Aydin BalayevDoctor of Historical Sciences

On November 15, 1919, classes began at Baku University, the decision on the establishment of which was adopted by the Parliament of Azerbaijan on September 1 of that year. However, because of the problems the starting date was delayed by 2.5 months.

Note that the M.E. Rasulzade and his colleagues in the faction "Musavat" had to make a considerable effort to convince parliamentarians of the need for Baku University. The fact is that, due to the lack of national staff the University initially had to operate in Russian. Some MPs opposed it , offering to originally "develop lower and secondary school, and then teachers' seminaries and institutes," and then, leaning on that, to prepare national cadres and establish university teaching in the Azerbaijani language.

It is characteristic that in the discussion of the bill in the finance and budget committee of the Parliament even members of the faction of the Slavonic- Russian Society opposed the creation of the University in Baku, in Russian , advising them "not to squander the people's money ."

Although the Azerbaijani language was a compulsory subject taught in all faculties of the university, however, against the opening of the Russian-speaking university in Baku speeches were made by representatives of some Azerbaijani factions , in particular, " Ittihad ". The leader of the Ittihad faction K. Karabekov, referring to Russian teachers, considered unacceptable " awarding the fate of the university to the hands of people unknown to us and alien to our state."

Arguing against that, M.E. Rasulzadeh reminded his colleagues in parliament that wat is not enough to declare themselves independent . According to him, in order to live a truly independent life and take its rightful place in the family of civilized nations of the world, Azerbaijan needed to lay a solid foundation, on which the people of Azerbaijan could fully manifest features of their national genius. In this context, it was considered that "the opening of the university was one of the first concerns of the state" , considering it the most important attribute of the Azerbaijani independence.

M.E. Rasulzade considered the University not only as an educational institution , but also as a center of scientific and cultural life of the country , able to stimulate the study of the basic problems of national life, as well as the further development of cultural homogenization and national identity of the population of Azerbaijan.

Therefore, M.E. Rasulzade considered erroneous the position of several members of Parliament, who offered to limit all to sending a certain number of Azerbaijani students for higher education abroad. Noting the existence of the government plans for sending a hundred Azerbaijani students to the best universities in Western Europe, he also emphasized the need "to create a scientific nursery just in the country ."

Certainly, M.E. Rasulzade made no secret that for him it would be preferable to establish the university in the national language. But at the same time, he clearly recognized that the lack of scientific personnel would make the country unable to establish a national university in the near future. "But even if there were these scientific forces, - he stressed, - it would be impossible to find students who can attend lectures at a university in the Azerbaijani language. "It is no secret that the vast majority of the Azerbaijani youth of the time have got primary and secondary education in Russian, and for this reason, they very little own their own language.

Considering all these factors, M.E. Rasulzade recognized the impossibility of opening the university in the national language. But at the same time he was convinced that this fact "cannot stop and did not stop any country to have a university." As an example, he cited the experience of the first Russian and Japanese universities, which at the time of their establishment had teaching conducted in foreign languages. "As to why we have a university in Russian, then the question is clear - because the listeners do not know any language other than Russian," said M.E. Rasulzade.

Thus, as the most effective means of establishing a national university and its necessary precondition M.E. Rasulzade considered the early establishment of the university in one of the developed European languages, which was Russian in the Azerbaijani environment given.Stressing the supranational character of science, M.E. Rasulzade rightly pointed out that " we can study it in China, and we can learn from the Chinese in Azerbaijan... Science can be studied in all countries and in all languages​​, which is why our group was in favor of the immediate opening of the University. There is no need to shun the modesty of scientific power."

M.E. Rasulzade also advised "not to be afraid that the open university, as the priest Kravchenko said, will be Russian. In a Turkic country, the Turkic environment will deliver its own color." He rightly pointed to the fact that " the foundation for the nationalization of the University is laid together with its establishment, as the Turkic language will be taught there, and students here in Baku will be in the home atmosphere close to the native element and its native people."

M.E. Rasulzade sincerely hoped that " in the atmosphere heavily saturated with national aspirations the introduction of reinforced learning the Turkic language, etc. will allow in the near future to painlessly and gradually carry out the nationalization of the university.

Thus , the efforts of the Azerbaijani Musavat faction of the parliament succeeded in passing the law on the establishment of Baku State University .

ANN.Az