Montanuniversität Leoben#

University of Mining and Metallurgy in Leoben, developed from the "Steiermaerkisch-staendischen Montan-Lehranstalt" in Vordernberg, founded in 1840 on the initiative of Archduke Johann and the curators of the Joanneum, in 1848 assigned to the state at the instigation of Peter Tunner, its 1st head and teacher, and transferred to Leoben in 1849. Its continued existence was secured to some extent when it obtained permission to hold a two-year preparatory course for graduates of a secondary school with the "Reifepruefung" certificate required for university entrance in 1860; this was followed by a one-year special course in mining or metallurgy. From 1861 called "Mining Academy", 1894 allowed to elect a rector, 1904 awarded the title "Montanistische Hochschule", 1906 given the right to confer doctorates, which finally meant complete equality of status with technical universities. From 1917 graduates were allowed to bear the professional appellation "Ingenieur" (Engineer). For financial reasons, the University was combined with the University of Technology in Graz from 1935 to 1937. At present 11 courses of study (some of them with supplementary courses for advanced students) are offered at the University: mining, metallurgy, mine surveying, petroleum mining, rock metallurgy and mining machinery as well as plastics engineering, material science, petroleum engineering, applied geoscience and industrial environmental protection, waste disposal engineering and recycling. Since 1910 the University has been located in a neo-Baroque building erected especially for this purpose, which was enlarged in the 2nd Republic (1963-1970).

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