History

Rev. Hugo Kołłątaj (1750 - 1812) Doctor of philosophy, law and theology. He was the precursor of agricultural sciences in Poland. In 1776 initiated reforms of Krakow schools including famous Krakow Academy and developed a plan for organisation of schools in the whole country. As the first in Poland his project included also creating Chairs of Agriculture. The Kołłštaj's reform was extremely important for the situation of education system in Poland, which was particularly difficult at that time.

     A centenary of agricultural studies in Cracow was celebrated in the academic year 1990/1991. It has been a hundred years since an initiative was taken to teach agriculture at the university level. However, much earlier, in 1776 our patron Hugon Kołłątaj, then a member of National Education Commission postulated creating a Department of Agriculture as a part of reformed Cracow University. The department existed for a very short period of time (1806-1809).

     A three year Agricultural Study was finally established at the Faculty of Philosophy of the Jagiellonian University in Cracow in 1890.

     While walking along Grodzka Street (53) one passes a beautifully renovated building of Collegium Iuridicum where the first 44 students of Agriculture undertook their studies in October 1890.

     Professor Emil Godlewski became Head of the Study in 1892 and held the position for 16 years. Owing to his endeavours Collegium Agronomicum was bulit in 1906-1910. The building, later named after him, is now the seat of the Rector?s office and University Senate. The Study existed till 1923 and graduated 573 students. In 1923 it was transformed into the Faculty of Agriculture of the Jagiellonian University. The studies took four years and graduates obtained BSc. degree. In 1924 a Higher Academic Cooperative Course , first in Europe, was launched at the Faculty. In the same year horticultural courses were organized, later transformed into a three year Horticultural Study.

     The Second World war caused considerable losses to the University and the most acute among the Faculty of Agriculture staff. In spite of considerable difficulties secret courses in agronomy were run headed by a temporary Dean Anatol Listowski.

     After the War, the Faculty started its activity in January 1945. In 1946 it changed its name into Agriculture and Forestry and was later (1949) transformed into two separate faculties.

     Several of the Jagiellonian University Faculties emerged as higher educational institutions in 1952-53. Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry became Higher College of Agriculture. However, Faculty of Forestry was closed down in 1954 and reactivated in 1963, whereas Faculty of Animal Science emerged from the Faculty of Agriculture.

     An intensive development of the University may be observed in the following years. New faculties were created: Faculty of Land Reclamation (1955) with Division of Lan Surveyimg (since 1960); Forestry (reactivated in 1963). A Division of Horticulture was formed and two years later transformed into the Faculty of Horticulture.

     By decree of Council of Ministers of 28 September 1972 Higher College of Agriculture became Agricultural University. A new division of Mechanization and Energetics in Agriculture was formed at the Faculty of Agriculture in 1972, changed into a separate faculty in 1977.

     A branch Faculty of Economics and Agricultural Turnover was created in Rzeszów in 1973. It was then changed into Faculty of Economy - Rzeszów Branch and currently, since 1 April 1997 it has regained its former status, i.e. Faculty of Economy. A Division of Food Technology created at the Faculty of Agriculture in 1974 became a separate Faculty of Food Technology twenty years later.

     In the years 1923-1990 The Agricultural Study, later Faculty of Agriculture of the Jagiellonian University and Agricultural University of Cracow graduated over 26 thousand of people, out of those 260 became associate or full professors and almost half used to work or have been working still at higher educational institutions or research institutes. 8105 students pursued studies at the Agricultural University of Cracow in the academic year 1995/96, including 5582 internal and 2523 external students.

     At present, i.e. in 1997 there are 8 faculties, including a branch faculty in Rzeszów. Over 8 thousand of students pursue higher vocational studies, undergraduate and graduate programmes (both internal and external), they may choose from among 9 majors. Besides the University offers various post-graduate programmes and a 4 year doctoral studies. The University employs over 800 research workers, including 175 professors and associate professors. All faculties, except the one in Rzeszów have the right to confer degrees of Doctor of Science and Doctor habilitated.