The main organizing universities

Komárno – fortress on the Danube and the Váh

Komárno (Hungarian: Komárom, German: Komorn, Serbian: Коморан/Komoran), colloquially also called Révkomárom, Öregkomárom, Észak-Komárom in Hungarian, is a town in Slovakia at the confluence of the Danube and the Váh rivers. Historically it was formed by the “old town” on the left bank of Danube, present day Komárno in Slovakia, and by a “new town” on the right bank, present day Komárom in Hungary, which were historically one administrative unit. Following World War I and the Treaty of Trianon, the border of the newly created Czechoslovakia cut the historical, unified town in half, creating two new independent towns in two countries. Komárno and Komárom are connected by the Elisabeth Bridge, which used to be an official border crossing between Slovakia and Hungary until border checks were lifted due to the Schengen Area rules. In 2020, a new road bridge was opened. Komárno is Slovakia’s principal port on the Danube. It is also the center of the Hungarian community in Slovakia, which makes up 53.8% (2011 census) of the town’s population. The town is the historic seat of the Serbian national minority in Slovakia.

J. Selye University

J. Selye University was founded on 23 October, 2003 through the passing of the law No. 465/2003 on its establishment by the National Council of the Slovak Republic. The act came into force on 1 January 2004. J. Selye University is the only independent legal entity in Slovakia, which offers academic study programmes to an ethnic minority in their mother tongue, i.e. Hungarian. It serves as a public institution providing education for the Hungarian minority on the highest educational level. Not only was the establishment of J. Selye University a significant step in the development of Slovak higher education, it was also a unique event in the history of the EU. The mission of J. Selye University is to offer high priority to quality study programmes at Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD levels and to boost research programmes, preserve and respect universal ethical norms, promote the development of harmonious personality and ensure freedom of thought and opinion. Our university was established to increase the qualification level of the Hungarian minority in Slovakia. Higher qualification levels can create equal opportunities for ethnic Hungarians on the labour market and can decrease unemployment in the regions with significant Hungarian population. Our institution can act as a catalyst of social and economic development.


Trnava University

Historical Trnava University (TU) represents one of the oldest universities in Slovakia. Trnava University was established by Cardinal Peter Pázmaň in 1635 and consisted of four faculties (colleges) of: theology, arts, law and medicine. The university became well-known also thanks to an observatory founded by Maximilián Hell, a university library, gardens and a theatre. It existed for 142 years and in 1777, it was moved to Buda. The National Council of the Slovak Republic re-established Trnava University on March 25, 1992 pursuant to Act No. 191/1992 and reopened it on July 1, 1992. The Academic Senate of Trnava University founded the Faculty of Humanities (FH) and Faculty of Education (PdF) on September 1, 1992. The Faculty of Nursing Care and Social Work (FOSP) was established in 1994. However, it was renamed to the Faculty of Health Care and Social Work in 1998. The Pedagogical Institute of St. Andrew in Ružomberok joined Trnava University as well and in the academic year 1996/97, Catechetical Pedagogical Faculty of St. Andrew in Ružomberok was established from it.  Since November 1, 1997, this faculty has become a part of the University of Žilina in Žilina. The Theological Institute of Saint Aloysius, Society of Jesus (founded by Trnava University Rector on September 1, 1994) joined Trnava University and the Faculty of Theology of Trnava University with its seat in Bratislava was established from it on October 23, 1997. The Faculty of Law of Trnava University was established on October 1, 1998. Prof. RNDr. Anton Hajduk, DrSc. (May 15, 1992 – October 21, 1996) became the first rector of the reopened Trnava University. The present rector is Prof. PaedDr. René Bílik, CSc. Trnava University professes principles of the Great Charter of European Universities protecting complete independence of universities from the political and economic power and their freedom to perform research and education.

(https://www.truni.sk/en)


Eszterházy Károly Catholic University

The idea of establishing a university was introduced by Ferenc Barkóczy at first, who asked a Viennese architect, Josef Ignaz Gerl (1734–1798) to design a modest two-storeyed building. Barkóczy, however, could not continue the work because he was nominated as the Archbishop of Esztergom in 1761. After his arrival in Eger, Eszterházy was glad to be informed about his predecessor’s vision, and added more colossal elements to Barkóczy’s former plans. One of these was building another floor with an astronomy tower and a library. Jakab Fellner (1722–1780) from Tata, the architect of the mansion of the Eszterházy family, continued the execution from 1764 – based on the plans of Josef Ignaz Gerl. After Fellner’s death, another Viennese architect, Josef Grossmann (1747–1785) finished the construction. Eszterházy financed the construction of the Lyceum and he took the detailed implementation works upon himself. On 1 July 2016, Bishop Károly Eszterházy’s 250-year-old dream came true when Eszterházy Károly College became a university by merging the colleges of Gyöngyös, Jászberény and Sárospatak. At that time, Eszterházy Károly University already offered courses in agriculture, humanities, teacher training, economics and social sciences, natural sciences, information technology, sports sciences, arts and arts education, but also provided dual training.  1 August 2021 was another historic day: on this day, the Archdiocese of Eger became the owner of the institution and its new name was Eszterházy Károly Catholic University. In the years to come, the University is facing an intellectual renewal guided by the Apostolic Decree Ex Corde Ecclesiae on Catholic Universities issued by Pope John Paul II in 1990.

(https://uni-eszterhazy.hu/en/m/university/history)


Eӧtvӧs Loránd University in Budapest

Eötvös Loránd University (Hungarian: Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem, ELTE, also known as University of Budapest) is a Hungarian public research university based in Budapest. Founded in 1635, ELTE is one of the largest and most prestigious public higher education institutions in Hungary. The 28,000 students at ELTE are organized into nine faculties, and into research institutes located throughout Budapest and on the scenic banks of the Danube. ELTE is affiliated with 5 Nobel laureates, as well as winners of the Wolf Prize, Fulkerson Prize and Abel Prize, the latest of which was Abel Prize winner László Lovász in 2021. The predecessor of Eötvös Loránd University was founded in 1635 by Cardinal Péter Pázmány in Nagyszombat, Kingdom of Hungary (today Trnava, Slovakia) as a Catholic university for teaching theology and philosophy. In 1770, the university was transferred to Buda. It was named Royal University of Pest until 1873, then University of Budapest until 1921, when it was renamed Royal Hungarian Pázmány Péter University after its founder Péter Pázmány. The Faculty of Science started its autonomous life in 1949, when The Faculty of Theology was separated from the university (now Pázmány Péter Catholic University). The university received its current name in 1950, after one of its most well-known physicists, Baron Loránd Eötvös.

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E%C3%B6tv%C3%B6s_Lor%C3%A1nd_University)


University of Prešov

The University of Presov is a public and self-governing institution that freely carries out creative scientific, educational, artistic, and cultural activities. Teaching activities at the university are based on the latest findings in science, including the results of its own scientific research. The mission of the University of Presov is to develop harmonious personality, knowledge, wisdom, goodness, and creativity in man and to contribute to the development of education, science, culture, and health for the well-being of the whole society, and thus contribute to the development of a knowledgeable and creative society. The university is responsible for the development of education in the spirit of the values of democracy, humanism and tolerance and guides students towards creative, critical, and independent thinking, healthy self-esteem, understanding, preservation, dissemination and enhancement of national cultural heritage and diverse cultures in the spirit of cultural pluralism. The University of Presov cooperates with domestic and foreign universities, scientific and research institutions, and other legal entities, supports joint international projects, and creates conditions for the participation of members of the academic community in this cooperation.

(https://www.unipo.sk/en/)


Rzeszów University

The University of Rzeszów was legally constituted on 1 September 2001. lt was created out of three independent academic entities, namely: Universityof Pedagogyin Rzeszów, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin – Rzeszów Campus as well as the Faculty of Economics, Rzeszów of the Hugo Kołłątaj Academy of Agriculture in Kraków. The University of Rzeszów began to function under a new legislative status 1 October 2019, adapting itself to the requirements of the new law on higher education. The main aim of the changes introduced is to enhance the quality of scientific activities, which should translate into the improved efficiency of the individual as a whole, as well as the continuous improvement of the quality of education.

(https://www.ur.edu.pl/en/home)


Palacký University in Olomouc

Palacký University Olomouc (UP) is an internationally respected and scientifically and academically highly productive university in Central Europe. Founded 22 December 1573, it is the second-oldest university in the Czech Republic and the oldest one in Moravia. For 450 years it has contributed to the intellectual wealth of society and to its scientific, cultural, and social development. Every year 23,000 students study UP’s eight faculties, which provide over a thousand combinations of Bachelor’s, Master’s, and doctoral study programmes. Virtually every discipline is on offer, in teacher training, law, theology, physical education and sports, the humanities, social sciences, and arts to those in natural, medical, and health sciences. The UP credit system is fully compatible with international ECTS. The university operates a number of modern science and research centres employing renowned international teams. In 2021, a university institute was established, the Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute (CATRIN), bringing together teams from the CRH, RCPTM and IMTM science centres. Martin Procházka has been UP Rector since May 2021.

(https://www.upol.cz/en/)


Kazimierz Pułaski Radom University

Kazimierz Pułaski University of Radom is a Polish public university in Radom. It was the biggest university of the former Radom Voivodeship. The university was established in 1950 as a School of Engineering of General Technical Organization. For more than 50 years its name was often changed. The University of Technology and Humanities in Radom comprises 8 faculties, 4 of which are of technical profile: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Transport and Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Materials Science, Technology and Design, and Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics, whereas Faculty of Art, Faculty of Economics, Faculty of Philology and Pedagogics, and Faculty of Health Sciences and Physical Culture represent the Humanities. Students may choose from 27 degree courses (27 undergraduate and 12 graduate) and more than 100 specializations (majors). Many of them are unique in Poland. The university also provides 6 doctoral programmes (economics, fine arts, transport, electrical engineering, mechanics and mechanical engineering and machine building ). The ECTS system is fully implemented and used in each Faculty. Thus, students of the university have the possibility to study abroad at different European universities within the 3 Erasmus Programme. The study period at a foreign university is fully recognized at the Technical University of Radom. The university also accept foreign students within the Erasmus Programme, too. Students can join students organizations, self-government, any of 36 student scientific associations, sports clubs and the horse-riding club.

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Radom)


University of the National Education Commission, Krakow

University of the National Education Commission, Krakow was established on 11 May, 1946 as the National Higher Teacher Training College, and it commenced educational activities on 25 October of the same year. Initially, it prepared primary school teachers. The training cycle lasted three years and ended with the exit examination. From the academic year 1949/1950, the College also trained secondary school teachers, and worked within the framework of the new organizational structure based on teaching departments. At the same time, internal academic institutions and positions were established: senate, faculty councils, president, vice-presidents and deans. In 1954, the College was granted the status of a higher education institution, where the studies lasted four years, and the graduates received full university qualifications and a master’s degree. As a result of the political changes of 1956, the University gained significant autonomy, and for the first time the Rector (i.e. President), who had previously been appointed, was elected. This was Professor Wincenty Danek, Ph.D. Under his leadership the development of the National Higher Teacher Training College soon gained prestige as a University in the educational environment due to the fact that it prepared highly qualified teachers. In the academic year 1958/1959, the study cycle was extended to 5 years. In 1959, the University was granted the right to grant doctoral degrees, and in 1967 the right to conduct Doctorus Habilitatus courses. In 1973, the National Higher Teacher Training College was named after The Commission of National Education of the late XVIII Century. The year 1989 began a period of political and social transformations, confronting the academic environment with new challenges, involving the development of a model of education and functioning in conditions of complete independence and self-government. On October 1, 1999, the College was transformed into the Pedagogical University of Krakow (Akademia Pedagogiczna im. Komisji Edukacji Narodowej w Krakowie) by parliamentary statute. On 20 November, 2008, the School transformed its legal status into that of a university, and consequently changed its name to the Pedagogical University of Krakow (Uniwersytet Pedagogiczny im. Komisji Edukacji Narodowej w Krakowie). On October 1, 2023, the College was transformed into the National Education Commission, Krakow.

(https://www.uken.krakow.pl/en/)