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    About us
    HomeAbout usInformationMatej Bel UniversityHistory

    History

    The History of MBU

    Matej Bel University was established on the 1st of July 1992 by merging the College of Economics of Services and Tourism in Banská Bystrica and the Pedagogical Faculty in Banská Bystrica, as decreed by Act no. 139/1992 Coll. of the Slovak National Council dated 27th February 1992. The first university academic year started on 1st September 1992.

    Banská Bystrica has a long tradition of education and culture. As early as the 13th century, there was a parish school and later a town school. In the 17th century, a Jesuit grammar school was founded and it was soon followed by an Evangelical grammar school established in the same century. It was the latter where Matej Bel, who gave his name to the University, studied and later taught and held the position of the Rector.

    Matej Bel (1684 – 1749) was the author of a large number of works about science, education, national history and geography, philosophy and religion. His postulates of the equal rights of nations, religious tolerance, of the integration of people and nations, of love of one´s native country and his belief in the power of education and culture are still relevant. His works have contributed to the development of science, school system, education and culture in Slovakia and Europe.

    In the 50s and the 60s of the 19th century, the Catholic grammar school, using Slovak as the language of instruction, became an important centre of education in Slovakia. In the academic year 1856-57, a Teachers´ training college was founded in Banská Bystrica, where thanks to the then current Bishop Štefan Moyses, courses were provided not only in German and Latin, but also in Slovak. As early as that time, establishing a university in Banská Bystrica was considered. Because of the political situation of that time, these efforts failed to meet any understanding in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

    In the academic year 1949-50, a branch of the Pedagogic Faculty of the Slovak University in Bratislava was established in Banská Bystrica. It was not until 1954 that the first institution of higher education – the Higher Pedagogic School – started its activities. On the 1st of September 1964, the Pedagogic Faculty came into being.

    In 1973, a branch of the Faculty of Commerce of the School of Economics in Bratislava was established in Banská Bystrica and became the Faculty of the Economics of Services and Tourism in 1977. On the 30th of June 1992, pursuant to Act no. 139/1992 Coll. the School of Economics in Bratislava was divided into the School of Economics in Bratislava and the School of Economics of Services and Tourism in Banská Bystrica, which originated from the Faculty of Economics of Services and Tourism.

    The School of Economics of Services and Tourism in Banská Bystrica and the Faculty of Education in Banská Bystrica form the basis of the new university – Matej Bel University, which currently has six faculties.