Maksim Olegovich Smetanin,
Student, Novosibirsk State Pedagogical University, Novosibirsk, Russia, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Role of Untouchable Capital in the Establishment of Imperial Tomsk University
DOI: 10.31518/2618-9100-2025-4-7
This paper explores the significance of endowments in the establishment and operation of Imperial Tomsk University. Drawing on data from various sources − primarily archival materials and a compilation of information on the budgets of institutions subordinate to the Ministry of National Education in the Western Siberian Educational District − a comparative analysis of quantitative indicators for designated endowments has been conducted. The analysis reveals that Tomsk University ranked second within the district in terms of the number of endowment funds received, and first in the total amount of initial capital and interest accrued. The study also highlights the role of private financing in the university’s construction budget, with endowments from P.G. Demidov and Z.M. Tsybulskiy accounting for nearly half of the total amount. Special attention is given to the correlation between endowments accompanied by formal Regulations and donations lacking normative provisions. Seventeen such endowments were not accompanied by explicit stipulations, allowing the university to allocate the funds at its discretion for current needs. An analysis of thirty-three endowments with Regulations showed that most were intended for establishing named scholarships. The terms of these scholarships reflected the social strategies of donors, including estate-based, regional, and religious preferences. The founders came from all social groups of the Russian Empire, most frequently merchants, and the scholarships primarily supported low-income students and the donors’ compatriots.
Publishing: 28/08/2025
The article has been received by the editor on 29/04/2025
How to cite: Smetanin M.O. The Role of Untouchable Capital in the Establishment of Imperial Tomsk University // Historical Courier, 2025, No. 4 (42), pp. 97−112. [Available online: http://istkurier.ru/data/2025/ISTKURIER-2025-4-07.pdf]
Links: Issue 4 2025
Keywords: history of education; Imperial Tomsk University; Siberian merchants; charity; endowment; nominal scholarship