Our History & Milestones

Over its 90-year history, the university has transformed from an agricultural institute into one of the region's largest multidisciplinary universities.

Today, DSTU educates over 45,000 students. The university's structure includes a gymnasium, lyceum, cadet corps, and colleges, with branches located in the Rostov Region and Stavropol Krai.

In China's Shandong Province, DSTU operates a joint educational platform with Shandong Transportation University - the Don Institute of STU-DSTU.

DSTU and the Silk Road International University of Tourism have signed a memorandum to establish an Uzbek-Russian Center for Competence Development in Tourism, Culture, and Sports in Samarkand and Rostov-on-Don.

DSTU is a winner of the government's Priority 2030 program, aimed at supporting and developing universities. The university focuses on ensuring the region's scientific and technological leadership in the new agro-industrial complex, green urbanism, and health preservation through breakthrough research and training of highly qualified engineers.

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Establishment of the North Caucasus Institute of Agricultural Engineering

To support the rapid growth of the national industry and the opening of new factories, a large number of qualified specialists—particularly technologists and engineers—was required. A government commission was dispatched to the Don region and decided to reorganize the Don Polytechnic Institute (DPI) by splitting it into several independent higher education institutions. On May 14, 1930, a decree was issued to establish the North Caucasus Institute of Agricultural Engineering on the basis of the DPI's Mechanical Faculty. It became the only university in Russia dedicated to training specialists for the agricultural machinery industry. Lev Sunitsa was appointed as the institute's first director.

Establishment of the North Caucasus Institute of Agricultural Engineering

Two core departments transferred from the DPI's Mechanical Faculty to the new institute: "Agricultural Machinery" and "Metal Technology." Throughout its first decade, the institute underwent several name changes, primarily reflecting the shifting administrative-territorial divisions within the North Caucasus region. Despite these changes in title, the institute's core focus and activities remained largely unchanged.

The First Faculty and Departments

There were only twelve of them — the first university instructors who began teaching at the North Caucasus Institute of Agricultural Engineering. Some joined from the Don Polytechnic Institute, while others came from different universities. The teaching staff was later bolstered by engineers from the Rostselmash plant and the institute's first graduates. Many of the institute's alumni and engineers from the Rostselmash and Krasny Aksay plants balanced their industrial work with teaching, supervising coursework and thesis projects, and organizing practical training. By the end of 1933, 18 departments had been established and staffed with academic personnel.

The First Faculty and Departments

Due to the institute's growth and the expansion of its facilities, three faculties were created in early 1934 on the initiative of Institute Director P.B. Glushchenko and Secretary of the Party Bureau L.A. Donetsky: the Mechanical Faculty, the General Engineering Faculty, and the Evening Faculty. The establishment of these faculties was a major milestone that helped optimize the educational process, organize student development activities, and intensify research work. In 1934, following the formation of the Azov-Black Sea Krai, the institute was briefly renamed the Azov-Black Sea Institute of Agricultural Engineering. In 1935, it became the Rostov-on-Don Institute of Agricultural Engineering, and in 1938 it was renamed the Rostov Machine-Building Institute — a name it kept until 1947.

The First Anniversary and Initial Achievements

Within its first decade, the institute underwent a remarkable transformation. From a small institution with just 342 students and lacking a solid material base, it grew into a major higher education establishment in Southern Russia, with an enrollment of one thousand students. The institute significantly strengthened its facilities, opening new specialized laboratories: hydraulic drives, radiography, electric welding, friction and wear, and cold stamping processes. The academic staff expanded dramatically from 12 to 81 members, 37 of whom held advanced academic degrees and titles. During this foundational period, 21 departments, 17 laboratories, and 14 specialized study rooms were established, all equipped with modern devices and instruments.

The First Anniversary and Initial Achievements

The institute had a unique dual mission: training mechanical engineers while also preparing officers for the Red Army. For the first three years, students underwent higher non-military training in artillery. By the start of the Great Patriotic War, the institute had trained over 700 artillery commanders for the Red Army. Over its first ten years, the institute accumulated vast experience in training specialists, graduating more than a thousand engineers. Many of its alumni went on to lead major national enterprises, become university lecturers, and hold leadership positions in ministries.

Evacuation

In 1941, a significant portion of the fourth-year students were mobilized and sent to the F.E. Dzerzhinsky Artillery Academy. Several members of the institute's leadership were also called to serve in the Red Army. The remaining students, staff, and faculty contributed to the war effort by constructing defensive fortifications and preparing to defend their city. In November 1941, the institute was evacuated alongside the Rostselmash plant to Tashkent. There, a small contingent of staff and faculty began working at the relocated plant. Meanwhile, some instructors and students had remained in Rostov, which endured constant enemy air raids and artillery shelling. The institute's buildings were completely destroyed, prompting a second wave of the evacuation as the remaining staff made their way to Tashkent.

Evacuation

By September 1942, the institute had managed to resume its educational activities. To rapidly supply specialists for the national economy, particularly the industrial sector, the curricula were revised and the duration of study was shortened. Without its own facilities, the institute improvised: the technical department of the plant's tool shop and the "red corner" common room of the mechanical shop served as lecture halls, while laboratory sessions were conducted directly on the factory floor. A landmark event occurred in May 1943 when the institute announced its first student intake during the war years and formed an admissions committee. That August, six groups of students were enrolled into the first year of the full-time program, signifying a brave step towards sustaining education amidst the conflict.

Post-War Reconstruction

The institute's administration faced the monumental task of rebuilding from scratch: reassembling the team, recruiting new faculty, staff, and students, and restoring and constructing buildings. The institute received crucial assistance from the "Rostselmash" plant. The government tasked the plant's management with restoring the agricultural machinery pavilion in less than three months and helping to equip laboratories, study rooms, and workshops. This period also saw the construction of new tractor and agricultural machinery factories. The capital construction plans for these enterprises included the erection of academic and laboratory buildings, student dormitories, and residential housing for faculty and staff.

Post-War Reconstruction

In 1946, the USSR Ministry of Higher Education was established, and the Rostov-on-Don Machine-Building Institute was placed under its jurisdiction. In 1947, the institute was renamed the Rostov-on-Don Institute of Agricultural Machinery (RISKhM), a name it would hold for many years. On March 22, 1949, the institute's staff gathered at the end of Voroshilovsky Avenue—a site previously occupied by warehouses, vegetable gardens, and the edge of Alexandrovskaya Grove—to witness the laying of the cornerstone for the future main academic building. The construction was a true collective effort, undertaken by faculty, students, and industrial workers alike. The existing building stock, laboratories, and study rooms were progressively restored. Many departments designed and built their own laboratory equipment. The establishment of training and production workshops in 1945 played a vital role in equipping the institute's laboratories.

Expanding Student Body and Research

In 1957, RISKhM began training specialists in three new fields: "Precision Mechanics Instruments," "Automatic and Telemechanical Devices and Systems," and "Foundry Technology and Machinery." Three new core departments were established, the "Instrument Engineering" faculty was created, and the "Mechanical Engineering Technology" faculty was spun off from the Agricultural Machinery faculty. A correspondence faculty was also organized, offering all the institute's specialties. The student population grew to 2,560 in 1957. The institute's management structure evolved: instead of a single deputy director, new positions of Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs and Vice-Rector for Research were introduced. This change significantly enhanced both educational and research activities.

Expanding Student Body and Research

Since 1955, admission priority was given to applicants with post-secondary school work experience and to demobilized military personnel. The institute practiced various study formats during this period: full-time programs for experienced students, and part-time initial courses for those without prior experience. The latter group worked full-time at enterprises while attending evening classes four times per week. After two years of obtaining a specialty this way, they could transition to full-time studies. The total study period for students without prior experience reached six years. Evening and correspondence programs were conducted without requiring leave from work.

Establishment of Plant-Based Technical Colleges

The presence of the Institute of Agricultural Engineering in Rostov and the "Rostselmash" plant, the largest of its kind in the USSR, created favorable conditions for establishing a plant-based technical college. On December 30, 1959, the USSR Council of Ministers founded the country's first five such colleges, including one at the Rostov Agricultural Machinery Plant as a branch of the Rostov-on-Don Institute of Agricultural Engineering. It was created to train engineers from among the workers of this plant and other similar enterprises. The first intake of the Rostov Plant-Based Technical College consisted of 200 workers from the "Rostselmash" plant.

Establishment of Plant-Based Technical Colleges

The rapid development of agriculture, its equipping with advanced agricultural machinery, and particularly the widespread introduction of machinery in livestock farming, created a need for specialists in designing equipment for livestock farms. On the institute's initiative, starting in 1963, the curriculum for the "Agricultural Machinery" specialty introduced two specializations: engineers for field crop machinery and engineers for livestock farm machinery. Two core departments were established: the Department of Field Crop Agricultural Machinery and the Department of Livestock Farm Agricultural Machinery.

New Schedules and Curriculum

The volume of mandatory scheduled classes reached 40-42 hours per week. The institute worked to reduce this compulsory load by eliminating content duplication, optimizing the scheduling of laboratory work, having students complete course projects within scientific student clubs, and implementing individual study plans for some students. In 1962, the Institute Council introduced an experimental change to the academic schedule: replacing two 45-minute sessions with one 60-minute class hour. This restructuring during the 1962-1963 academic year successfully reduced students' mandatory daily course load.

New Schedules and Curriculum

These changes created more favorable conditions for independent student work, though they required significant methodological and organizational efforts from departments and faculty. RISKhM's experience with modifying class duration was successfully adopted by Rostov State University. Students received substantial support for their independent work through specially developed lectures, teaching aids, recommended reading lists, and programs created by various departments. During these years, the institute's scholars published textbooks that were subsequently used for training in other machine-building higher education institutions across the country.

Twice the Number of Students

By 1964, the number of students in the Evening Faculty had grown significantly, reaching 1,800 individuals enrolled across seven majors. To streamline administration, the Evening Faculty was split into two separate units: The Evening Faculty of Agricultural Machinery, offering four majors: "Agricultural Machinery," "Metal-Cutting Machine Tools and Tools," "Precision Mechanics Instruments," and "Automation of Production Processes." The Evening Faculty of Metal Hot Working, with three majors: "Machines and Technology of Metal Forming," "Foundry Machines and Technology," and "Equipment and Technology of Welding Production." During the second post-war decade (1956-1965), the institute graduated 5,366 engineers. This was nearly double the number of graduates from the previous 25 years.

New Technologies and Research Areas

The leading research directions during this period were the development of scientific foundations for creating working components of agricultural machinery and automated systems for agricultural production. The university's research contributed to the creation of new grain harvesters, such as the "Niva" and "Kolos," a potato harvesting combine, and a unified implement for soil tillage and cultivation. The principles for calculating the frame and chassis structures of agricultural machines were developed, leading to increased strength and reduced metal usage in their construction. A team of institute scientists created a header for harvesting rice and lodged grain crops, which was subsequently put into serial production.

Ведущие направления в этот период - разработка научных основ для создания органов сельскохозяйственных машин и автоматических устройств сельскохозяйственного производства. Благодаря исследованиям вуза были созданы новые зерновые комбайны: «Нива» и «Колос», картофелеуборочных комбайн, а также агрегат для почвообработки и культивации. Разработаны основы расчета рамных и каркасных конструкций сельскохозяйственных машин, за счет этого возросла прочность и снизилась металлоемкость сельхозмашин. Группа ученых института создала жатку для скашивания риса и полеглых зерновых культур, было запущено серийное производство этого устройства. Сотрудники вуза впервые в стране начали исследования для создания комплекса оборудования для индустриальной заготовки кормов с получением пищевого белка из зеленой массы. Был запущен макетный цех по приготовлению сока, пасты, муки, гранул концентрированных зеленых кормов. Ученые института впервые разработали технологическое оборудование, которое внедрили в хозяйствах Ленинградской области. Так появилась технологическая линия по измельчению малоценного древесно-кустарникового сырья для получения кондиционной щепы для ее гидролиза в кормовой сахар, силоса из веточного корма и гранул древесной муки. Научные сотрудники вуза разработали рентгенографический метод оценки качества работы посевных семян. В конкурсе на лучшую научно-исследовательскую работу к 50-летию завода «Ростсельмаш» РИСХМ получил первое место и был награжден Почетной грамотой Обкома КПСС и областного НТО «Машпром».

New Academic Programs

RISKhM was evolving from a specialized institution focused on agricultural machinery into a multidisciplinary technical institute. The demands of scientific and technological progress necessitated the introduction of new degree programs. In 1987, the newly established Department of "Robotics and Mechatronics" within the "Mechanical Engineering Technology" faculty launched a program in "Robotic Systems and Complexes." The rapid integration of computer technology into manufacturing prompted the creation of a "Software for Computing Machinery and Automated Systems" program within the "Applied Mathematics" department ("Instrument Engineering" faculty). The institute's bid for a new, higher status as a university required broadening its curriculum with humanities. In 1989, a Humanities Faculty was established, uniting departments of Social Sciences, Foreign Languages, Physical Education, as well as Occupational and Environmental Safety.

Expanding Beyond Agricultural Specialization

In 1991, RISKhM began accepting students for two new programs that extended beyond agricultural machinery: "Machines and Apparatus for Food Production" in the "Agricultural Machinery" faculty, and "Production Organization and Management" in the evening faculty. The university started forming a continuous education system, with the first step being the opening of specialized secondary school No. 108, which was transformed into the RISKhM Technical Lyceum in 1991. October 1991 marked a reorganization of the institute's traditional faculties: the "Agricultural Machinery" faculty was transformed into the "Design" faculty as it was now training specialists beyond agricultural engineering, while the "Welding Production" and "Metal Hot Working" faculties were merged into the "Mechanical Engineering Technology" faculty.

В 1991 году в РИСХМе начался прием на две выходящие за рамки сельхозмашиностроения специальности: на факультете «Сельскохозяйственные машины» – «Машины и аппараты пищевых производств», на вечернем факультете – «Организация и управление производством». Вуз приступает к формированию системы непрерывного образования. Первым шагом стало открытие специализированной средней школы № 108, преобразованной в 1991 году в Технический лицей при РИСХМе. Октябрь 1991 года стал для вуза временем реорганизации его традиционных факультетов. Факультет «Сельскохозяйственные машины» был преобразован в «Конструкторский», поскольку вел подготовку не только по специальностям сельхозмашиностроения. Факультеты «Сварочное производство» и «Горячая обработка металлов» вошли в состав факультета «Технология машиностроения». Факультет «Приборостроение», ориентированный на автоматизацию и информационные технологии, был преобразован в факультет «Автоматизация и информатика». В августе 1991 года организована кафедра «Культурология», в 1993 – культурный центр. С 1956 по 1991 год существенно изменилась структура института, выросло число специальностей, и тенденция к их расширению сохранялась. В образовательном, воспитательном процессе усилилась гуманитарная компонента.

DSTU's Educational Model

The year 1992 marks one of the most significant dates in the university's history. On December 24, 1992, the Rostov-on-Don Order of the Red Banner of Labor Institute of Agricultural Engineering was renamed the Don State Technical University. This change was the logical culmination of many years of development and a recognition of the fact that DSTU had become a multidisciplinary higher technical educational institution. During this transitional period for Russian education, the university was led by its alumnus, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor Anatoly Ryzhkin. A prominent public figure, he headed the Council of Rectors of the Rostov Region, served on expert commissions under the President of Russia, and was an active member of the Board of the Russian Union of Rectors.

1992 год - одна из наиболее значимых дат в истории вуза. 24 декабря 1992 года Ростовский-на-Дону Ордена Трудового Красного знамени институт сельскохозяйственного машиностроения был переименован в Донской государственный технический университет. Это стало логическим завершением проводимой долгие годы работы и констатацией факта: ДГТУ — многопрофильное высшее техническое учебное заведение. В переходное для российского образования время вуз возглавил его выпускник, доктор технических наук, профессор Анатолий Рыжкин. Он был активным общественным деятелем. Возглавлял Совет ректоров вузов Ростовской области, входил в профильные комиссии при Президенте, активно работал в Правлении Союза ректоров вузов России. Ректор ДГТУ многого достиг как ученый, имя которого известно не только в стране, но и за рубежом. Как авторитетный ученый в области трения и износа, он опубликовал около 400 научных работ, в том числе учебники и учебные пособия с грифом Минобразования РФ. Анатолий Рыжкин – заслуженный деятель науки и техники РФ, почетный работник высшей школы. В 2003 году профессору Рыжкину вместе с научным коллективом была присуждена премия Президента России в области образования за цикл трудов для технических высших учебных заведений «Научное учебно-методическое и организационное обеспечение подготовки инженерных и научных кадров в области триботехники (трения, износа и смазки)». Вместе с Анатолием Рыжкиным в качестве проректора работал и нынешний ректор – Бесарион Месхи. Как ректор он был инициатором преобразования РИСХМа в Донской государственный технический университет. Для вуза открывались новые перспективы.

University Expansion

In 2007, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor Besarion Meskhi was elected rector and continues to lead the university today. The following decade marked a period of active growth for DSTU. In 2008, the university merged with the Rostov State Academy of Agricultural Engineering, which was renamed the DSTU Institute of Energy and Mechanical Engineering (IEM DSTU). In 2012, DSTU incorporated the South Russian State University of Economics and Service along with its branches, followed by the Rostov State Construction University in 2015. In 2016, DSTU received the status of the flagship university of the Rostov Region.

45,000 Students and 200 Degree Programs

Today, Don State Technical University is the largest and most dynamically developing research and educational hub in Southern Russia. Throughout its history, the university has graduated over 100,000 specialists. DSTU currently educates more than 45,000 students and offers over 200 Bachelor's, Specialist, and Master's degree programs, 70% of which are in technical and engineering fields. The university hosts 3 doctoral dissertation committees and conducts research across 42 scientific fields.

Сегодня Донской государственный технический университет — крупнейший на юге России, динамично-развивающийся научно-образовательный комплекс. За годы существования университет выпустил больше 100 тысяч специалистов. В ДГТУ обучается более 45 тысяч студентов. В университете реализуется более 200 направлений подготовки бакалавриата, специалитета и магистратуры, из них 70 % — это технический и инженерный профили. В вузе работают 3 совета по защите докторских диссертаций, ведется научно-исследовательская работа по 42 направлениям. Инновация ДГТУ в образовании — создание корпоративных кафедр с ведущими предприятиями области, среди которых ОАО «Роствертол», ООО ПК «НЭВЗ», ЗАО «Медиагруппа Южный регион», ФГУ «Ростовский центр стандартизации и метрологии», Южный научный центр РАН. ДГТУ — один из крупнейших в России центров по подготовке иностранных граждан для обучения в вузах страны. Университетский комплекс обладает развитой инфраструктурой: 20 учебных корпусов, 8 общежитий, санаторий-профилакторий, физкультурно-оздоровительный комплекс с плавательным бассейном, легкоатлетический манеж, конгресс-холл, храм святой мученицы Татианы, универсальная площадка с искусственным покрытием, студенческий оздоровительно-спортивный комплекс, две базы отдыха и многое другое. В 2021 году ДГТУ прошел конкурсный отбор и стал участников крупнейшей правительственной программы «Приоритет 2030».

Priority 2030

Don State Technical University has been selected among 106 Russian universities to participate in the major strategic government initiative "Priority 2030," aimed at supporting and developing higher education institutions. The program is implemented as part of the national project "Science and Universities," with the goal of enhancing Russia's competitiveness in education, science, and technology. Within the framework of the program, the university is implementing two key strategic projects: "Agromatics" and "One Health."

Подробнее

DSTU is the coordinator of the Southern Russia Research and Education Center. The Center has united the Rostov and Volgograd regions, and Krasnodar Krai, working to create a new food system based on the sustainable development principles (ecology, social development, corporate governance) established by the UN.

Today, DSTU has over 1,000 strategic partners. The university actively collaborates with Russian and international companies, government authorities at various levels, educational institutions, and research institutes.

DSTU is implementing the "Advanced Engineering Schools" project of the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education. DSTU and Rostselmash have established a structural subdivision - the Institute of Advanced Machinery "Rostselmash." The project's unique objective is to train engineering teams focused on solving complex technological challenges.

DSTU is undergoing large-scale campus modernization: new academic buildings, dormitories, and sports facilities are under construction, while classrooms and research laboratories are being renovated and upgraded.

With support from the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the Rostov Region Government, the first five facilities have been commissioned: a dormitory, Congress Hall, a fitness and wellness center with a swimming pool, and two academic buildings.

In 2020, DSTU opened the largest student dormitory in the Rostov Region - a 23-story building. The triple-occupancy studio apartments accommodate 949 students. In December 2021, DSTU began construction of two new 26-story dormitories.

A new academic building has been commissioned on the territory of the DSTU "Nauka" research and production complex, as well as an indoor riding arena in the Rassvet settlement. The facility was constructed with funding from the Rostov Region Government.

Our History & Milestones

University History Timeline