Turkology in Kazan University

A special place among the Humanities, which are developed at the Kazan University, is taken by Oriental studies, which has become the pride of the University and has brought to it the world fame. From the first days of foundation of the East discharge on the basis of the Department of Oriental languages at Kazan University, and at the end of 1828 and early 1829 two independent chairs were founded, the first one is Arab and Persian languages, the second - Turkish and Tatar languages .

The head of the Department of Turkish and Tatar languages was Professor Mirza Muhammet Ali Kazem-Bek (1802-1870), who worked at Kazan University since 1826. After transferring of the faculty of Oriental studies to the Saint-Petersburg University, since 1854, teaching of Oriental languages at the Kazan University, including Turkish language was stopped. Teaching of Turkic languages and their study revived only in 1893-1894 years, with the coming to the university a prominent scholar, turkologist - NF. Katanov (1862-1922).

Since the middle of XX century attempts for reviving of the Kazan Oriental studies were continued. Among the greatest scientists of the Orientalists of that period were Mirza Ismailovich Mahmutov and Mustafa Nugmanovich Nugmanov. In 1989, on the basis of the faculty of Tatar Philology, history and Oriental languages Department of Oriental languages was created, and a scientist, specialist in Turkic Philology Dilyara Garifovna Tumasheva (1926-2006) became the first head of it.

At the beginning of the XXI century there was a significant event in the history of the Kazan state University - on the basis of the Department of Oriental languages in 2000 the Institute of Oriental studies was founded. The Institute began preparation of the specialists about China, Arab countries and Turkey. In 2002 there was opened the Department of Turkology, which in 2011 was renamed for the Department of Turkic Philology.

At the Department the training specialists on Turkish Philology is successfully conducted. The department also participates in the work of other directions of the Institute of Oriental studies and international relations, and to be more precise, in the preparation of the Orientalists, International Affairs experts and specialists in regional studies.

In order to expand the Turkological and research training students, special and elective courses in related Turkic, Osman-Turkish and Mongolian languages, as well as on the history of the Turkic peoples are gradually being introduced.