The article is published on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the birth of an outstanding Ukrainian – Vasyl Karazin (1773–1842). The purpose of the article is to reveal the main stages of his biography, the characteristics of his scientific worldview and life position, directions of activity and main achievements. Special methods were used to achieve the goal of the study. Historical and logical analysis – to determine the innovation of V. Karazin's research, his contribution to the development of public education and public administration reforms. The personalistic-biographical method is used to analyze the sources of progressive ideas and drivers of public activity of V. Karazin. The hermeneutic analysis of historical sources and the phenomenological approach helped to consider the figure and theoretical legacy of V. Karazin taking into account the historical context. Problem-genetic analysis and theoretical generalization made it possible to evaluate his practical activity from the standpoint of modernity. The axiological approach is applied as a methodological basis for the study of outstanding figures of Ukrainian science. The controversy and multifacetedness of the personality are shown on the basis of revealing the main stages of V. Karazin's biography. His noble origin opened the possibility of a successful military career. But he chose the path of education, social activities to improve the welfare of the people and the development of the economy. V. Karazin entered the history of Ukraine as the founder of the first university on Ukrainian lands, a scientist-encyclopedist and educator, experimenter and inventor, organizer and popularizer of science, publicist, public figure, author of reform projects in the field of public administration and finance, agriculture and land use. His inventions opened up new opportunities for the development of the economy, improving people's lives and livelihoods. Progressive economic ideas, scientific and educational, administrative and public activities of V. Karazin are considered as the worldview-value and scientific-practical basis of the formation of modern Ukrainian identity for the intellectual and innovative reconstruction of Ukraine.