Университет по Архитектура, Строителство и Геодезия (УАСГ)

On 31st May, 1913, Emperor Francis Joseph approved the establishment of a higher school of mining in Krakow. This act had preceded long endeavours to establish an academy that would educate engineers of mining and metallurgy.

In 1912 group of eminent mining engineers and activists led by Jan Zarański began the initiative to establish the Academy of Mining in Krakow. The endeavours finished successfully, and in 1913 the Ministry of Public Work in Vienna appointed the Organizing Committee, chaired by Professor Józef Morozewicz.

1st World War prevented the Academy from beginning its activities in 1914. But as soon as the war was over and Poland regained its independence in 1918, the Committee recommenced its work, and on 8th April, 1919, the Polish Government by its resolution brought the Academy of Mining into being. The Head of the State, Józef Piłsudski, nominated its first professors on 1st May, 1919.

On 20th October, 1919, Józef Piłsudski, the Head of the State, inaugurated the Academy of Mining in the hall of the Jagiellonian University.

On 15th June, 1923, the cornerstone for the future university building was laid. Two years later, the project of the Academy Crest (to be seen in the AGH UST History Museum) signed B.T. – Bogdan Treter was created. It is believed that the crest was approved by the General Assembly of Professors.

Soon the school reached a very high educational level, being one of the best European mining schools, and some of its professors achieved results of great importance for science. Since the beginning, it was characteristic of the Academy that it collaborated closely with the industry and maintained contact with the country’s economy. The outbreak of 2nd World War stopped the Academy’s activities. Between 1939 and 1945 the main building was occupied by the German General Government. The Academy’s buildings were devastated and plundered. Thanks to the staff, a part of the library was saved. The Academy acted in conspiracy and the authorities were trying to create a provisional underground teaching base.

At the beginning of 1945 the Academy was the only technical school in Poland being able to operate. The Academy actively supported the post-war development of Polish technical universities. It played a major role in establishing the Technical University in Krakow (its main part was the Polytechnic Faculty of the Academy of Mining until 1954), the Silesian Polytechnic (23 graduates of the Academy were professors there), and the Technical University of Częstochowa. The Academy supported the reconstruction of the Technical University in Warsaw and the organisation of the Technical Universities in Wrocław and Gdańsk.

In 1947 the authorities decided to rename the Academy (it was officially approved two years later) and henceforth it has been known as the Academy of Mining and Metallurgy.

In 1969, the year of the Jubilee, the university, having ten faculties at that time, was given its standard and colours, and the name of Stanisław Staszic University of Mining and Metallurgy. Also, the structure based on institutes was imposed on the University.