Professor Maximilián Strémy was inaugurated as the STU Rector at the academic ceremony of opening the 2025/2026 academic year on 16 September. Subsequently, the new Rector matriculated the first-year students of the STU Faculty of Civil Engineering.
The Acting Hall of academician Bella filled to capacity with representatives of the STU academic community, ministries, partner universities, industry, local governments, institutions and students, witnessed the inauguration of Professor Maximilián Strémy, the 21st Rector of the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava. He received the insignia from Professor Oliver Moravčík, his predecessor who wished him much success, wise decisions and quality collaborators with whom he will be able to implement the ideas and achieve the goals of the demanding mission.
In his inaugural speech, the Rector Strémy compared university to a bridge built of ideas, cooperation and trust, connecting science with practice, dreams with reality, and past with future. According to him, university should be a place where ideas are born and implemented and above all also given the chance to grow and accelerate, whether it concerns researchers or students. He identified industry and practice as key partners. According to Rector Strémy, the attained results have yet proved that STU is both competitive and interesting for the most prestigious European and world institutions, and can/must be more ambitious in this regard. The STU scientists cooperate with recognized partners worldwide in the fields of semiconductors, drones, cybernetics, artificial intelligence, pharmaceuticals, or materials research, he added.
“The STU graduates – engineers, architects, artists, scientists, innovators – are one of the most precious strategic resources for the future of Slovakia; they are the engine of industry, research, economy and society. However, without investing more in supporting STEM fields, this country is not going to lose its future tomorrow, but rather today,” said the inaugurated Rector Strémy.
Tomáš Drucker, the Minister of Education, Research, Development and Youth in his address emphasized the key role of the Slovak University of Technology in educating experts and engineers in Slovakia. He recalled the rapid development of technologies, and emphasized that both, the topics such as artificial intelligence, nuclear energy, robotics, or the issues of sustainability are crucial for us.
"It is here, in the premises of the Slovak University of Technology, where it is being decided whether we will just catch up or join those who are creating the future. May the Slovak University of Technology be a leader in the technologies changing the world," emphasized Minister Tomáš Drucker.
The academic ceremony held also matriculation of first-year students of the STU Faculty of Civil Engineering. After the solemn oath taken the by one of them, Dean Stanislav Unčík recalled the attractiveness of civil engineering as well as related demanding study, and wished the students much success. Approximately one thousand first-year students have enrolled at the Faculty in the current academic year, with a total of almost four thousand first-year students at the STU.
Photo: Tibor Kuna, Juraj Rybanský
