South Ural State University: institute of provincialto the national research university

The article summarizes the most important piece of the history of the South Ural State University. The main objective of this paper is the analysis of key factors determining the main directions of the evolution of the organizational structure of the university and the priority directions of scientific activity. Using the methods of comparative historical and structural-functional analysis in t he paper studied t he various aspects of the formation of basic organizational units of the university, revealed a close relationship between socio-economic development of the Southern Urals and the development of the South Ural State University. In conclusion of the paper identifies the key factors of successful development of the university in the second half of XX — beginning of XXI century.