The Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń (NCU) was established in 1945 and today stands as one of Poland’s largest higher education institutions. It is named after Renaissance mathematician and astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, who was born in the city of Toruń in northern Poland.

Today, almost 30,000 students are enrolled at NCU. Comprised of 16 faculties offering courses in 80 different fields of study at undergraduate, master’s and doctoral level, the university has grown significantly in recent years. Most of the faculties are located at the Toruń Campus, although a lot of the medical facilities are located at the university’s second campus in the nearby city of Bydgoszcz.

International relations remain central to the NCU philosophy and along with the Erasmus programme, the university has established bilateral agreements with institutions all over the world. Individual departments also establish their own international partnerships, and the Faculty of Economics having worked extensively with universities in France, while the History department has collaborated with a Moscow University.

Some of the research facilities at NCU are considered to be among the best in Poland. The Centre for Astronomy is home to a 32-metre radio telescope, and among the university’s alumni are astronomers Maciej Konacki and Aleksander Wolszczan.

Other notable former students of NCU include the poet Zbigniew Herbert and ethnographer Jan Rompsczi. The former head of the Polish Intelligence Agency Zbigniew Nowek, and the CEO of railway manufacturer PESA, Tomasz Zaboklicki, also studied there.