page_title: National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy
section_title: Foundation of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy
hierarchical_section_title: National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy / History / Foundation of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy
caption_attribution_description: Українська: Портрет митрополита Петра Могили (Полотно, олія) English: Portrait of Petro Mohyla 日本語: ペトロ・モヒーラの肖像
context_page_description: National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy is a national, coeducational research university located in Kiev, Ukraine. The Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, the school's predecessor, was established in 1615. The NaUKMA is located on the Academy's grounds in the ancient Podil neighborhood. In 1991, it was re-organized, and teaching began the following year. NaUKMA has the highest level of accreditation as outlined by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, and is one of the thirteen educational institutions in Ukraine having a status of a research and autonomous university. NaUKMA takes part in numerous international university collaborations, such as the European University Association. The university is bilingual in Ukrainian and English. It is one of Ukraine’s few universities with internationally recognized diplomas.
  With around 4000 students, NaUKMA is one of the smallest universities in Ukraine. Alumni of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy played a formative role in the intellectual and church life of Ukraine and Russia in 17th and 18th centuries. Among the most notable alumni were hetman Ivan Mazepa and philosopher Hryhori Skovoroda.
context_section_description: The predecessor of today's National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy was one of the oldest academic and theological schools amongst the Orthodox Christian countries of Eastern Europe. The Academy was first opened in 1615 as the school of the Kyiv bratstvo ("brotherhood"). When, in 1632, the Kiev Pechersk Lavra school and Kiev Brotherhood School merged they formed Kyiv's, and by extension Ukraine's, first institution of higher education. The newly formed 'collegium', then located in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was given the Polish name 'Mohylańska' (Latin: Collegium Kijovense Mohileanum, in honour of Peter Movilă), a key figure in bringing about the institution's foundation and proponent of modern Western educational standards at the academy.
  In 1658 under the terms of the Treaty of Hadiach the Collegium obtained the status of an 'academy', similar to the Kraków Academy - at that time the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth's premier university. Later, in 1694, it was also recognised as an academy by the Moscow Tsardom Tsar Ivan V; this was later reaffirmed by his brother and successor, Peter the Great. Subsequently, during the 17th and 18th centuries the academy was known for its education of the Russian and Ukrainian political and intellectual elites; it was highly acclaimed throughout Eastern Europe and accepted students of all classes and backgrounds from the territories of modern-day Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Belarus, Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria and Greece. In particular the hetmans – military leaders of the famed Zaporozhian Cossacks – were benefactors of and actively supported the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. The school flourished under the term of Hetman Ivan Mazepa, an alumnus, and was later able to support the foundation of a number of other colleges built on its model, such as the Vasilian College in Moldavia.
  Due to the exceptional quality of the language program many of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy's students continued their education abroad, which at the time meant many of them were required to convert from the Orthodox faith to Roman Catholicism. Despite this, many returning alumni readopted the Orthodox religion, as this was necessary in order to attain positions in the clergy or Academia. By sending so many of its graduates abroad the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy played a vital role in facilitating the transfer of knowledge eastwards cross Europe and popularising the Renaissance both in Ukraine and Russia.
caption: Peter Movilă, the benefactor of Kiev Collegium.
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