Declaration of mission
We form the mind and the heart in the sense of the Catholic moral, intellectual and academic tradition. We also offer university education and formation, and do research leading to the integral development of individuals and society.
Context
This declaration speaks of the Catholic University in Ružomberok (CU) as the place of education, formation, research, scholarship and publication, of service and community.
CU professes the tradition of Catholic universities worldwide, which wants to defend and support human dignity and cultural heritage. Its mission also reflects answers to the problems and challenges of contemporary life. CU applies Christian principles as an example for forming individuals into responsible people, that is, those who are able to bring the Gospel´s message of love and solidarity into society. This helps to create and form social attitudes and opinions.
CU pursues this mission by being aware of the presence of God, who gives us the gift of community, and who comes through the community of people. This community consists of theological, liturgical and spiritual traditions forming the life of the Church. CU, since its founding, continues to emphasize friendly relationships as an example typical for community in the Catholic Church. The University gains basic inspiration from Jesus Christ as a source of wisdom, and from the belief that He can do all things perfectly.
Mission
The Catholic University in Ružomberok is a public university with religious character. The Conference of Slovak Bishops and National Council of the Slovak Republic took part in its foundation.
CU performs its activities especially in the areas of the humanities, historical, pedagogical, and social and health sciences, as well as in the areas of art, economics, management, and law.
The main mission of CU is to discover the truth and disseminate it on the grounds of the cause of Truth. According to the Apostolic Constitution of John Paul II, Ex Corde Ecclesiae, “It is the honour and responsibility of a Catholic University to consecrate itself without reserve to the cause of truth. This is its way of serving at one and the same time both the dignity of man and the good of the Church (…) Catholic University is distinguished by its free search for the whole truth about nature, man and God“ (Introduction part 4). In order to find the truth, CU undertakes to support knowledge through its research and publications. This responsibility leads to the unity of both staff and students in all areas of academic life, especially in professional education and research activities.
The exchange of knowledge is necessary for any university. Considering this, CU consists of academics and students from different spheres, able to work on its progress. Catholic identity is formed by the work of Catholic intellectuals – they constitute more than half of all academics. The leadership of the university has paid attention to maintaining this ideal since the beginning of CU. From all members of the groves of academe the university requires respect for its objectives and its willingness to enter into dialogue – which is necessary for its orientation. CU honours academic freedom, which is the basis for the open dialogue necessary for creative scientific research.
CU supports the integral growth of critical thinking and the development of body, soul and spirit. These attributes characterize educated, intelligent and independent individuals. CU tries to lead students to recognize and appreciate the work of the human spirit, including the sensibility to help those who suffer from poverty, oppression and injustice. The mission of the university also concentrates on supporting solidarity and in the interest of the common good. This will bear fruit when the education process serves for the spreading of justice.
CU is a place where streams of Catholic expression – knowledge in the arts, science and professional experience, as well as every other area of human education and creativity – are united through open discussion and independent research. CU undertakes an active presence of constructive and critical support for culture, which provides leadership for service to society. It encourages a way of life according to Christian community, which express itself in prayer, liturgy and ministry. This way of life concentrates on the development of a sense of community and responsibility, which will lead students to take part in creating a humane and Christian society.
CU presupposes that no genuine search for truth in the human or cosmic order is contrary to Christian faith. It supports every scientific activity in correspondence with the university´s mission, which is subordinated to appropriate and critical opinion. Its obligation, as well as its opportunity, is to constantly keep and develop a Catholic spiritual dimension in every area of life. Only in this way can all scientific branches develop Catholic intellectual life as a foundation for the dialogue between religion and culture, between Christian faith and science. CU concentrates on the formation of an authentic community in every area of university life.
Values
Truth
To search for truth and to be willing to share it.
Unity
To work for the common aim and apply the principle of subsidiarity.
Professionalism
With the quality education process, science and research, work toward the progress of individuals.
Responsibility
To do good deeds with the best intentions, and respect the principle of solidarity.
Vision (What we would like to be in 2015)
The Catholic University is one which has qualities in the areas of science, research and education, utilizing the best Christian and academic traditions.
Present
The Catholic University in Ružomberok consists of four faculties (Faculty of Arts and Letters, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Theology, Faculty of Public Health). There are 7,700 students – 4,100 internal and 3,600 external – including 430 doctoral students, in academic year 2010/2011. University has been the associate since 2004 and in 2010 it became the member of International Federation of Catholic Universities. University has also been the member of Fédération des Universités Catholiques Européennes since 2007.
According to the latest Report of the Academic Ranking and Rating Agency (ARRA), the Catholic University gained the fourfold numbers compared to the Slovak national average of progress based on quality indicators of the Slovak universities. It reached the evaluation of 41,5 points. That means the progress by 5,3 points compared to the last year's results. There was no Slovak higher institution with comparable continuous progress based on quality indicators during the evaluated period.
History
It was after the Velvet Revolution in the year 1989 when possibilities arose for the creation of CU in Slovakia. The Slovak bishops endeavoured to form a Faculty of Pedagogy which would educate Catholic teachers. The charter of the Pedagogical Institute of St. Andrew in Ružomberok was signed on 29 June 1995, in Dolná Krupá, and the first director was prof. RNDr. Jozef Ďurček, CSc.
The Academic Council of the University of Trnava created a Catechetical-pedagogical Faculty of St. Andrew (KPF) in 1996, through the transformation of the Pedagogical Institute of St. Andrew. The KPF was incorporated into the University of Žilina in 1997. Its statute, with the right of Church audit, as is usual for theological faculties, was registered at the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic. The first deans of KPF were prof. RNDr. Jozef Ďurček, Csc. (1996-1998) and prof. RNDr. Pavol Kluvánek, CSc. (1999-2000).
Later, on the basis of KPF, CU came into existence. The Law of the National Council of the Slovak Republic from 10 May 2000, about the establishment of the Catholic University in Ružomberok (CU) (this is the official name), established the creation of CU from the 1 April 2000, with two faculties: a Faculty of Pedagogy and a Faculty of Philosophy. The Faculty of Theology, with its seat in Košice, was established in 1 July 2003, and the fourth, the Faculty of Health, in 1 July 2005. Although Law 167/2000 created CU as a non-governmental university, with the Law of the National Council of the Slovak Republic about universities, CU became a public university with religious character from 1 April 2002.
The first rector of the Catholic University in Ružomberok was the mathematician Prof. RNDr. Pavol Kluvánek, CSc. (7/2000-10/2001). His successor was a physicist, Prof. RNDr. Jozef Ďurček, CSc. (11/2001-6/2004)). The third rector was a musician, Prof. PhDr. Boris Banáry, CSc. (7/2004-6/2008) and the current rector is a theologian and journalist, Prof. Tadeusz Zasepa, PhD. (7/2008-- ).
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