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Faculty of Oriental Studies – Brief History

1932 – Foundation of Institute of Oriental Studies of the University of Warsaw
First Director of Institute of Oriental Studies – Stanisław Schayer
First seat of Institute of Oriental Studies – Staszic Palace
In 1933/34 first students begin studies in four seminars: Egyptology, Indology, Sinology and Turkology
1945 – recuperation of studies after World War II
Institute of Oriental Studies moves to its present seat in Porektorski Building
1952 – Institute of Oriental Studies is a unit of Faculty of Philology; slow but stable development
1964 – Institute of Oriental Studies consists of seven chairs: Egyptology, Indology, Sinology, Turkology, Assyriology, African and Semitic Studies
1969 – Institute of Oriental Studies within Faculty of Foreign Philology
In years 1970-1979 changes in structure of Institute of Oriental Studies; Institute consists of Department of Africa and Middle East, Department of Middle East, Department of Far East and Department of Contemporary Asia Issues
1975 – Institute of Oriental Studies is the biggest unit of Faculty of Neo-philology with 11 specializations: African Studies, Arabic and Islamic Studies, Egyptology, Ancient Near East Philology, Hindi Philology, Iranian Studies, Japan Studies, Mongol Studies, Semitics Studies, Sinology and Turkology
In years 1980-1989 progressive scientific activity of academic staff of Institute of Oriental Studies (staff of Institute consists of about 70 members)
In years 1990-1999 new units of Institute of Oriental Studies are founded; Institute of Oriental Studies consists of 12 departments and one centre:- Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies
– Department of Assyriology and Hittitology

– Department of South Asian Studies

– Department of Egyptology

– Department of Hebrew Studies

– Department of Iranian Studies

– Department of European Islam Studies

– Department of Japanese and Korean Studies

– Department of African Languages and Cultures

– Department of Chinese Language

– Department of Middle East Studies

– Department of Turkish Studies and Inner Asian Peoples

– Centre of East European Studies
2000 – Foundation of Centre for Cross-Cultural Relations
2003 – initiative of opening Centre of Religions Studies
2003 – Scientific Council of Institute of Oriental Studies is accredited to award Ph.D.s in the humanities
19 Jan. 2005 – Institute of Oriental Studies becomes a primary unit of University of Warsaw, followed by legal actions towards transformation into Faculty of Oriental Studies
Today the academic staff of Faculty of Oriental Studies employs over 150 members and educates about 1000 students
23 Jan. 2008 Institute of Oriental Studies legally transformed into Faculty of Oriental Studies based on Act no.332 by Senate of University of Warsaw (Monitor UW no. 1 dated 23.01.2008)