History

The Technical University of Košice was founded in 1952, though its roots reach far back in history. In 1657, Universitas Cassoviensis was established in Košice. Technical education was elevated to a university level in 1762 with the founding of the Mining Academy in Banská Štiavnica by Austrian-Hungarian Empress Maria Theresa. This academy provided education and conducted research in various fields, from ore mining to metal processing. 

The origins of technical higher education in Košice date back to 1937, when, by Act No. 170 of the Czechoslovak Republic, the State Technical College of Dr. Milan Rastislav Štefánik was established in Košice. Teaching was supposed to begin in the 1938/39 academic year, but pre-war events following the Vienna Arbitration forced the institution to move—first to Prešov, then to Martin, and finally to Bratislava, where it laid the foundation for today’s Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava. 

The true establishment of the Technical College in Košice occurred based on Government Decree No. 30/1952 Coll. on July 8, 1952. This decree founded the college with three faculties: the Faculty of Heavy Engineering, the Faculty of Mining, and the Faculty of Metallurgy. 

A significant milestone was the renaming of the institution to the Technical University of Košice, based on an Act of the Slovak National Council on February 13, 1991. In 1992, a Faculty of Specialized Studies was established in Prešov, which was transformed in 1996 into today’s Faculty of Manufacturing Technologies. Also, in 1992, the Faculty of Economics was founded, marking the university's departure from purely technical disciplines—a trend that continued in 1998 with the establishment of the Faculty of Arts. 

The Aviation Faculty of the Technical University of Košice was established on February 1, 2005, as the successor to the Military Aviation Academy of General Milan Rastislav Štefánik in Košice. This internationally renowned educational institution had, for 30 years, provided university-level education for pilots and aviation technical personnel. 

The Technical University of Košice addresses a wide range of educational needs, not only for eastern Slovakia but also as a leading center for science, research, and education in Central Europe in certain fields. TUKE collaborates closely with other universities and the industrial sector across Slovakia. 

In recent years, the university has attracted an increasing number of international students, establishing itself globally as a prominent educational institution, with students from over forty countries.