia. The position was abolished in the 1992 Constitut ...
and chairman of the
State Great Khural
*
Miyeegombyn Enkhbold (economics) - prime minister of Mongolia and chairman of the
State Great Khural
*
Norovyn Altankhuyag
Norovyn Altankhuyag ( mn, Норовын Алтанхуяг, Norowiin Altanhuyag, ; born 20 January 1958) is a Mongolian politician who was the Prime Minister of Mongolia from 2012 to 2014 and a Member of Parliament. Democratic Party's National Co ...
(physics & mathematics) - prime minister of Mongolia
*
Zandaakhüügiin Enkhbold
Zandaakhüügiin Enkhbold ( mn, Зандаахүүгийн Энхболд, born May 23, 1966 in Ulaanbaatar) was the chairman or speaker of the State Great Khural from 2012 to 2016. He spent his childhood in Selenge Province. He was educated at ...
(law) - chairman of the
State Great Khural
*
Chimediin Saikhanbileg (law) - prime minister of Mongolia
*
Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh (law) -
prime minister of Mongolia
The Prime Minister of Mongolia () is the head of government of Mongolia and heads the Mongolian cabinet. The Prime Minister is appointed by the Mongolian parliament or the State Great Hural, and can be removed by the parliament with a vote of n ...
Faculty
*
Bazaryn Shirendev (historian, rector)
*
Galsan Tschinag
Galsan Tschinag (, mn, Чинаагийн Галсан, translit=Qinaagiin Galsan, , , born Irgit Şınıkay oğlu Çuruk-Uvaa ( tyv, Иргит Шыныкай оглу Чурук-Уваа, ), 26 December 1944 in Bayan-Ölgii Province, Mongolia) ...
(writer)
*
Tumen Dashtseveg
Tumen Dashtseveg is the head of the Department of Anthropology & Archaeology, National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Career
Tumen did her doctoral degree at Moscow State University in Anthropology. She specialises in paleoanthrop ...
(archaeology)
*
Tsetsegjargal Tseden (archaeology)
*
Altangerel Perle (paleontology)
*
Tserenbaltavyn Sarantuyaa (law)
Gallery
Notes
References
External links
Official website (Mongolian)Official website (English)
{{Authority control
Educational institutions established in 1942
Ulaanbaatar
1942 establishments in Mongolia