The Selmec Legacy: Where Modern Technical Education Began
The roots of today’s University of Miskolc reach back nearly three centuries, to the mining town of Selmecbánya (today Banská Štiavnica).
In 1735, Charles III founded the Bergschule (School of Mining and Metallurgy) there — a revolutionary institution that became the world’s very first higher-education school dedicated specifically to mining and metallurgy.
At a time when Europe was only beginning to industrialise, Selmec was already ahead of its age. Comparable programmes appeared decades later: in Freiberg (1765), Berlin (1770), and St Petersburg (1773). Selmec was not following trends — it was setting them.
From School to Academy — and a Model for Europe
In 1762, Maria Theresia elevated the institution to academy rank, granting it the prestigious title of Bergakademie. This was more than a symbolic step: Selmec became a scientific powerhouse, combining theoretical knowledge with hands-on laboratory and field training — a system far ahead of its time.
So advanced was this educational model that in 1794, even École Polytechnique in Paris organised its laboratory instruction based on the Selmec system.
From 1846, forestry education was added, making Selmec a comprehensive centre for mining, metallurgy, and forest sciences. Over time, its structure and teaching philosophy inspired the creation of technical universities across Europe.
An International Scientific Community and a Revolutionary Spirit
Beyond education, Selmec shaped the international scientific world. Near the town, in Szklenó, Selmec professors helped establish the world’s first international technical society, bringing together experts from 14 different countries — a remarkable achievement in an era long before modern global cooperation.
The academy’s history is also inseparable from Hungary’s struggle for freedom. During the 1848–1850 War of Independence, teaching was suspended as Selmec students enlisted en masse in Lajos Kossuth’s army, exchanging lecture halls for the battlefield. Their commitment symbolised how deeply science, patriotism, and responsibility were intertwined at Selmec.
Why This Still Matters
The University of Miskolc is not just an institution with a long past — it is the heir to a global legacy. Its predecessor in Selmecbánya helped shape modern engineering education, international scientific cooperation, and the idea that universities should serve both knowledge and society.