About the Faculty

About the Faculty

University of Zagreb
Faculty of Science
Horvatovac 102a
HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia

FACTS & FIGURES
DEPARTMENTS: 7
TEACHING STAFF: 468
NON-TEACHING STAFF: 248
STUDENTS: ~4500
 
INSTITUTIONAL PROFILE
The Faculty of Science of the University of Zagreb was established in 1946, although teaching started already in 1876. The Faculty includes 7 departments, the Seismological Service, the Mareographic and Meteorological stations, and the Botanical garden. The Faculty has 288 full professors, associate and assistant professors, 180 junior researchers and about 4500 students. The Faculty offers undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate study programmes, and pursues research in the fields of natural sciences and mathematics. The Faculty of Science is engaged in excellent cooperation with numerous universities and institutes abroad. Professors of the Faculty have been invited as visiting lecturers to European and American universities, and young staff members, as well as postgraduate students, are regularly sent to international universities and institutes for further research.
 
PROGRAMME EMPHASIS
The Faculty of Science has 8 undergraduate study programmes (Bachelor degree) encompassing 3 years of studies (180 credits), 26 graduate study programmes (Master degree) encompassing 2 years of studies (120 credits) or 5 years of studies (300 credits) and 7 postgraduate study programmes (PhD degree) encompassing 3 years of studies (180 credits). Education is at all levels characterized by teaching and supervision at a high academic level by staff actively involved in research. Departments of the Faculty are placed on several locations in Zagreb. The departments of Physics, Mathematics, Geophysics, Chemistry, Geology, and the main administration of the Faculty are set at Horvatovac where a “campus of science” is being built. Departments of Biology and Geography are also going to be set at the same location in the near future.
 
CAREER PROSPECTS
The education of students in science and mathematics is a part of a comprehensive science education that qualifies them to work in research institutes, different branches of industry and production, the civil service (environmental protection, regional planning), public institutions (national parks, nature parks, reserves) and elsewhere, or as teachers in primary, secondary, and vocational schools.
 
RESERACH ORIENTATION
All the academic staff is actively involved in research carried out at high international standards. They are supported by postgraduates and research personnel from seven departments. They work across the whole spectrum of scientific activities ranging from basic to applied research and many have been recognized internationally for their contributions to research and development.

HISTORY
On September 23rd, 1669. Leopold I certified at the Jesuit Neoacademica Zagrebiensis, a three-year higher education institution, which gradually developed the studies of Philosophy, Law and Theology. At the Jesuit School philosophy was taught even earlier, and part of its first year studies were Logic, "Physics", and Metaphysics. Neither Jesuit School (until 1773), nor royal Regia Scientiarum Academica (until 1850) represented a real university. Croatian Sabor (House of Representatives) and King Franjo Josip I, introduced the Law on founding the University of Zagreb. Soon after the establishing of the University of Zagreb, Faculties of Law, Theology and Philosophy started operating. The Chairs of the Faculty of Philosophy were appointed gradually. In the field of natural sciences the teaching started in 1876, with first lectures in mineralogy and geology, and then in botanic, physics, mathematics, chemistry and zoology and geography. A long endeavour of the Science Department of the Faculty of Philosophy to attain the status of Faculty, finally materialized in 1946, when the Faculty of Science was established.

Department of Biology

Department of Physics

Department of Chemistry

Department of Mathematics

Department of Geology The Department of Geology is the follower of the scientific principles set in the late 19th century by Đuro Pilar. In the full reach of Croatian geological sciences. Pilar's work is characterized by its world class competitiveness. The same scientific path was followed by Mišo Kišpatić and Dragutin Gorjanović-Kramberger, well-known scientists and great university professors, who brought to their surrounding the most advanced instruments and methods, which is the today's goal of the Department, too. Kramberger's most known works are the fossil fish and especially hominids of Krapina finding site, which introduced Croatian palaeontology to the world. Today the department is equipped with modern equipment available to professors and students, and some of the lectures are held outside the laboratory as a part of students' practical training.

Department of Geography The first Chair for Geography was founded in 1883 at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Zagreb. In 1946 the Department of Geography was formed, and in 1947 it became a part of the newly founded Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb. For decades it was the only institution for higher education in geography in Croatia. There are several different study programs available at the Department of Geography. An integrated five-year programme (joint Bachelor and Master Degree in geography and history) is provided for future teachers of geography (and history) in elementary and high-schools. The research programme is organized according to the 3 (Bachelor) + 2 (Master) year programme. The Master Programme is designed to offer further specialization in several different study programmes: Physical geography and geoecology, Spatial planning and regional development, Tourism and heritage, GIS and, in cooperation with the Departments of Biology and Geology, the Environmental Sciences study programme. There is also a postgraduate course in Geography. The scientific work is mainly conducted through projects financed by the Ministry of Science, Education and Sport. The Department of Geography publishes the scientific magazine “Croatian Geographical Bulletin” together with the Croatian Geographical Society.

Department of Geophysics The Department of Geophysics provides an education in geophysics (meteorology, oceanography, seismology and geomagnetism with aeronomy) and leads in national and international research projects and programs integrated into educational process. Scientific activities include research of earthquakes, physical properties of the Earth's crust, physical processes in the Adriatic Sea, weather, climate, interaction of physical phenomena in the atmosphere and the sea, physico-chemical changes in the atmosphere related to climate changes and man-made activities. The Department of Geophysics consists of the Andrija Mohorovičić Geophysical Institute, the Seismological Survey of the Republic of Croatia (since 1985) and the Central Geophysical Library (established in 1861). The origins of the Department of Geophysics date back to the 1861 when the first organized meteorological measurements in Croatia were carried out. In time, activities gradually broadened, now including physics of the atmosphere, physics of the solid Earth and physics of the sea. Already in 1862 weather reports are being published in Zagreb, and by the end of the 19th century Andrija Mohorovičić, the head of the former Geophysical Institute, publishes the first weather forecasts. At that time Geophysical Institute was responsible for the macroseismic data collection, and the first seismographs were obtained soon afterwards. Mareographic station in Bakar has been recording level of the Adriatic Sea since 1929. As the network of meteorological stations increased, it was separated from the Geophysical Institute, which resulted in foundation of the Meteorological and Hydrological Service of Croatia in 1947, while the Institute becomes a unit of the Faculty of Science. The solar radiation is measured at the Puntijarka Observatory since 1959. Measurements of standard meteorological elements (pressure, air and soil temperature, precipitation, wind speed and wind direction, relative humidity, global and diffusive radiation) and UV radiation have been carried out by automatic meteorological station at Horvatovac since 1987 and 1998, respectively. Andrija Mohorovičić Geophysical Institute publishes scientific journal Geofizika. The journal is referred in a number of world-wide bibliographic databases, such as ISI Web of Knowledge, Scopus and others. Seismological Survey of the Republic of Croatia performs macroseismic and microseismic data acquisition and processing. The instrumental data are provided by the network of 15 seismological stations and 14 accelerographs deployed on the Croatian territory. Its task is to observe and analyze vibrations of the ground caused by local as well as world-wide earthquakes. Based on the earthquake recordings the information about strong earthquakes is distributed to local population and professional expertise is provided to builders, insurance companies, etc. The Central Geophysical Library is the oldest faculty library in Zagreb. The Library stores over 5000 books and textbook titles, 20000 journal volumes and manuscripts, and it covers all geophysical disciplines: meteorology, oceanography, seismology, geomagnetism, and some contiguous areas (astronomy, physics, mathematics, geology, geography, etc) as well.