Pontifical University of John Paul II in Krakow

Voivodeship: małopolskie

City: Kraków

The university was established in 1981 as the Pontifical Academy of Theology in Kraków, continuing the traditions of the Theological Faculty of the Jagiellonian University, which was closed in 1954 by the authorities of the Polish People's Republic. In 2009, it was transformed into the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Kraków. It is an ecclesiastical university financed on the principles of public universities. The university conducts scientific and teaching activities at the following faculties: Philosophy, History and Cultural Heritage, Social Sciences, Canon Law, Theology and the non-resident Theological Section in Tarnów. In 2024, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the canonization of Pope John Paul II, the Dicastery for Culture and Education of the Holy See erected a new, seventh faculty at the UPJPII - the Faculty of Communication Sciences. Currently, there are nearly 2.6 thousand students studying at the university, of which 63.3% are women and 4.2% are foreigners. Last academic year, the university graduated 591 times. In the academic year 2024/2025, 1,004 male and female students started their studies, including 40 foreigners. The university employs 251 academic teachers, of which 40.2% are women. The university's graduates include: Jacek Międlar - former clergyman, Stanisław Dziwisz - former secretary of Pope John Paul II, Archbishop Senior of Kraków, Cardinal Priest, Marcin Wójcik - journalist and publicist, reporter, Tomasz Dostatni - Dominican, publicist, pastor of intelligentsia and retreat leader. Among the outstanding graduates is also Józef Życiński – Roman Catholic priest, philosopher and theologian, professor of philosophy and doctor of theology, dealing with the philosophy of science, including the philosophy of mathematics, diocesan bishop of Tarnów in the years 1990–1997 and metropolitan archbishop of Lublin in the years 1997–2011.