V.I. Vernadsky Taurida National University (TNU) (Ukrainian: Таврійський національний університет імені В.І. Вернадського (ТНУ)) is a name used for 2 State Universities, in Kyiv and in Simferopol, both are public, coeducational universities located in Kyiv / Simferopol. Both Universities are not working together. The university was founded in 1918 with active participation of the geologist Vladimir Vernadsky. The university now bears his name. The university has 16 departments and 20 academic institutes. The university has the status of national and is accredited to the fourth level by the Ministry of Education of Ukraine.