Силезский университет в Катовице: история и современность.

Autonomous state run university in Katowice, Silesia Province, Poland

The University of Silesia in Katowice (Uniwersytet Śląski w Katowicach, UŚ) is an autonomous state run university in Katowice, Silesia Province, Poland. The university offers higher education and research facilities. It offers undergraduate, masters, and PhD degree programs, as well as postgraduate, postdoctoral research, habilitation, and continuous education and training programs.

The history of the University of Silesia in Katowice dates back to 1928, when the Instytut Pedagogiczny w Katowicach (Pedagogical Institute in Katowice) was established in Katowice which existed till 1939. In 1950, the Higher Pedagogical School in Katowice was established, however, first preparations to formation of what would later become the University of Silesia in Katowice were taken just after the end of Second World War. In June 1962, a branch of Jagiellonian University was settled in Katowice, which concentrated, apart from humanities, on mathematics, physics and law. Together with the Higher Pedagogical School in Katowice, these are the foundations of what came to life on June 8, 1968, as the University of Silesia in Katowice. And so on October 1, 1968, the University (composed of four faculties) had its first academic year inaugurated, providing almost 6,000 students with twelve programmes, such as philology, pedagogics, psychology, history, law, administration, mathematics, physics, chemistry, physical education, electrotechnics and mechanics. Three years later, the branch of the University in Cieszyn was established, and in following years (1974 1978) six new faculties were opened. In the years of 2002 and 2003, last two faculties were established, which had their roots in a reformed branch of the University in Cieszyn.

Uniwersytet Śląski w Katowicach has facilities in four cities in the region: Katowice, Sosnowiec, Cieszyn and Chorzów. The majority of facilities are in Katowice; the main campus is in the city center. The university is in the center of a highly urbanized and ethnically complex region, the Metropolis GZM. Heavy industry is a significant influence, and ecological challenges are formidable. The university tries to maintain close links with local industries and Silesian traditions.

The University of Silesia has signed over 600 bilateral agreements with partner institutions in countries all over the world. Among the others University of Silesia cooperates with: Saint Petersburg State University, University of Buenos Aires, University of Alberta, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies and in the frame of programme Erasmus+ with: University of Vienna, University of Helsinki, Charles University in Prague, University of Birmingham, University of Strasbourg, University of Bologna, Sapienza University of Rome, University of Verona, University of Lisbon, Stockholm University, University of Oslo, Paris Sorbonne University, University of Zurich, University of Valencia, University of Barcelona.

prof. dr hab. Kazimierz Popiołek (1968 07 02 – 1972 09 30)
prof. dr hab. Henryk Rechowicz (1972 10 01 – 1980 07 05)
prof. dr hab. Sędzimir Klimaszewski (1980 12 05 – 1980 12 15, 1980 12 16 – 1981 09 30, 1982 06 01 – 1984 09 30, 1984 10 01 – 1987 09 30, 1987 10 01 – 1990 11 30)
prof. dr hab. August Chełkowski (1981 10 01 – 1982 01 16)
prof. dr hab. Maksymilian Pazdan (1990 12 01 – 1993 08 31, 1993 09 01 – 1996 08 31)
prof. dr hab. Tadeusz Sławek (1996 09 01 – 1999 08 31, 1999 09 01 – 2002 08 31)
prof. dr hab. Janusz Janeczek(2002 09 01 – 2005 08 31, 2005 09 01 – 2008 08 31)
prof. dr hab. Wiesław Banyś (2008 09 01 – 2012 08 31, 2012 09 01 – 2016 08 31)
prof. dr hab. Andrzej Kowalczyk
prof. dr hab. Ryszard Koziołek

Scientific Information Centre and Academic Library (Polish Acronym: CINiBA), opened in 2012, is a modern scientific library open for students and researchers, but also people unrelated to university or academic activities. Being a joint project of the University of Silesia and University of Economics in Katowice, most of the materials are freely available in the open space to which users have free access. The library is equipped with modern technologies and information tools, and is adapted to meet the expectations people with disabilities. In 2015 it was nominated for European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture award.

In 2017, Times Higher Education ranked the university within the 801 1000 band globally.