THE SILESIAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
HISTORY OUTLINE
1945-2005

ORIGIN OF HE SILESIAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

The first attempts to establish a technical university in Upper Silesia were made in the period between the First and the Second World Wars. Silesian Parliament started formal efforts connected with building and organising Technical University in Katowice. Despite the involvement of numerous dedicated people, especially the Voivode Michał Grażyński, and the support of the technical staff, the government of that time, with Kazimierz Bartel as the Prime Minister, was against the foundation of Technical University in Katowice. The beginning of the Second World War ended all these efforts.

The idea came back just before the end of the war, in the first months of 1945 after the liberation of Upper Silesia and Zagłębie Region. Acting as the Voivode Lieutenant-Colonel Jerzy Ziętek called the temporary organising Committee of Technical University on the 26th February 1945.

The Committee consisted of: prof Stanisław Majewski, MSc of former Lvov Technical University; Stefan Kaufman, PhD, Eng - the head of the Department of Transport and Civil Engineering in the Silesian Voivodeship; Kazimierz Kutarba, MSc, Eng the representative of industry; and Zygmunt Łabędzki, MSc, Eng who was then the director of Silesian Scientific Office. Preparation of the organising project of the university and finding room for particular faculties, student`s hostels, and accommodation for the staff were the tasks of the committee. As the temporary seat for the technical university the Committee chose the Silesian Scientific Office - the spacious building of 173,000 m3 the biggest building in Poland together with adjoining area and Trade Union House of Culture.

Upper Silesia and Zagłębie Region were not alone in the efforts to set up the technical university. Cracow persistently wanted to establish a new technical university. In those times Cracow had the biggest number of professors. Apart from the university staff from Jagiellonian University and Academy of Mining a lot of professors tended to arrive from different universities soon after the war ended. There were professors from former Technical University of Lvov: Zygmunt Ciechanowski, Wiktor Jakób, Adolf Joszt, Marian Kamieński, Wacław Leśniański, Antoni Plamitzer, Edward Sucharda, future professors of our university.

Organising Committee of Technical University Departments at Mining Academy in Cracow, set up in April 1945 and directed by professor Izydor Stella-Sawicki, soon proceeded to create them.

The news of actions connected with setting up of departments attached to Mining Academy raised fears that the geographical closeness of Katowice and Cracow could hinder the simultaneous creation of Technical Universities in both cities or at least it could delay it. The Organising Committee of the Silesian University of Technology worked out the memorial, in which the necessity to establish a technical university in Silesia was indicated. The memorial was delivered to the government and National People's Council by Voivode of Katowice general Aleksander Zawadzki.

As a result, National People`s Council issued a decree establishing the Silesian University of Technology with a temporary seat in Cracow. The decree came into effect on 11 June 1945.

One of the articles (art. 3) announced that:

"The Silesian University of Technology consists of four Faculties:

1. Mechanical,
2. Electrical,
3. Metallurgic,
4. Civil Engineering".

"In the organising period lasting till 30 August 1946, the Rector of the Silesian University of Technology will have the authority of the Senate, deans and faculty boards".

To organise the Silesian University of Technology, the Minister of Education appointed Prof Władysław Kuczewski, MSc, Eng, an outstanding specialist in industry, who was then acting as the Rector of the Warsaw Technical University in its temporary seat in Lublin. He immediately started intensive organising operations in Silesia and Cracow. The talks between professor Kuczewski and the Cracow Organising Committee resulted in the decision to transfer four faculties of Mining Academy (Chemical, Electrical, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Faculties) to the Silesian University of Technology.

Professor Kuczewski set up a temporary Rector`s office in the Silesian Voivodeship in Katowice, in the rooms made accessible by the Department of Transport and Civil Engineering, whose manager was Stefan Kaufman, PhD, Eng, later the Silesian Technical University professor for many years.

The inauguration ceremony of the first academic year after World War II in the Academy of Mining in Cracow took place on 31 May 1945. Although there is no legal basis (the decree concerning the establishment of the Silesian University of Technology was introduced on 11 June 1945), the inauguration ceremony which took place on 5 June 1945 at the University Faculties is regarded as the first inauguration of the academic year at the Silesian University of Technology.

The Faculties of our University were to operate in Cracow until the buildings in Silesia were ready for use, especially that the decision which Silesian town to choose for the seat of the University was still not reached as the premises in Katowice turned out to be insufficient, and their location was not suitable enough for the development of the academic centre.

Being entitled and acting in agreement with the Ministry, on 11 June 1945 Prof W. Kuczewski appointed Prof Izydor Stella-Sawicki, MSc, Eng, to a post of acting as the Vice-Rector of the Silesian University of Technology. Suitable administrative offices were set up in Cracow, independently of those already operating in Katowice. As far as the establishment of the Chemical Faculty is concerned it should be added that although its organisation and actual opening took place in Cracow, the decree concerning the creation of the Faculty was issued on 24 December 1945 (valid from 1 October 1945).

On the basis of the preserved documents it is possible to find out that Rector Kuczewski was supported by three Vice-Rectors. Except for acting as Vice-Rector Prof I. Stella-Sawicki there were: Prof Franciszek Wasilkowski DSc, Eng as the Vice-Rector for Education and Prof Leon Tombak MSc, Eng as Vice-Rector for Administration.

During the operation of the Silesian University of Technology in its temporary seat in Cracow full-time workers of the Academy of Mining dealt with administrative and financial matters receiving extra pay. The University employed also technical staff (then called "lower officials") of the Jagiellonian University. Deans` offices were organised earlier for the Faculties of the Silesian University of Technology which were being formed.

Works connected with the start of the activities of the University in its temporary seat in Cracow were conducted together with the examination of possibilities to locate the Technical University in Silesia. The suitable steps were taken by Rector Kuczewski with the cooperation of the members of the previous Temporal Organisation Committee.

The decision to locate the University in Gliwice was made on the basis of the following three factors:

- the possibility of taking over a few buildings for the didactic purposes,
- the consent of the local authorities to give a large number of nearby empty flats for the University employees and their families,
- the possibility to gain very well-situated areas for the development of the Technical University.

The decree of The National People`s Council to transfer the seat of the Silesian University of Technology from Cracow to Gliwice was released on 20 March 1946 but came into effect on 19 April the same year. The real transfer of the University to Gliwice took place much earlier, that is, in October 1945. It was preceded on 21 June by the signing of the agreement between the City Council of Gliwice and the authorities of the Technical University concerning the establishment of the academic district and giving at its disposal a few buildings and blocks of flats. Activities connected with the choice and preparing all the premises for the use of the Technical University required much effort but were conducted fast and well.

On 28 June 1945 a special organisational group started operating in Gliwice. The group got dozens of flats, five buildings for canteens and five domitories situated around the streets Częstochowska, Piramowicza, Konarskiego, Zimnej Wody, Kaszubska, Arkońska and three buildings which previously housed some vocational schools and secondary schools.

The buildings at 19, 21, 23 Marcina Strzody Street (previously used as hospitals for the Russian army) were the first ones used for the didactic purposes. The Rector`s office together with administration sector were located in flats in some buildings at Częstochowska Street. The hotel and the canteen for the academic staff were located in the buildings at Moniuszki Street. The student`s hostels were located in a few buildings at Częstochowska, Marcina Strzody and Wrocławska Street and others outside the academic district. The academic staff were given the building at Częstochowska Street and, gradually the villas at Kaszubska Street.

Prof Kuczewski in his inauguration speech in the academic year 1946/47 speaking of that period says: "... organisational group prepared buildings suitable for academic purposes and accommodation for academic staff, administration and students. The campus consisted of hundreds of flats, 5 canteens and 5 (out of 18) students hostels. 1900 students ought to have lived in the campus but 13 hostels were placed outside the academic district, sometimes quite far away".

Starting the activities of the Silesian University of Technology was neither easy nor simple task. Adapting buildings to their new functions, necessary renovations of rooms and even whole buildings, completing equipment for lecture halls and laboratories was a big effort undertaken not only by technical and administrative staff but also by students and academic staff, who organised themselves into teams of carpenters, electricians, lock-smiths and plumbers.

The beginnings of the University was a proof of students` outstanding dedication and determination to acquire knowledge. We cannot forget those wonderful young people when reviewing all difficulties which in post-war ruins and chaos had to be overcome to lay foundations for the development of science and our country.

The authorities of the University admitted that in the existing political and economic situation direct participation of academic community was of enormous significance. Taking that into account Rector Kuczewski in August 1945 passed a regulation which officially obliged students to participate in all jobs connected with the organisation of the University. One can read in the regulation:

"All students who dine in canteens and have university accommodation are obliged to work 4 hours for the University".

After moving the University from Cracow to Gliwice Rector`s regulation concerning students work was changed. In a new regulation (issued in October 1945) one can read:

"In order to start academic activities of the University as quickly as possible all the students dining in canteens and having University accommodation are required to work 8 hours a day until regular lectures start and after the beginning of lectures 12 hours a week, if necessary".

It is necessary to stress that the duties were consistently enforced. The specific situation in the Regained Territories after liberation and World War II made the academic community not only build the university but also protect the property and ensure personal safety. Therefore, on 10 August, 1945, the Rector set up the Academic Militia, which acted till June 1946.

On 4 July 1945, the Rector`s office advertised for university posts and on 6 August the same year, the entrance requirements for candidates and entrance examinations were announced for four faculties: Faculty of Chemistry, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Faculty of Mechanical Engineering based in Gliwice.

The University administration began functioning on 26 August, 1945.

The autumn of 1945 marked the start of, so called, "preliminary year" later transformed into the Foundation Study, designed to equip applicants with the skills and knowledge required to become students. Prof Władysław Kuczewski was appointed the Rector of the University and the inauguration ceremony of the first academic year was held on 29 October, 1945.

There were then 2750 registered students, 900 of them enrolled on the first semesters; the others were in their third, fifth or seventh semesters since the University, having 198 academic staff in its 54 departments, right from the beginning offered courses for such students as well.

Four-year-studies were based on the curricula of the former Technical University in Lvov. On 12 July, 1945, the Board of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering conferred the engineering degree – the first in the history of the University. On the basis of completed studies in the former Technical University in Lvov and the final exam taken at the University in Gliwice, Franciszek Józef Lęcznar got the degree of mechanical engineer.

That event proved that the young University was efficient and ready to provide a full range of education. It is worth noting that in spite of many difficulties and shortages, in its first year of activity, the University awarded three degree of PhD and carried out four DSc degree conferral procedures. Obviously, in the subsequent years the number of awarded titles increased.

In March 1946, only to confirm the actual state of affairs, the final decision was made about transferring the seat of the University to Gliwice, which created a chance to develop a long-term vision for both the University and its campus and, as a consequence, change the face of the city. Gliwice had one more, perhaps, its chief asset. This was where research workers and students of the former universities in Lvov were evacuated. Professor Stanisław Ochęduszko’s recollections of the arrival of a group of professors from Lvov to Gliwice tell us also about the atmosphere in the academic community in those days:

"Particularly indelible impressions were left by a welcoming evening organised in the building of the Electrical Engineering Faculty at Katowicka Street. Joy at the arrival of the research workers from Lvov knew no bounds. The excited students literally carried some of the professors from Katowicka Street to their flats at Kaszubska Street". And then "(...) despite some strenuous efforts made by technical universities in Gdańsk and Wrocław to employ me, I stayed in Gliwice."

The staff employed at the University, professors in particular, were provided with the best possible conditions of work and life, including accommodation. For the interested parties the latter was a matter of such importance that Professor Kuczewski, the Rector, with his characteristic scrupulosity and precision, had to regulate it in one of his directives:

"Apartment categories depending on academic titles and administration ranks:

- full and associate professors - 5 rooms
- assistant professors and officials in the V-VI rank - 4 rooms
- assistants and officials in the IX-XII rank - 1 room
- low ranking officials - 1 room".

"The administration is to prepare furnished flats (desirable are 5-7 roomed villas with gardens). Prof Fryze asks for space for two cows he is going to bring along and a shed; Prof Burzyński and Prof Szewalski are to live in the same house, each getting seven rooms (out of necessity to set up a laboratory or construction office next to their apartments)".

At that time, no other university in Poland was able to meet such requirements. However, it would not have been possible to come up to the staff’s expectations, even by our university, if Gliwice had not been chosen for its location.

In the second half of 1946 new threats appeared. The Ministry of Education analyzed the net of universities in Poland with the intention of reducing their number.

1947 was a critical moment in the history of the Silesian University of Technology. In March 1947 the University was visited by a ministry committee, who aimed to prepare the basis for a potential closing down of the University.

In that difficult situation, the Voivode of Upper Silesia general Aleksander Zawadzki proved to be extremely helpful. For the foreign currency granted to the University by the general, the latest equipment for the resistance laboratory was purchased. The committee was very impressed by the equipment, which was unique in Poland at that time. The results and achievements of the young university in various aspects of its activity were also highly acclaimed by the committee. A significant contribution of all the academics towards the development of the University: new classrooms, laboratories and equipment; student`s hostels well-organised and refurbished by the students themselves - those were the factors which justified the existence of the Silesian University of Technology.

The University successfully survived the first two years, an extremely difficult period in its history. People started to believe that the new University and its academic status was something permanent, that working and studying there was far from being temporary. In 1947 there were 49 professors and associate professors as well as academics employed as deputy professors or professors of the SUT. The increase in the number of scholars and students and the development of technical and teaching base was accompanied by a rapid expansion in the range of scientific and didactic interests of the University.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE SILESIAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Since its humble beginnings the University has had an evolutionary structure and has taken an active approach to the rising demand of the developing industry. Over the years certain faculties have separated or merged, creating new departments and institutes.

The fifties and sixties

The most important event, which significantly affected the character of the University and its links with Upper Silesia, was the foundation of the Faculty of Mining in 1950. In 1954 the first 314 graduates were employed in coal mines and other related companies.

In 1952 another new faculty was founded - the Faculty of Power Engineering. The organiser and the first dean of that faculty was Prof Stanisław Ochęduszko.

In the academic year 1954/55 the Silesian University of Technology had 5,625 students, who were taught by 609 academics.

In the period between 1955 and 1964 the structure of the University was not altered and it consisted of seven faculties:

• the Faculty of Industrial and Civil Engineering,
• the Faculty of Chemistry,
• the Faculty of Electrical Engineering,
• the Faculty of Mining,
• the Faculty of Sanitary Engineering,
• the Faculty of Power Engineering,
• the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.

In 1964 another new faculty was opened - the Faculty of Automatic Control, which meant that the Silesian University of Technology consisted of eight faculties educating 11,804 students. At that time the University employed 819 scholars and 1,512 non-academic staff.

The development of new forms and specialisations of academic activity involved not only founding subsequent faculties, diversifying the forms of education offered – evening and extra-mural studies as well as crash courses and foundation courses - but also opening new branches of the University in Katowice, Dąbrowa Górnicza and Rybnik (1968). In this way the Silesian University of Technology became an academic centre with a multi-campus structure.

The seventies

In the consecutive years a few more faculties were founded - in 1969 the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics based in Katowice, in 1970 the Faculty of Organisation and Management in Katowice (this faculty was reactivated and moved to Zabrze in 1995 after a few-years break), in 1977 the Faculty of Architecture, in 1978 the Faculty of Transport, in 1984 the Faculty of Metallurgy based in Dąbrowa Górnicza (this faculty existed for six years).

The academic year 1969/70 was inaugurated at nine faculties:

• the Faculty of Automatic Control,
• the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture,
• the Faculty of Electrical Engineering,
• the Faculty of Mining,
• the Faculty of Sanitary Engineering,
• the Faculty of Metallurgy,
• the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics,
• the Faculty of Energy and Mechanical Engineering,
• the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering,
• the Faculty of Technology and Chemical Engineering.

• Foreign Languages Teaching Centre,
• Sports Centre,
• Military Training Centre,
• Pedagogical Centre,
• Methodology Centre for Tertiary Education of Working People,
• Centre of Mathematical Machines,
• Invention and Patent Protection Centre,
• Central Library,
• Centre of New Teaching Techniques.

In 1970, 25th anniversary, the University provided almost 17,000 students with education. In 1975, 30th anniversary, the number of students increased up to 18,923 and the teaching staff reached 1,767, including 235 professors and assistant professors. In subsequent years, there were more and more buildings, staff and students. The Silesian University of Technology was at its best in the 1970s and 1980s when it was home to nearly 20,000 students at 15 faculties and 16 departments, and a total of 5,631 employees, including 2,224 university teachers and 3,407 technical and administrative staff.

The Eighties

After 1981, student numbers were rapidly decreasing due to the population decline and the lack of interest in technical studies. Hence, in the academic year 1983/84, there were only 9,862 students followed by the decreasing tendency:

- 1984/85 - 8,916 students
- 1985/86 - 7,595 students
- 1986/87 - 7,513 students
- 1987/88 - 6,836 students

The nineties

The academic year 1988/89 was the turning-point, and in the next years we witness the rapid growth of the number of students. The greatest growth dynamics was observed in academic years 1990/91 - 2003/04, from 7,500 to over 33,000 students.

The state of employment in academic staff did not change drastically, and in this period of time it levelled out at 1,500 employees. Thanks to legislation changes the employment structure was also altered. A new post appeared in the higher education - associate professor without an academic degree.

In 1990 the University employed 99 professors and associate professors with academic degree and 7 associate professors without a degree. In 1995 only 91 professors and associate professors with degree and 104 associate professors without degree were employed. In 1997 the number of the employed professors of the SUT surpassed 100 and reached 109.

THE SILESIAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY NOWADAYS

In 2004 the University employed 140 Professors of the SUT and 131 associate professors without a degree, 37 DSc and the total employment reached 3,302 people including: 1,738 academic teachers and 1,564 other employees.

Nowadays the Silesian University of Technology has 12 faculties:

• Faculty of Architecture,
• Faculty of Automatic Control,
• Electronics and Computer Science,
• Faculty of Civil Engineering,
• Faculty of Chemistry,
• Faculty of Electrical Engineering,
• Faculty of Mining and Geology,
• Faculty of Energy and Environmental Engineering,
• Faculty of Mathematics and Physics,
• Faculty of Mechanical Engineering,
• Faculty of Materials Science, Metallurgy,
• Faculty of Organisation and Management,
• Faculty of Transport.

The significant role is played by Engineering Education Centre in Rybnik which offers full-time and part-time BSc courses in studies run by the Faculties of: Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mining and Geology, Energy and Environmental Engineering and Organisation and Management.

Today the Silesian University of Technology is a self-governing state university managed by the elected bodies, including: Rector - who constitutes the supreme one-person body and Senate - a collective body of academics. The Rector is assisted by three Vice-Rectors responsible for: Education, Research, Organisation and also by the Administrative Manager. During the 60 years of the Silesian University of Technology the function of the Rector has been performed by 15 professors.

The University has the right to confer academic degrees:

• PhD in Technology - in 17 disciplines,
• PhD in Physics - in 1 discipline,
• PhD in Chemistry - in 1 discipline,
• PhD in Economics - in 1 discipline,
• DSc in Technical Sciences - 14 disciplines,
• and DSc in Chemical Sciences.

Integration with the European Union and recent changes in the educational and work market have influenced the increased interest in the quality of education. The Silesian University of Technology applies actively European standards for higher education. Flexibility of syllabi, giving each student the possibility to adjust the subjects to his interest including the interests overlapping different disciplines, courses and specialisations, is a modern model of education we are aiming at.

Main and still valid goal, which the University authorities have been striving for during their consecutive terms, is to combine harmoniously good academic traditions with sustained development in every field of activity to keep the Silesian University of Technology distinguished reputation of a modern European technical university.

In particular it refers to:

• modification of educational process to make the postgraduate`s profile meet national economy needs and changing job market,
• extending educational offer according to regional and national needs at different levels (BSc, MSc, PhD and post-graduate studies) and creating new as well as developing existing courses of studies and specialisations in education,
• developing international cooperation of the University,
• improving assets base of the University activity, particularly its didactic basis,
• adjusting university structure to changing needs and conditions,
• creating optimal conditions for development of research-teaching staff,
• quantity and quality development of the University scientific-research potential,
• improvement of the University administration effectiveness.

Here are some of them:

• introducing structural changes at the University departments, aiming at transformation of centralised model of administration into increasing authority and responsibility of the departments and internal units,
• introducing financial autonomy of the departments, employment growth of the professors of the SUT,
• significant growth of the number of students,
• introducing multilevel educational system,
• development of PhD studies and different forms of continuous learning,
• improvement of conditions dealing with sports and recreation of students and university teachers (taking over the premises of the Centre of Sports and Recreation and building a new sports hall as well as transformation of the Centre of Physical Education into the Sports Centre in 1992),
• opening the Academic Library in 1994 - it had been constructed for 12 years,
• development of co-operation with foreign centres.

Elaboration and implementation of the new management system of the university finances which resulted in full financial independence of the faculties was the effect of the committee`s work. The regulations, after some modifications, are still valid today.

Nowadays, the university offers 160 specialisations within 33 courses of studies. It runs both MSc and BSc studies as well as evening studies, extramural studies and complementary post-graduate studies. There are two macro-courses of studies where classes are held in English.

It should be emphasized that after a 10 years` break our university reopened the system of extramural studies. In the academic year 2003/2004 it was introduced at 4 faculties. Since the academic year 2004/2005 extramural studies have been renewed at 7 faculties within 11 specialisations.

A crucial part of the didactic work in continuous learning are postgraduate and PhD studies, which are becoming more and more popular. PhD studies have been run at our university since the academic year 2004/2005 in a form of the so called "School for PhD students". Moreover, the organisational changes resulted in the possibility of raising resources from the European Union funds.

Taking into consideration trends in the contemporary world, the Silesian University of Technology is getting ready to start the so called distance learning (e-courses). In 2001 6 Silesian institutions of higher education: Academy of Economics, Academy of Fine Arts, Academy of Physical Education, the Silesian University of Technology, the Academy of Medicine and the Silesian University of Katowice entered an agreement on collaborative working out, implementation, usage and development of distant learning of higher education system in the Silesian Voivodeship. The system is to be an innovation in realising the aims of "The Strategy for Higher Education Development in Poland by the year 2010".

Due to the constant growth of interest in studies, the University has expanded its educational offer beyond Gliwice, to other Silesian cities.

That was possible owing to close cooperation with local authorities who assume most expenses of launching courses in their towns.

Thus, full-time engineering courses in Automatic Control, Electronics, Telecommunications and Computer Science have been initiated in Sosnowiec. In other cities educational offer has been extended. In Bytom, engineering courses in Transport have been introduced at the Faculty of Transport, and in Tychy Management and Production Engineering courses have been started at the Faculty of Materials Science and Metallurgy. The number of students in all types of courses offered by the Silesian University of Technology in the academic year 2004/2005 exceeded 33,000.

It results in the increasing number of graduates. In 2004 over 5,000 students graduated from the Silesian University of Technology, while the total number of graduates from the University since 1945 exceeded 108,000. By the end of 2004 3,328 postgraduates were granted their PhD degrees, and DSc degrees were conferred upon 544 people.

The Silesian University of Technology closely co-operates with many enterprises and institutions in Upper Silesia and other regions of the country. Both graduates of the University and its employees have held high-rank positions in economy and politics. Due to the cooperation advantageous for both sides, it is easier to launch new courses of studies and adjust curriculum to meet economic needs.

Silesian Centre of Advanced Technologie

A scientific-industrial consortium named "Silesian Centre of Advanced Technologies" (ŚCZT) has been established for the needs of structural funds. This has been done within the framework of the Sector Operational Program – Increased Competitiveness of Enterprises.

The Silesian University of Technology became its coordinator because of the fact that it possesses the greatest scientific potential in the area of engineering and production technology in the Silesian region. The strategy of the ŚCZT consists of 7 interdisciplinary, common research programmes:

1. Biocybernetics and biomedical engineering.
2. Synthesis of special chemical compounds, biotechnologies, utilisation of waste materials, environmental engineering.
3. Telecomputing infrastructure in management of industrial safety, process safety and social safety in the aspect of controlling and reduction of risk.
4. Materials engineering and nanostructural materials for health and environmental protection.
5. Production technology and the development of application of modern materials and composites as well as advanced technologies of joining these materials.
6. New computer technology services, storage and data transfer techniques in computer and telecommunications networks. Nano- and quantum- technologies of computer science.
7. Control of technical parameters in systems and automation of technological processes.

The Silesian University of Technology builds up an active scientific co-operation with foreign centres, especially those from the European Union. Within the framework of the 5th Framework Programme 18 projects were being realized, and in the 6th Framework Programme 7 projects are being carried out.

While carrying out the projects of the 5th Framework Programme 6 Centres of Excellence were established. Their activity results in the development of the research and educational potential and the growing influence of the University on innovative enterprises in Polish industry and local administration. The most important effect of the activity run by the Centres of Excellence is, first of all, the integration in the European research and educational area. The essential element of activity of the Centres of Excellence is the education of young staff by means of the system of scientific workshops, technical schools and courses, common PhD studies and also personal exchange between centres participating in consortium.

In the last few years one of the most important activities was an exchange of students and teachers with the partner centres within such European programmes as: Socrates, Leonardo da Vinci and Ceepus. 1,022 students and 306 academic teachers have taken part in such exchanges.

During the last 60 years, the Silesian University of Technology built and consolidated its position. The University is widely known and acknowledged in Poland, Europe and all over the world, and its cooperation is based on bilateral agreements with over 100 foreign universities and research centres. The Silesian University of Technology is identified with high level of education, which gives opportunities for personal development and social rise.

The whole academic community during the last 60 years deserves the credit for the fact that the Silesian University of Technology has the respect and prestige of the society.