History of the university
Egyetemünk, the official newspaper of the
University of Pannonia celebrates its 60th birthday this year. Therefore, we started to investigate its history and we found some interesting facts and stories related to our university that we would like to share with you. I am absolutely sure that most of the following information is completely new for the most of the students because our institute has an extremely exciting history. So, let’s see what had happened in the last 6 decades.
The University of Pannonia was founded in 1949 as the Faculty of Heavy Chemistry of the Technical University of Budapest. The aim of the foundation was to increase the number of technicist and to improve the quality level of vocational education in this field. Veszprém was an ideal place to accomplish these goals as several chemical factories operated around the town. Besides, a number of new research institutes related to the university were also founded at that time. These circumstances guaranteed excellent conditions to combine theoretical and empirical trainings and ensured high quality in higher education.
In the first few years, the faculty was directed by Karoly Polinszky who was appointed by Technical University of Budapest. He was responsible for several tasks, e.g. organizing the teaching activity, providing accommodations for teachers and professors.
Did you know?
The University of Pannonia had different names until the 1st of March 2006. It was called Veszprém University of Chemical Engineering and University of Veszprém, too.
Károly Polinszky was only 27 years old when he became responsible for directing the University as a senior lecturer of the Technical University of Budapest.
The first academic year opening ceremony was held on 26th of September in 1949 with 16 teachers and 126 students enrolled (today there are about 6400 students).
The ratio between male and female students was quite diverse; in the beginnings only 18% of the students were female. Later, it increased and in 1963 this number rose to 32%.
The first building of the university was Building “A” and it was semi-finished when Károly Polinszky started his organizing activity in Veszprém. The number of students also increased year by year, so constructions of new buildings became necessary at that time. First, Building ‘A’ has been extended, then Building “E”, “D” and “C” were built.
Later, these constructions were continued and the Aula in Building “B” got its final form in 1961.
The first Doctoral certificates in Engineering were granted in the academic year of 1959/1960.