University of Zagreb

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University of Zagreb

The University of Zagreb is the oldest Croatian university and also the oldest university in South East Europe.

It was officially founded on September 23rd 1669 by Emperor and King Leopold I Habsburg who issued a decree granting the status and privileges of a University to the Jesuit Academy of the Royal Free City of Zagreb. Bishop Josip Juraj Strossmayer in 1861 proposed to the Croatian Parliament that a legal basis will be established for the founding of the University of Zagreb. In 1869 the Emperor Franz Joseph signed the Decree on the Establishment of the University of Zagreb. Five years later the Parliament passed the Act of Founding, which was ratified by the Emperor on 5th January 1874. On 19th October 1874, a ceremony was held in the name of the establishing of the modern University of Zagreb.

Today, it is the most academically diverse and comprehensive university in Croatia, well-integrated into European and international academic systems. With the ratio of 80% of scientific productivity of all Croatian universities it is by far the leading research institution in Croatia. The central strategic decision of the future development of the University of Zagreb is to be a research oriented institution with high quality teaching. Accordingly, the focus will be on masters and doctoral programs, encompassing all fields of science and art, boosting transdiciplinarity and interdisciplinarity as well as nurturing the culture of innovation and transfer of knowledge. This should result in better intersectorial harmonisation on local and regional levels.

Host cities & universities

The port

Rijeka

Due to its positioning, history was not kind to the inhabitants of Rijeka, but nevertheless it taught them much. First and foremost it taught them tolerance and openness, two characteristics that make life more beautiful and pleasant, particularly in the contemporary world which is characterised to a much larger extent by connections rather than divisions.

University of Rijeka

Since 1973, University of Rijeka attempts to be a modern and dynamic university.

The capital

Zagreb

Zagreb, the capital city of the Republic of Croatia, is one of the most beautiful, but also one of the youngest European capitals. With county status of a city, Zagreb is the administrative, economic, diplomatic and cultural centre of the country.