The initiative to establish a professional study programme in the area of technology was launched by the Economic Council of the City of Bjelovar while working on the Strategy of Economic Development of the City of Bjelovar 2006 – 2011. The Strategy identified the need to improve the condition of education, especially in the area of technical sciences.
On 5 September 2006, following this initiative, the City Council adopted the decision on initiating the procedure of launching a professional study in the area of technical sciences, whereby the City’s development agency Poslovni park Ltd. was entrusted with executing the operational tasks.
The first presentation and discussion on the proposed study programme in Mechatronics were held with the potential stakeholders from the private and public sectors on 28 November 2006.
This was followed by analyses, preparation of documentation, and elaboration of the study programme. At its session held on 24 April 2007, the Bjelovar City Council adopted the Decision on the Establishment of the Technical College in Bjelovar, and on 6 July 2007 it appointed Ante Čikić, PhD, acting dean of the College. On 18 February 2008, the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports issued a licence to the Technical College in Bjelovar for delivering a professional study programme in Mechatronics, under the condition that the institution employs teachers to a required number in the course of a five-year period. That day was chosen to be the Day of the Technical College in Bjelovar.
Obtaining the Licence was followed by activities related to organising and structuring the newly established institution. The Statute was drafted, which was adopted by the Bjelovar City Council on 10 April 2008.
Given the fact that the administrative services and Student Registry had not been organised yet, the admission procedure of the first generation of students was coordinated by the Poslovni park Bjelovar Ltd. development agency, which prepared and published the first brochure, titled Studying in Bjelovar, the aim of which was to inform secondary school leaving students about study programmes offered in Bjelovar, and about winning scholarships and taking loans.
The governing bodies of the Technical College in Bjelovar were also formed. At its 19th session held on 29 May 2008, the Bjelovar City Council adopted the Decision on the Appointment of Members of the Governing Council of the Technical College in Bjelovar.
Following the establishment of the Technical College in Bjelovar, obtaining the Licence to perform a professional study programme in Mechatronics, conducting a call for applications and admissions, on 6 October 2008 the first generation of students (47 full-time and 58 part-time) started their course in Mechatronics. Upon successful realisation of the project of establishing the Technical College in Bjelovar, obtaining the Licence for the professional study programme in Mechatronics, and successful enrolment of the first generations of students, on 25 July 2008 the Bjelovar City Council passed the Decision on the Establishment of Professional Study Programme in Nursing. On 15 October 2009, the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports granted the Licence for delivery of a professional study programme in Nursing, under the condition that the institution employs teachers to a required number in the course of a five-year period. The first generation of part-time students started their studies on 21 November 2009.
At first, the seat of the Technical College in Bjelovar was at 1 Antuna Branka Šimića, where classes were also held. In February 2009 the Bjelovar City Council adopted the decision to cede the long-term lease of the building in the city centre (at 4 Trg Eugena Kvaternika) to the Technical College in Bjelovar at a symbolic price. The building was renovated, adapted and equipped, and on 5 March 2010 classes started to be held on the premises, and the seat of the Technical College in Bjelovar was relocated.
At its session held on 9 February 2010, the Governing Council of the Technical College adopted the Decision on the Establishment of the Student Entrepreneurship and Technology Incubator. Students’ and their mentors’ work in the Incubator has resulted in remarkable results at national and international innovation exhibitions.
The needs for further development of the Technical College in Bjelovar, in addition to higher education quality assurance, called for an extension of facilities. On 24 September 2012 the Bjelovar City Council adopted a decision to cede the long-term lease of additional space with 1,331.52 m2 of usable area in Building 2, located at 1 Antuna Branka Šimića, free of charge, to the Technical College in Bjelovar.
In the course of the year 2012 the professional study programme in Nursing underwent thematic evaluation, and in the academic year 2012/2013 the Institution and both its study programmes went through the re-accreditation process. The Development Strategy of the Technical College in Bjelovar for the Period 2012 – 2016 was developed and adopted, and the ISO 9001:2005 quality management system was introduced.
In the course of the year 2014 the attic space at 1 Antuna Branka Šimića was reconstructed and converted.
On 13 March 2013 the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports granted a Licence to the Technical College in Bjelovar, with no conditions for the delivery of the undergraduate professional study programme in Mechatronics, and on 17 February 2015 for the delivery of the undergraduate professional study in Nursing.
With the aim of aligning the undergraduate professional study programme in Nursing with the EU directives, on 1 October 2014 the Technical College in Bjelovar introduced a new, modernised programme, complying entirely with the international standards.
Following the re-accreditation process, the Technical College in Bjelovar continued to enhance the student standard. On 22 January 2015 the National Supervisory Committee for the Quality of Student Meals decided to call for bids for the provider of subsidised student meals in Bjelovar. Since 18 May 2015, based on their student status and ownership of a student card, Bjelovar students have been using the subsidised student meal service.
In the course of the year 2016 a comprehensive report on the amendments to the undergraduate professional study in Mechatronics was produced, and since 1 October 2016 the amended programme has been delivered, well-adapted to contemporary trends in the profession: new courses were introduced, the existing ones were updated, and the volume of practical classes and professional practice was increased.
Having fulfilled the requirements arising from the Scientific Activity and Higher Education Act, at the 4th session of the Bjelovar City Council, held on 30 October 2017, the name of the Technical College in Bjelovar was changed to the Bjelovar University of Applied Sciences. Pursuant to this decision and the Statute, 30 October is celebrated as the Day of the Bjelovar University of Applied Sciences.
