The University of Zadar (, ) is a public university located in Zadar, Croatia. The university in its present form was founded in 2002, but can trace its lineage to 1396, thus making it the oldest higher education institution in Croatia, and one of the oldest in Europe.
History
The university was originally founded by the Dominicans in 1396 as Universitas Iadertina, a theological seminary, Iadera being the Latin name for Zadar. It was a continuation of the University of Dyrrachium, in Durrës (Dyrrhachium), Venice, then Republic of Venice, which had been created around 1380, and then transferred to Zadar in 1396, amid the mounting Turkish threats in Southeastern Europe, thereby becoming the University of Zadar.
Consequently, it became the first institute of higher learning in the country. In 1807, it ceased being an independent institution and its functions were taken over by other local universities. In 1956, the University of Zagreb reconstituted it as a satellite campus for the Faculty of Philosophy division. The faculty later became part of the University of Split. Finally, in 2002, more than six centuries after the university's initial founding, the Croatian Parliament passed an act to allow for its full-fledged refounding. Now independent, the renewed University of Zadar opened its doors to students in January 2003.
Since its reestablishment, the university has continued to grow. It had implemented the Bologna Process for the academic year of 2005-2006 as part of nationwide reform. A follow-up study showed that the move was beneficial and had improved its profile internationally. This allowed it to engage in collaborative research agreements and student exchange programmes with other reputable universities around the continent. It also has agreements with universities in South America and the United States.
The first Croatian president, Franjo Tuđman, graduated from the University of Zadar in 1965, then part of the University of Zagreb.
Faculties
Today, the University of Zadar includes 27 university departments:
Department of Archaeology
Department of Classical Philology
Division of Greek Language and Literature
Division of Latin Language and Literature
Department of Croatian Studies
Department of Ecology, Agronomy and Aquaculture
Department of Economics
Department of English Studies
Department of Ethnology and Anthropology
Department of French and Francophone Studies
Department of Geography
Department of German Studies
Department of Health Studies
Department of Hispanic and Iberian Studies
Department of History
Department of History of Art
Department of Information Sciences
Department of Italian Studies
Department of Linguistics
Department of Pedagogy
Department of Philosophy
Department of Psychology
Department of Religious Sciences
Department of Russian Studies
Department of Sociology
Department of Teacher Education Studies in Gospić
Department of Teachers and Preschool Teachers Education
Division of Elementary School Teacher Education
Division of Preschool Teacher Education
Department of Tourism and Communication Studies
Maritime department
Division of Nautical Studies
Division of Maritime Engineering
In order to organise and promote scientific research activities, the university has founded four research centres as its constituent units. These include the Centre for Adriatic Onomastic Research, the Stjepan Matičević Centre, the Centre for Karst and Coastal Research, and the Centre for Interdisciplinary Marine and Maritime Research - CIMMAR.
In addition, there are two active centres for professional and teaching activities: the Centre for Gymnastics and Student Sport, and the Centre for Foreign Languages.
Rankings
Acknowledgements
City of Zadar Award (2012)