Entering the new 2021 year, Lviv Polytechnic National University not only turns another page of the calendar of its rich history, but also enters the year of two jubilees. Already in March it will be 205 years since Emperor Franz I (1768–1835) signed the permit to establish the Real School in Lviv – the origin of Lviv Polytechnic. Another important jubilee is the 100th anniversary of giving the educational institution its official name Lviv Polytechnic.
Researchers of the history of Lviv Polytechnic National University established that during its history, due to various objective circumstances, the educational institution changed its name 14 times. The name, to which everyone is used to – Lviv Polytechnic – educational institution received only after being renamed in 1921. The process of changing the name took place during difficult political and economic circumstances in Poland at that time and lasted for a year.
In 1920, Polytechnic School in Lviv (until 1918 – Tsisar Polytechnic School in Lviv) received a new status of higher technical education. Approved by the general meeting of professors, the statute was adopted on June 20, 1920. It provided for economic and administrative self-government. The governing bodies were: the general meeting of professors; senate (organized of senior professors); and faculty councils. Rector was elected for one academic year, the executive body under the rector was the senate, which included the secretariat, finance department, and building management.
However, due to various objective reasons, the name Lviv Polytechnic began to be used only in the new academic year 1920/1921, which started in January 1921. In fact, Polytechnic School was renamed as Lviv Polytechnic on January 13, 1921. At the same time, the first solemn meeting took place in the assembly hall of the newly restored main building, in which a military hospital had been functioning since 1914 and, accordingly, no classes were held. However it was impossible to completely get rid of the reminders of recent hostilities, because in the winter semester of that year, 1,506 out of 1,867 students were still at the battlefront. With the official recognition of the new name we had to wait another six months – till June 28, 1921. The Ministry of Religious Denominations and Public Education of Poland officially and finally approved the new name.
