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AGH University of Science and Technology (Polish Akademia Górniczo-Hutnicza im. Stanisława Staszica) is one of the leading institutes of technology and the largest technical university in Poland, located in Kraków. The university was established in 1919, and was formerly known as the University of Mining and Metallurgy. It has 15 faculties and one school, which will become a faculty in the near future.
At the conference of the Polish miners and metallurgists held in Kraków on 24 February 1912, a resolution was passed indicating the need for the university of mining. A campaign of support was started in the Parliament of Austria-Hungary. The Ministry of Public Works agreed to the founding of the Academy in 1912, in April 1913 the Organizing Committee was appointed and on 31 May 1913 the Academy of Mining was officially established. The building site was chosen and the competition for the architectural designs announced.
The Academy opened on 1 October 1919 in the sovereign Polish Second Republic. Initially 80 students began their education at the newly formed Faculty. The Faculty of Metallurgy was added in 1922. In 1939 the Academy had approximately 600 students and 30 professors.
Between 1919 and 1939 a total of 797 mining and metallurgy engineers graduated from the Academy, and about 100 foreign diplomas were officially recognized. The graduates took up senior posts in the Polish industry, particularly in Upper Silesia and other industrial centres.
At the onset of World War II, during Operation Sonderaktion Krakau, 22 Academy professors and assistant professors were arrested by the Nazis and sent to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. The main building was used by the German government of the occupied Polish territory. Part of the Academy however, retained its status and became the centre for underground teaching, vital for the Academy's future.
After the war, a group of professors, staff members and students reclaimed the ruined main building of the Academy and more than 500 students began their courses. In 1946 new faculties were opened: the Faculty of Geology and Surveying, and the Faculty of Ceramics, broadening the Academy's programme. In 1949 the Academy was renamed as the Academy (later University) of Mining and Metallurgy.
Under Stalinism and until 1956 the Academy enjoyed certain freedoms with its authorities still elected. Afterwards, the autonomy and elections were suspended for more than 10 years. In 1969 the university was named the Stanisław Staszic Academy of Mining and Metallurgy. The number of students went up from 2,000 to 13,000 in the period from 1950 to 1979.
During the 80-year period (except for the war years), 73,085 students graduated from the University with master's or engineer's degrees. 3,607 persons were granted the degree of Doctor of Science, 896 successfully completed postdoctoral qualifications of Habilitated Doctor. The AGH-UST researchers published nearly 60,000 papers and books.
Sports and leisure
Student cannot live by education alone – especially a student at AGH UST and especially in Krakow. Intellectual development is followed by cultural and sports development. Many organizations operating at AGH UST provide students with an opportunity to develop their interests and discover new ones as well. Opportunities are numerous indeed, starting with artistic groups (an excellent example here is the Student Representative Orchestra of AGH UST), through typical forms of recreation (hiking and cycling), to finish with some specialist ones (mountaineering, diving, speleology and sailing clubs.) All University students are represented by the AGH UST Students’ Board, which deals with social, living, cultural and sports issues, as well as organises faculty excursions and balls, Miner’s Day and Ironfounder’s Day meetings, as well as – probably the most popular among students – the Juvenalia Krakow Students’ Festival.
We care about your fitness
The development of sports base is one of University’s priorities. The University has a modernised sports complex with a set of courts (volleyball, basketball, badminton) and sports rooms (aerobics, table tennis.) Students accommodated at the University campus have at their disposal football pitches, tennis courts, and basketball and volleyball courts. We are currently building our own swimming pool. AGH UST Academic Sports Union Club with its 23 sections is the largest sports club in Krakow academic circles, and one of the largest sports clubs in Poland.
- Main Library
- Department of Foreign Languages
- Centre of e-Learning
- UCI University Computer Centre
- Academic Computer Centre CYFRONET
- AGH UST Press
- Centre of Technology with Museum and Archives
- Department of Sports and Physical Education
- University Campus
- Swimming Pool
- Facilities for the disabled people
Why is it worthwhile to study at AGH UST?
We would like to welcome all who are about to make a decision as to the choice of the university and the type of studies. Being a student is not an easy period of gaining knowledge and skills, but it is also a wonderful, unrepeatable adventure of your lifetime – the most beautiful period in life! The choice of the branch of studies and the university itself is an important decision and before you make it, it is necessary to find out about educational offers of different colleges and universities.
These are just a few points why it is worthwhile to study at AGH UST:
* One of the largest technical universities in Poland
- High position in rankings
- Wide scope of education
- Teaching profile adjusted to contemporary trends and needs of the labour market
- Prospects for good employment (an AGH UST diploma opens doors to the best firms and companies in Poland and other countries)
- Domestic and international collaboration
- Location
- University campus
- Tradition and modernity
- Possibility to develop your interests
- Unique atmosphere
- Good social services
- We care about your fitness
- We are friendly to people with disabilities
- Modern research and teaching base, advanced technology, worldwide achievements
- Modern education
- Highly-experienced educators and researchers
One of the largest technical universities in Poland
AGH University of Science and Technology has many advantages. For many years the University has been among the best technical universities. Its high quality is confirmed by the number of candidates, which every year exceeds the number of places available for students. A balanced budget, very good university premises, good laboratories and equipment, as well as excellent staff are all our most important assets. We are a university closely related to the national economy and local government units.
Wide scope of education
AGH UST educated students at 16 Faculties. This makes 54 fields of studies and over 200 specializations. We are about to start new fields of studies: Mechanical and Material Engineering and Ceramics. Apart from traditional faculties connected with mining and metallurgical engineering we have faculties which deal with computer science, telecommunications, new materials, robotics, physics, mathematics, as well as management and sociology.
Teaching profile adjusted to current needs and trends of the labour market
We create possibilities for students to obtain very good education and prepare themselves for their future careers. It is worth emphasizing that AGH UST graduates – holding managerial and technical positions – played a significant role in the development of Polish industry and economy both in the interwar and difficult post-war period. Today, we face new challenges due to our accession to the European Union, an increase of competitiveness, as well as new financial opportunities. The initial university name – the University of Mining and Metallurgy (AGH) – can be associated with a university in which the problems of mining and secondary industries play a dominant role. This was true in the primary phase of the University development and was determined by technological and economic needs of the country in those days. Today, AGH UST is typically a technical university with teaching and research areas meeting the criteria of contemporary needs in the domain of technological and scientific development. This requires constant changes in the structure of the university faculties and undertaking new branches of education, which we successfully put into practice.
Prospects for good employment (an AGH UST diploma opens doors to the best firms and companies in Poland and other countries)
It is worth emphasizing that University graduates can very well cope in today’s labour market. Many students begin their work while still studying. The University has educated over 150 000 engineers and masters of science, thus supplying qualified staff to the country’s economy. Education which can be gained at our University is widely accepted by employers both in Poland and abroad. Sparkling professional careers of many AGH UST graduates, often employed at various – including the highest – positions in industrial plants are an easy to follow, practical proof of the real quality and usability of knowledge they gained at the University.
Department of International Relations
University authorities appreciate and support international collaboration. At the moment we have about 90 agreements of collaboration and co-operation with universities and research institutions outside Poland. Besides, the University takes part in the following projects of educational character: LLP Erasmus, CEEPUS, UNESCO, Vulcanus, Leonardo da Vinci, TEMPUS, EFS, eTEN. The University takes part in the programme of interchangeable apprenticeships, which enable many students to go abroad and receive a double diploma. Collaboration in Poland encompasses universities and research institutions, as well as economic units. AGH University of Science and Technology collaborates with nearly all sectors of industry, to begin with raw materials processing, through selling and implementation of new technologies into industry, to finish with branches of high technology. It would be difficult to name all units and companies with which AGH UST co-operates actively. AGH UST’s partners are not only small and big Polish companies, but also international corporations of worldwide reputation, such as Motorola, IBM, Lafarge, Saint Gobain and Valeo. Our collaboration with industry is based on teaching, as well as research and development. A clause specifying conditions of student internships and apprenticeships is an indispensable part of collaboration agreements signed with various companies. Our aim is to combine industry and economy with our University.
Department of Education
Department of Education, on behalf of the Vice-Rector of Education, coordinates the process of education during the full-time and part-time first cycle-degree programmes and second-cycle degree programmes, particularly by:
* controlling the central student record book and the central alumna record book;
- supervising the quality of the process of education;
- coordinating the matters connected with the admission of the non-national students taking up programmes in Polish;
- looking after the matters connected with the fulfilling by the AGH UST faculties requirements in order to provide degree programmes in a specific field of study and at specific level of study, requirements concerning the number of academic staff, holding an academic title or an academic degree and the minimum staff resources, as well as the matters connected with the didactic hours conducted during the degree programmes by the academic staff;
- preparing drafts of different legal documents issued by the Rector and the Vice-Rector of Education connected with the process of education;
- cooperating with the University Admission Commission, Students’ Self-Government, students’ organizations;
- preparing the education offer promotion events and statistics connected with the education process.
Location
Becoming a student of AGH University of Science and Technology you gain an opportunity of studying in the fascinating and primeval city of Krakow, a historic place with antique architecture, a royal castle, numerous palaces and temples, apartment buildings dating back to the old days, as well as many theatres, galleries and museums.
University campus
This largest university campus in Poland is nearly 40 years old and consists of 20 halls of residence located on 16 hectares, and is situated in the immediate neighborhood of the university lecture buildings. Within the campus area there are halls of students’ residence, students’ clubs and unions, the “radio17” Academic Radio Station, a post office, a bank, a sports centre, a football pitch and tennis courts, shops, a supermarket, food and service outlets, a nursery school. The campus is connected with the University via a modern, one-gigabyte computer network and a Wi-Fi network.
Tradition and modernity
AGH UST has nearly ninety years of history. It continues traditions of the Mining Academy brought into life by a decree of the Cabinet on 17th April, 1919. Today, the University’s full name is Stanislaw Staszic AGH University of Science and Technology.
History of AGH UST
AGH UST is a large, good and modern university. Its 16 faculties, some of which are really unique, cover a much wider scope of teaching and research areas of 21st century technology than majority of Polish technical colleges and universities. Apart from traditional faculties we have some modern ones dealing with computer science, telecommunications, new materials, robotics, physics, mathematics, as well as management and sociology. We are opening new branches of science: mechatronics and biomedical engineering. In addition, it is worth remembering that among over three hundred specializations at the University there are many which are one of a kind in Poland, as they are not present at any other university in the country. It means that for some professions in demand – the profession of foundryman, for example – you can gain qualifications only at our University.
Possibility to develop your interests
Students have numerous possibilities to develop interests connected with their branch of studies or specialization by joining and participating in activities of nearly 80 students’ special interest groups, whose profiles get more and more interesting.
Unique atmosphere
Student cannot live by education alone – especially a student at AGH UST and especially in Krakow. Intellectual development is followed by cultural and sports development. Many organizations operating at AGH UST provide students with an opportunity to develop their interests and discover new ones as well. Opportunities are numerous indeed, starting with artistic groups (an excellent example here is the Student Representative Orchestra of AGH UST), through typical forms of recreation (hiking and cycling), to finish with some specialist ones (mountaineering, diving, speleology and sailing clubs.) All University students are represented by the AGH UST Students’ Board, which deals with social, living, cultural and sports issues, as well as organises faculty excursions and balls, Miner’s Day and Ironfounder’s Day meetings, as well as – probably the most popular among students – the Juvenalia Krakow Students’ Festival.
We care about your fitness
The development of sports base is one of University’s priorities. The University has a modernised sports complex with a set of courts (volleyball, basketball, badminton) and sports rooms (aerobics, table tennis.) Students accommodated at the University campus have at their disposal football pitches, tennis courts, and basketball and volleyball courts. We are currently building our own swimming pool. AGH UST Academic Sports Union Club with its 23 sections is the largest sports club in Krakow academic circles, and one of the largest sports clubs in Poland.
We are friendly to people with disabilities
AGH University of Science and Technology understands the needs of people with disabilities. We do our best to enable these students to take part in all aspects of the university life, but we also make sure they are treated equally with other students. Thanks to specially-equipped computers we make the Internet and library resources accessible to people who are blind or hard of seeing. For further advice or information about students with disabilities, please contact the Head of the Office for Students with Disabilities.
* AGH UST friendly to students with disabilities
- AGH UST Association of Students with Disabilities
- AGH UST map for people with disabilities
- Computer laboratory for people with seeing problems
Modern research and teaching base, advanced technology, worldwide achievements
The University has 600 laboratories and 330 lecture rooms of different sizes. This is a very good base for teaching and research on a worldwide level. We co-operate with many universities and research centres in Poland and other countries. Being a technical university we collaborate intensely with Polish and foreign economic units and companies. The University has very modern equipment. An example of it can be the most powerful in this part of Europe microscopes for testing structures of metals, the so-called stiff testing machine, which allows to test precisely the processes of rock cracking and crushing, electron microscopes, devices for complex testing of solids and particularly their surfaces, mass spectrometers, various devices for carrying out environmental testing procedures, etc. Within the AGH UST structure there is also the CYFRONET Academic Computer Centre with its powerful supercomputers (classified internationally on the list of a few hundred fastest computers in the world.) This equipment along with high and widely-recognised qualifications of our computer specialists place AGH UST among the best universities in Poland and Europe, known for educating unique experts in the area of computer programming and computer methods of solving the most difficult scientific, engineering, organizational and economic problems. In the times of global and intensive development of information technologies the fact that AGH UST hosts one of the largest and most important nodes of the Polish part of the Internet is an important asset. In the structure of AGH UST there is also the University Computer Centre, which ensures computer and network services to all university units, and also participates in computer education of our students.
Modern education
Our basic principle and assumption is a strong link between education and high-standard research, because only educators taking part in current research activities can pass on to their students up-to-date knowledge, which will be useful in their future work and in quickly changing technological and economic conditions. We incorporate into our syllabuses the needs and experience of companies and foreign firms operating in our region. Along with other Krakow universities and economic units we create the so-called clusters, whose aim is to intensify collaboration and facilitate the transfer of technologies from universities to industry. This kind of co-operation enables undertaking scientific and research challenges which are connected with the latest technological trends.
Highly experienced educators and researchers
We have a very large group of independent researchers and scientists: 233 full professors, 230 doctors with postdoctoral qualifications, and 1138 doctors. Without good teaching and research staff we would not be able to offer a high level of education and research projects. This is why we emphasize how important it is for our staff to continue their professional development. A frequently used index is student-staff ratio. In this respect we are the best university in the country. Numerous and excellent professors, teachers, researchers and scientists are a strength of our University.