Brief history

The study of technical sciences in Slovenia began in 1767 with lectures in mechanics at first-degree study institutions, this followed the Gymnasium, which was founded in 1563 in Ljubljana.

The very beginnings of first-degree study in Ljubljana can be traced back to the Order of the Jesuits in 1566. In 1607, under the Decree of Ferdinand II, students of the Ljubljana Gymnasium were awarded the same rights as members of the Graz Academy or University and other European universities. The study of technical science (in addition to philosophy, medicine, law and theology) at the "Ecole Centrale of Ljubljana" from 1810 to 1814, during Napoleon’s rule, meant a renaissance for the Slovene people. In 1813, however, all lectures in the field of technical science were ended. In 1848, with the dawn of a new political freedom, Slovenes again demanded university study in Ljubljana with subjects taught in the Slovene lan­guage, however, due to the lack of qualified Slovenes, it was necessary to employ professionals from other countries.

Nevertheless, through the great efforts of Slovene intellectuals this wish finally came true on July 23rd 1919, when the Faculties of Law, Arts and Sciences, Engineering and Medicine were founded in Ljubljana after the establishment of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.

In these early stages the studies in mechanical engineering were fragmentary. The curricu­la for the first two years were taken from those of Austrian and Czechoslovak technical high schools in order to ease the transition for those students who decided to continue their studies abroad. As a result, many graduates from Ljubljana University continued their studies in Zagreb, Prague, Brno or Vienna.

prof. Feliks Lobe Academician professor dr. Feliks Lobe, who came to the Technical Faculty in Ljubljana in 1929, was a person of great significance for the development of Mechanical engineering studies in Slovenia. Through his great personal effort he succeeded in obtaining state approval for a project to construct a new building for the Institute of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Ljubljana in 1938. This first building was completed before the beginning of World War II and the opening ceremony was held on March 15, 1946. Due to the sharp increase in the number of students and the need for new laboratories the documentation for a new building was prepared from 1958 to 1962 and construction began in 1964.
Due to economic difficulties, however, the new building was not finished until 1970. The faculty currently occupies an area of 13,444 m2 for its teach­ing and research work.

From 1945 to 1960, the organisation of a four-year university degree course in mechanical engineering resulted in significant changes to the curricula and an increase in the number of teaching personnel. An independent Faculty of Mechani­cal Engineering was established in 1960, and in 1969, a parallel two-year Junior College program was introduced. In 1970/71 regularly organised postgraduate courses were introduced to promote scientific and research activities in mechanical engineering in Slovenia. In the 1996/97 school year, new study programs for the acquisition of university education degree and a higher professional education degree were formed within the framework of undergraduate studies.