The roots of Osh State University, formerly known as Osh Pedagogical Institute, trace back to its establishment in 1939 under the leadership of its first director, A. Kozlovsky. During its formative years, the institute played a pivotal role in shaping the educational landscape of Kyrgyzstan.
Among the initial nine faculty members of the institute, only one, Juma Zhamgyrchyev, was of Kyrgyz nationality. Notably, the renowned writer J. Zhamgyrchyev served as a teacher at Osh Pedagogical Institute from 1939 to 1941, before he was called to serve in the Second World War, where he lost his life on the frontline.
Initially, the institute offered teacher training programs in four specialties: history, physics and mathematics, Russian language and literature, and Kyrgyz language and literature. In its first academic year of 1939/40, the institute aimed to enroll 150 students. However, this target was not fully realized due to the limited number of applicants with high school education. In 1940, the institute expanded its academic offerings with the establishment of the Department of Natural Sciences and Geography.