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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)