The University of Wrocław (UWr) (Polish: Uniwersytet Wrocławski; German: Universität Breslau; Latin: Universitas Wratislaviensis) is a public, research university located in Wrocław, Poland. It is one of the oldest (established in 1702) collegiate-level institutions of higher education in Central Europe with around 40,000 students at present. The history of the contemporary Polish university begins on August 24, 1945, following the territorial changes of Poland immediately after World War II. It was established primarily by academics from the former University of Lwów, by restoring the building split in two after a severe bombardment. The first lectures were conducted in halls with broken windows.[2] At present, the University of Wrocław is the biggest university in Lower Silesia with over 100,000 graduates since 1945 including some 1,900 scientists many of whom received the highest medals for their contributions to the development of science.[2]
