Founded in 1975, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek (UNIOS) continues a rich academic tradition dating back to 1707. As a leading public university in Croatia, UNIOS fosters excellence in education, research, and innovation.
Today, UNIOS comprises 14 faculties, one Academy of Arts and Culture, and three university departments, offering 200+ study programmes at undergraduate, graduate and doctoral level. With over 16,000 students and 2,500 staff, UNIOS profiles itself as a hub of knowledge, science and social development.
By emphasising European academic values, UNIOS actively engages in the Bologna process, international cooperation and research within the European Research Area. Despite historical challenges, including significant wartime destruction, the University has been continuously growing, expanding its teaching and research infrastructure and strengthening its global partnerships.
Located in Osijek, a city renowned for its cultural heritage, UNIOS takes pride in notable figures, such as Nobel laureates Lavoslav Ružička and Vladimir Prelog, artist Julije Knifer, and Oscar-winning producer Branko Lustig.
With a commitment to innovation and academic excellence, UNIOS remains a key player in shaping the future of higher education in Croatia and beyond.
Achievements and Recognition
Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek is a prominent comprehensive university in Croatia that offers a diverse range of study programmes and engages in researches in all scientific areas.
As of present, UNIOS has achieved notable positions in various global rankings, being ranked by QS World University Rankings 2025 between 1,201 and 1,400 places globally, and between places 511 and 520 in Southern Europe. These rankings and initiatives underscore commitment of UNIOS to pursue academic excellence and to assure its influence in the global higher education area.
UNIOS is recognised for its international cooperation, developing an extensive network of partners in higher education and in business sector. With international partner institutions, UNIOS develops joint projects and exchanges ideas for cutting-edge scientific research and curriculum development, thus facilitating its students and staff acquisition of international experience and acquiring of intercultural skills. UNIOS is dedicated to strengthening of partnerships for continuing future cooperation by offering student and staff exchange frameworks within study programmes, virtual courses, research activities and distance learning. By sharing of expertise and experiences in teaching, UNIOS contributes to widening of knowledge horizons for its home students and supports sustainable development of social community.
Programmes and Research
UNIOS is responding to current global challenges in higher education and society by adjusting its strategic development direction while preserving its particularities and identity. UNIOS tends to step forward towards new competitive advantages in order to become a desirable place for studying and working. Its development is based on rich cultural and historical heritage in the regional and central European context. Within its more than 200 study programmes, UNIOS highlights modem student-centred and research-oriented studying by incorporating technology to enhance learning experience in all fields of science. UNIOS, as an educational and innovation centre, reaches its recognisability within particular scientific fields and branches, among which STEM is particularly profiled.
Establishment of scientific centres of excellence and technology transfer, development of new interdisciplinary study programmes and profiling of experts according to labour market demands in the area of Eastern Croatia, as well as international cooperation, lifelong learning and increase of scientific production is strongly emphasised at UNIOS. In all teaching, scientific and professional activities, UNIOS assures academic atmosphere of multiculturalism, inclusion and diversity.
