Tomsk State University is one of the oldest universities in Russia, the first higher educational establishment in the immense area from the Urals to the Pacific Ocean. It was established in 1878 and opened in 1888.

The idea to open the first university in Siberia occurred to the progressive minds in Russia back in 1803, but it was not until the late nineteenth century that it became realistic. The government kept putting off the decision either on the grounds of a lack of money or the inadequate development of secondary education in the region. Moreover, some thought that a university in Siberia was a luxury and it was dangerous to give Siberian people higher education. However, these reasons only resulted in a delay, but could not entirely remove this question from the agenda.

Tomsk was one of the seven cities in Siberia that aspired to the high honour of hosting a university. Eventually, it won. On 28 (16) May in 1878 Emperor Alexander II passed the Decree of the State Council of the Russian Empire permitting the establishment of the Imperial Siberian University in Tomsk. This was the day that put an end to the 75-year-old struggle for a university in Tomsk and marked the beginning of its history: the construction, opening and further development of the ninth higher educational establishment in Russia and the first in Siberia. The construction of the main building of Tomsk Imperial University as well as the first dormitory was made possible thanks to private donations, which in fact, amounted to half of the budget. It is important to mention that simultaneously with the construction, a library was being assembled as well as the materials for some laboratories, museums, the botanical garden with its greenhouse and the herbarium.

The university was meant to be an exclusive educational establishment that combined the academic process with research and aimed at developing a creative personality capable of self-improvement. As a classic university TSU is based on research and educational schools. It means that the percentage of research dominates in the sciences while an academic process must involve a sound combination of the natural sciences and the humanities accompanied with a flexibility in education. Professor V. M. Florinsky said in his speech at the opening ceremony: "We would like our professors and scientists, inspired by their love for the Motherland, to serve both students and science with equal eagerness. We would like them to be more independent in their scientific research and to set up their own scientific schools. Only a combination of the academic process with scientific research will enable our university to fulfill its high mission and, independently of its direct utilitarian objectives, to bear fruit in higher education." These are the principles that Tomsk State University has been following ever since.

Tomsk State University has always adhered to the strategic direction of its activities in preparing research, educational and managerial elite on the basis of the integration of academic process and scientific research. More than a hundred thousand of its graduates have contributed to the fame and authority of their Alma Mater. Tomsk State University can boast of having graduated about 100 members of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, the Academy of Sciences of CIS States, more than 150 RF Governmental Prizewinners. Two Nobel Prize winners - N. N. Semenov and I. P. Pavlov - were members of the university faculty. Today many TSU alumni and staff head various universities, academic institutes, research institutes and enterprises, and hold important governmental positions.

Imperial University, later Tomsk State University has had a key influence on the development of the research, the educational and the cultural potential in the Asian part of Russia and is ranked one of the top national universities.

The university has been given three State Awards: 1967- the Order of the Labour Red Banner, 1980 - the Order of October Revolution, 1978 - Siberian Physical-Technical Institute at TSU was awarded the Order of the Red Banner and First Degree Diploma from MVSSO USSR. In 1998 by the RF Presidential Decree № 30 from January, 15 TSU was listed in the State Code of Most Valuable Objects of Cultural Heritage of the Peoples of the Russian Federation.
On August 8, 2003 RF President, V.V.Putin signed a Decree in honour of the celebration of the 125th anniversary of TSU as a leading Russian center of education, science and culture.