University of Silesia

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University of Silesia Uniwersytet Śląski


Established	1968
Rector	Prof. dr. hab. Janusz Janeczek
Students	45,655
Location	Katowice, Poland (EU)
Address	ul. Bankowa 12, 40-007 Katowice
Telephone	(+48 032) 258 24 41
Website	http://english.us.edu.pl

1 Historical and Social Background
2 Facts and Figures
3 International Agreements
4 International Teaching Units
5 Departments of the Silesian University
6 List of Rectors
7 External links

[edit] Historical and Social Background

The University of Silesia was established in Katowice in 1968 as the ninth university in Poland and is an autonomous state university. The University has its origins in the Higher School of Education, which was founded in 1928 - at that time it was the only institution of higher education in the region. Later, the school became a branch of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, the oldest Polish University. It now has campuses in five cities in the region: Katowice, Sosnowiec, Rybnik, Chorzów, Cieszyn and Jastrzębie Zdrój. The majority of faculties are located in Katowice. The main University site, located within a five-minute-walk from the centre of Katowice, allows access to the many amenities of this progressive city.

The University is located in the centre of a heavily industrialised region. Coal, steel and other industries exert a strong influence upon life of local people. For that reason, the university concentrates on equipping its students for life, as well as for work, so that they may acquire a deeper understanding of their inner resources. University's close links with the Silesian region and local industries play an important role in ensuring that its courses meet the demands of the present day and fulfil students' expectations.

The University of Silesia offers good research and teaching conditions for all who need to conduct research work, would like to pursue undergraduate, Master's Degree courses, postgraduate studies, training courses in professional skills and PhD studies.

[edit] Facts and Figures

Total number of teachers - 1,903
Total number of students - 45,655
Number of faculties - 12
Number of institutes - 23
Number of departments - 75
Number of inter-faculty units - 15

[edit] International Agreements

University signed Agreements of Cooperation with great number of foreign universities, e.g. Free University of Brussels, Karl - Franzens - University of Graz, University of Banja Luka, University of Quebec at Montreal, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, University of Zagreb, Ostravá University, Silesian University in Opava, Masaryk University, University Aarhus, University New Sorbonne, Paris III, University of Leipzig, University of Dortmund, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Moskow State University 'M. V. Lomonosov' and others.

[edit] International Teaching Units

Silesian International Business School - set up in 1991 as a joint enterprise of the Academy of Economics and the University of Silesia, in collaboration with École Supérieure de Commerce in Toulouse (France), University of Strathclyde (UK) and other European academic institutions. The main idea behind its establishment was to provide the most gifted students with an opportunity to carve out a career suitable to their potential capabilities.

International School of Political Science - set up 10 years ago, its main objective being education in the field. The institution also plays a significant role in the academic cooperation between Poland and France. The system of instruction in the School is modelled on institutes of political science in France. It is the first undertaking of this kind in Central Europe.

[edit] Departments of the Silesian University

The University of Silesia has schools of modern languages, natural science, technology and a language teacher training college.

It is divided into the following faculties:

Faculty of Earth Science
Faculty of Computer and Materials Science
Faculty of Philology
Faculty of Mathematics Physics and Chemistry
Faculty of Law and Administration
Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection
Faculty of Social Sciences
Faculty of Pedagogics & Psychology
Faculty of Radio and Television
Faculty of Theology
Faculty of Art
Faculty of Ethnology and Sciences of Education

[edit] List of Rectors

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 M. 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 (current Rector)