Ganja State University (GDU, Azerbaijani: Gəncə Dövlət Universiteti) is a public university located in Ganja, Azerbaijan. According to the resolution of the Soviet of People's Commissars of Azerbaijan from April 14, 1938 a two year Pedagogical Institute named after Nadezhda Krupskaya was established in the city of Ganja, Azerbaijan. Due to a lack of available space, the college was placed on the third floor of Gorky School. The first two departments of the institute were Natural Sciences Department and the Department of Physics and Mathematics. Twenty three teachers were hired to teach at the institute. The first class of 244 students started on October 1, 1938. In 1939, two more departments (History and, Azerbaijani language and literature) were established within the institute. On September 1, 1943 the two-year college was abolished and a four-year Kirovobad (Ganja) State Pedagogical Institute was established on its basis. In fall of 1943, the institute was named after a renown scientist and publicist of Azerbaijan Hasan bey Zardabi. On June 13, 2000 the President of Azerbaijan renamed the institute to Ganja State University.