The Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek (, ), commonly known as the University of Osijek (UNIOS), is a public university based in Osijek, Croatia. Established in 1975, it is the flagship institution of higher education in Slavonia, and one of the largest and oldest universities in Croatia. The University of Osijek is organized into 11 faculties, an academy and a number of other organizational units. In 1990 it took the name of progressive Roman Catholic bishop Josip Juraj Strossmayer who was born in the city in 1815. Alongside nationally dominant University of Zagreb, the University of Osijek belongs to the mid-range public institutions established before the independence of Croatia together with the University of Rijeka and the University of Split. The university was established in 1970s, when several faculties were grouped under one university. In the years preceding the establishment of the university Croatia witnessed the establishment of new universities in Split and Rijeka. 1970s was a decade of exponential rise in number of higher education institutions in the rest of former Yugoslavia as well when universities in Maribor, Mostar, Banja Luka, Podgorica, Bitola, Kragujevac and Tuzla all opening their doors. The University of Osijek is a member of the European University Association. The University of Slavonski Brod, second public university in Slavonia, developed from local organisational units of the University of Osijek located in Slavonski Brod. History Early history The history of higher education in this area began in 1707, when the first institution of higher education was founded in Osijek. It was the Higher Theological School, which was opened in the 1707/1708 academic year as Studium Philosophicum Essekini, and included a three-year course of studies in philosophy. The significance of the first colleges in Osijek lies in its huge contribution to Croatian language and literature, the spreading of liberal-arts education, and the study of languages and classical literature. Development of higher education in the city The recent history of higher education in the area began in 1959 when the Zagreb Faculty of Economics, in collaboration with the University of Zagreb, founded the centre for part-time studies in Osijek as a branch of the Zagreb Faculty of Economics. Founding of the University The initiative for the founding of the University of Osijek dates back to 1975. On 26 March 1975, the Croatian Parliament (Sabor) passed the Decision granting consent for the establishing of the University of Osijek. Two