Almost 400 years have passed since the beginning of higher education in Split until the establishment of the University of Split, on June 15, 1974.
That is to say, higher education teaching in church schools in Split is mentioned back in 1593, first higher education institutions were founded after the Second World War, and first faculties, which are now our University’s components, in 1960.
As Rector Ljutić and prof. Marušić - editors of University of Split’s new Monograph - state, Faculty of Chemistry and Technology (KTF) and Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Shipbuilding (FESB) were founded in 1960.
Faculty of Law was founded in 1961, pedagogic academies in Zadar and Split in 1971, Faculty of Economics and Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Geodesy in 1974, School of Medicine in 1978, Maritime Faculty in Dubrovnik with study in Split, Academy of Arts and Faculty of Maritime Studies in Split in 1997, University Department for Marine Studies in 1998. Catholic Faculty of Theology became a part of University in 1999, and Department of Humanities established in 2001, becoming Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in 2005.
It is important to note that academic, above all a great visionary, Ivan Supek, played a major role in creating, among other things, our University. As the then Rector of University of Zagreb, he "let" regional higher education institutions, then part of University of Zagreb, to become components of new universities, thus supporting decentralization of Croatian education system, for the purpose of economic strengthening of all parts of Croatia.
1970s were also important for University of Split because of another big decision. During Croatian Spring, Split's visionaries made efforts to map the location of Split university campus in city's spatial plans, thus laying foundations of modern higher education in this part of Croatia.
Today considered to be of crucial importance for Split, in addition to Mediterranean Games, which initiated the construction of significant infrastructure facilities and the long-dreamed-of highway directly connecting Dalmatia to Zagreb and from there Europe, Split Campus and University are an unprecedented project.
First faculty building was completed in 1976, and everything else is history. 50 years later, almost 70% of the planned facilities have been built on more than 200,000 square meters, all in the service of modern education and quality of life of students who live there.
There are currently 600 students staying on campus, and with the construction of a new student dormitory for which all project and technical documentation has been prepared, that number will increase to 1,500. Every day, several thousand people, either students or employees, come to the Campus.
Getting back to our birthday... In the context of university’s age, 50 years may not sound much. However, from the perspective of institution’s overall development and its achievements, University of Split is mature enough.
Thanks to systematic work and commitment on the part of all our employees, over 50 years, our University welcomes its jubilee with its forehead held high. Scientific and artistic achievements, large number of our scientists in world’s 2% most cited, University of Split’s ranking among world’s best 4%, numerous national and international collaborations, infrastructure projects, enviable student standards, sports achievements... these are all topics we will write about in weeks and months ahead.
