| History of Comenius University |  |
Comenius University in Bratislava is the oldest university in the Slovak Republic. It was founded on June 27th, 1919 and follows the university tradition of the Academia Istropolitana, which was established in Bratislava by Matthias Corvinus, the Hungarian King, in 1467.
The situation in higher education in Bratislava until 1919
In the middle of the 15th century, new Humanism - oriented currents began to spread from Italy and influence life in European towns.
Bratislava was no exception. Under the rule of Hungarian Renaissance King Matthias Corvinus (1458-1490), favourable conditions were created for new ideas to take root and influence cultural development. New values of antique philosophy, law, and attitudes toward life again appeared. With the birth of Humanism, attitudes toward the individual changed markedly, and human creativity, education, and thought were more appreciated.
At this time, no university existed in our territory; yet, there was an urgent need to found a university to provide "studium generale". Students from Slovakia who yearned for higher education could find it only at universities abroad, in Prague (1348), Cracow (1364), Vienna (1365), Pecs (1367), and more distant ones in Italy and France. The university in Pecs soon ceased to exist which meant that no opportunities for higher education existed in Hungary.
Matthias Corvinus' reasons for establishing a new university included the following: to elevate the level of education, build a centralized monarchy, and eliminate utrakvistic influence of Prague University. In order to establish the university, the king needed the Pope's consent. On May 19, 1465, the monarch sent a delegation to Pope Paul II in Rome. The procession, headed by the Pecs Bishop Ian Pannonius, explained the king's desire to build a university and model it after Bologna's University. The same day, the Pope granted his agreement in writing: "Fiat ut petitur" (Let what is requested be so).
At that time, no specific location for the university was discussed. Bratislava was eventually chosen for several reasons: it was economically important, conveniently located, and was the residence of the king. In addition, nearby Vienna was one of the places from which professors for the new university were being recruited.
The name of the university, Academia Istropolitana, is mentioned in historical annals from the fifteenth century as "Universitas Histropolitana," "Universzitas Histropolensis" and "Universitas Posoniensis". Istropolis means "the city on the Danube River." Today's name, Academic Istropolitana, began to be used in the sixteenth century to describe the humanist and scholastic orientation of the university.
Although Academia Istropolitana was founded during a time when new ideas flourished and the professors tried their best to positively influence the spiritual atmosphere, the process of spreading and establishing the ideas of Humanism and renaissance was slow and lengthy. Thanks to Matthias Corvinus, the Dominican order of priests stayed in Bratislava because he supported their strong position at the university. In spite of a strong start, Academia Istropolitana did not survive long. The university subsequently closed in 1471.
From a historical point of view, the Academia Istropolitana did not exist long, but it nevertheless played a significant role as a cultural, scientific, and educational institution. As the first university in the territory of Slovakia, it formed the foundation for the tradition of higher education.
By the end of the nineteenth century, the territory of Slovakia did not possess any institutions of higher education except the Academy of Law in Bratislava. Its academic staff tried to create a university by combining the Academy of Law with the Evangelical Theological Institution which, at that time, was affiliated with the Evangelical Lyceum.
On April 15, 1880, the monarch gave verbal permission to establish university in Bratislava, but actual construction was postponed because of quarrels among cities about the university's location. Bratislava won thanks to its tradition as a university seat and coronation town. Article of Law XXXVI from 1912 established Elizabethan University named after the wife of Emperor Franz Joseph I.
After the Republic of Czechoslovakia was established, the Elizabethan University, because of its Hungarian orientation, was shut down by the government.
Foundation of Comenius University
The rise of the new state, the Czechoslovak Republic in October 1918, substantially changed the living conditions of the Slovak society. The fact had a positive impact especially upon the Slovak system of education. Due to the foundation of the Czechoslovak State University in Bratislava it was possible already in the first year of its existence to create favourable conditions to develop university education in the country.
The creation of the common state of the Czech and Slovak nations, and particularly the devoted effort of the Czech intelligentsia in developing the educational system, finally fulfilled the desire of the Slovak nation and the wishes of Stur's generation to establish a university where Slovak intelligentsia could get its education in the Slovak language.
On 27th June 1919, the National Assembly of the Czechoslovak Republic had adopted the law No. 375 of the Codes of Law, pursuant to which the Czechoslovak State University was established in Bratislava. On 11th July 1919 this law came into force, thus commencing the activities of the Czechoslovak State University in Bratislava. In November 1919, the Czechoslovak State University was renamed after the famous pedagogue to Comenius University.
University (the Slovak University) from 1938 to 1945
The political changes that led in October 1938 to the declaration of autonomy and later, in March 1939, to the establishment of the first Slovak Republic, had an impact on Comenius University as well. The Hlinka Slovak People's party (or Ludova strana, whose adherents were referred to as Ludaci) took control of the country, and the vestiges of parliamentary democracy gradually faded out of almost every aspect of public life. In October 1938 student supporters of the People's Party began calling for a radical program of slovakization to be carried out at the university. Their demands included the firing of Czech professors and the renaming of the university after the Slovak national hero Ludovit Stur.
The fact that the university's Academic Senate began recording the minutes of their meetings in Slovak was further evidence of the shifting political climate. In November 1938 student groups led by party supporters organized a mandatory *Veni sancte, which university teachers and administrators were always required to attend. The administration, on the urging of the then president of the Slovak Republic, changed the university's name from Comenius University to The Slovak University (referred later in this text as SU). There had been talk of naming the university after a famous figure from Slovak history; however, nothing came of this idea. The name Slovak University was left in place and eventually sanctioned by law on July 3, 1940. The new name remained in use until 1954, at which time the original name, Comenius University, was reinstated.
Evolution of the University from 1945 to 1989
After the end of World War II a new stage in the University´s development began. The war and the passing of the front through Bratislava caused severe damage to the University. In the interest of an early renewal of teaching in the University's faculties, its new academic staff was named by presidium decree No.128 of the Slovak National Council on April 19th, 1945, hortly after the liberation of Bratislava.
Along with the war-damage reparations, the University began to cleanse itself of those individuals who had compromised themselves by cooperating with Hlinka's regime. In addition to the confirmation commissions, control commissions functioned to scrutinize the authenticity of state and rigorous examinations since the year 1938. Lectures began at the end of May, 1945 after the supplementary registration, when over 2500 students registered for study.
Shortly after the end of World War II, growth began in the Slovak social, cultural and scientific life, in which the University had an essential role. Not only did it foster a young Slovak intelligentsia in greater numbers, but it also created conditions for the development of scientific research. The University contributed greatly to the creation of other educational, scientific and cultural institutions in Slovakia. The expanding network of slovak higher education gained its first teachers mainly from its graduates.
On the occasion of the 35 anniversary of the founding of the University, the Czechoslovak Government, through its decree no. 49/1954 of November 2, 1954, gave back the University its original name, Comenius University.
Comenius University at the Present Time
Essential reforms in higher education arose from the November revolution, and were expressed in a new law on higher education. The law No.172 of 4th May 1990 created the basic legislative conditions for the return of Comenius University to European academic society, for its return to its original academic traditions. Supreme organs of self-government were established at the university: the Academic Senate of Comenius University and the academic senates of faculties were established in the university. A functional democratic system of management, based on cooperation of academic communities, academic senates and their commissions, with the leadership of the university and its faculties, colleges and scientific councils.
The system of scientific research activity at Comenius University also changed significantly. In harmony with the dominant effort to open up to the world, it began to dynamically develop the area of its foreign contacts and cooperation. As a result of the democratic changes in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the way was opened for the gradual integration of the universities of these into the network of institutions of higher education in the developed European countries. Comenius University and our colleges took a leading role in this process, especially by their participation in the international non-governmental organisations which are coordinating this process. Comenius University has gradually gained representation in the executive organs and committees of the European Communities, the Council of Europe, the International Association of Universities, the Permanent Commission of the Rectors of European Universities, the Conference of Rectors from Danubian States, the Conference of Rectors of the Upper Rhine region, the European Association for Managing Colleges, UNESCO and others.
The really dynamic development of foreign contacts, in harmony with the university's efforts to open up to the world, began in 1990. After three years of intensive development of international relations, Comenius University cooperates with dozens of foreign universities, and with international non-governmental organisations, which support science and education in European countries.
At present Comenius University cooperates, on the basis of concluded agreements, with universities in Madrid, Udine, Clermont-Ferrand, Bremen, Halle, Vienna, Graz, Budapest, Krakow, Thessalonica, Pittsburg, Slippery Rock, Groningen, Ljubljana, Moscow, Brasilia, Padua, Triest, Paris, Katowice and Melbourne. The main aim of this cooperation is to establish international contacts involving study visits by students and employees of Comenius University.
It has an established reputation at the forefront of research and education. More than 5000 staff members teach 25000 full-time students at 12 faculties. Students of Comenius University are drawn from more than 40 countries around the world.
The Chronology of most significant years of the University
1919 Foundation of Comenius University, foundation of the Faculty of Medicine
1921 Foundation of the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Philosophy
1939 Comenius University renamed The Slovak University
1940 Foundation of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and incorporation of the
Catholic Faculty of theology into the framework of the University (1940-1946)
1946 Foundation of the Faculty of Education (1946-1953)
1952 Foundation of the Faculty of Pharmacy (pharmacy had been studied at the
Faculty of Medicine since 1939)
1952 Foundation of the Faculty of Geology and Geography (1952-1959)
1954 Comenius University returned to its original name
1960 Foundation of the Institute of Physical Education and Sports (since 1965 the
Faculty of Physical Education and Sports)
1964 Foundation of the Faculty of Education in Trnava (transferred to Bratislava in
1986)
1969 Foundation of the Faculty of Medicine in Martin
1980 Foundation of the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics
1990 Incorporation of the Evangelical Theological Faculty and the Roman Catholic
Theological Faculty of Cyrill and Methodius
1991 Foundation of the Faculty of Management
