Comenius University in Bratislava
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The Comenius University in Bratislava (Slovak: Univerzita Komenského v Bratislave), with most faculties located in Bratislava, is the largest university in Slovakia. It was founded in 1919, shortly after the creation of Czechoslovakia. It is named after Comenius, a 17th century Czech teacher and philosopher with Slovak ancestors.
In 2000, the Comenius University had more than 25 thousand students and 2000 faculty members. As most universities in Slovakia, it is financed mostly by the government. Although there have been plans to establish tution fees for university students in Slovakia for years, another attempt failed to gain sufficient support in parliament in May 2005.
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List of faculties
- Faculty of Medicine
- Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin
- Faculty of Pharmacy
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Philosophy
- Faculty of Natural Sciences
- Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics
- Faculty of Physical Education and Sports
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Management
- Faculty of Social and Economic Sciences
- Evangelical Theological Faculty
- Roman Catholic Faculty of Theology of Cyril and Methodius
History
The Comenius University was established in 1919 with help from the old University of Prague. It replaced a Hungarian university located in Bratislava since 1914. Many professors of the newly established university, including its first rector, Prof. MUDr. Kristian Hynek, were Czechs, because at that time Slovakia did not have enough educated people speaking Slovak, who could serve as faculty members. In spite of personal, financial, and space difficulties, the university developed research and teaching programs. The Faculty of Medicine opened in 1919, and was quickly followed by the Faculties of Law and Philosophy in 1921. The Faculty of Philosophy, besides offering programs in humanities and social science, also educated much needed teachers for Slovak high schools.
In 1937, a new university building for the Faculties of Law and Philosophy was opened in the centre of Bratislava. The building includes the Aula (hall) used for graduation ceremonies and other formal functions.
During World War II Slovakia became a puppet state of Nazi Germany. The government reduced academic freedoms of the university and the Czech professors were forced out. The university was renamed Slovak University in 1939 (but the original name was reinstated in 1954). On a positive side, the Faculty of Science was opened in 1940 and the Roman Catholic Faculty of Theology was established in 1941.
Shortly after the war, in 1948, the communists took power in Czechoslovakia, enforced the ideology of Marxism-Leninism at Czechoslovak universities, and cancelled academic freedoms. The Roman Catholic Faculty of Theology was taken under direct control of the Ministry of education.
However, the university continued to grow, and new faculties were established (mostly by splitting the existing faculties):
- Faculty of Education in 1946,
- Faculty of Pharmacy in 1952,
- Faculty of Physical Education and Sports in 1960,
- Faculty of Medicine in Martin in 1969, and
- Faculty of Mathematics and Physics in 1980.
After the anti-Communist Velvet revolution in 1989, the university created a democratic self-government and the above mentioned mandatory courses on marxistic ideology were abolished. The Roman Catholic Faculty of Theology and the Evangelical Theological Faculty joined the university.
Transformation of Slovakia to a market economy created a need for professionals in management and economical sciences. As a result, the university established the Faculty of Management 1989 and the Faculty of Social and Economic Sciences in 2002. In 2000, the European credit transfer system was implemented to improve the mobility of students.
External links
- Official website (http://www.uniba.sk/)
References
- Univerzita Komenského. História. Retrieved in March 2004 from http://www.uniba.sk/webuk/uk_celkovy_pohlad/historia.htm.
- Univerzita Komenského (2001). Výročná správa za rok 2000. Retrieved in March 2004 from http://www.uniba.sk/webuk/uk_celkovy_pohlad/sprava_2000_new/obsah.htmsk:Univerzita Komenského