The Polytechnic of Požega has been founded pursuant to Decision of the Government of the Republic of Croatia of 21 May 1998 as a public school of higher education (Official Gazette nr. 75/98).
Regulation on establishment of the Polytechnic of Požega (OG 75/98) and Regulations on amendments to the Regulation on establishment of the Polytechnic of Požega (OG 51/05, 57/07 and 119/13) promulgated by the Government of the Republic of Croatia defined the main activity of the Polytechnic as establishment and execution of professional undergraduate studies in biotechnical, social and technical sciences taught in departments of the polytechnic.
Establishment of the Polytechnic of Požega marked the end of a long path traced back to proposed setting up of an institution of higher education in Požega, as a debt to history of this area, on the foundations of Academia Possegana (1763-1774).
The basis for establishment of the Polytechnic of Požega were the existing professional studies (former 6th degree of education) of the University of Osijek, which were removed from the Osijek University and established as a new institution of higher education pursuant to Article 168 of the Institutions of Higher Education Act (Official Gazette 59/96) and the Regulation on establishment of the Polytechnic of Požega.
In the year it was founded, the Polytechnic of Požega was set up in three divisions (agricultural, social and technical) and had a total of ten professional studies in four cities in the east of Croatia (Požega, Vinkovci, Slavonski Brod, Osijek). The Polytechnic of Požega performed the ten professional studies in three academic years (1998/1999, 1999/2000, 2000/2001).
In 2001, the higher education studies were partially restructured following a Decision of the minister of science and technology of the Republic of Croatia of 26 June 2001, and a Decision of the Senate of the J. J. Strossmayer University in Osijek of 18 June 2001, when some of the professional studies were restored to the University of Osijek. Since the academic year of 2001/2002, only those professional studies based in the city of Požega remained at the Polytechnic of Požega, specifically: Viticulture-Oenology-Pomology, Administrative law, Accounting and commerce. Seven other professional studies (Civil engineering, Electrical engineering, Machine engineering, Plant production, Zootechnics, Agricultural machinery, Family-run estates) are available to students through faculties of the Osijek University since the aforementioned academic year.
Reform of higher education in the Republic of Croatia began in the academic year of 2005/2006, when the Bologna Process, harmonising of Croatian higher education system with the European qualifications and education area, began. In 2005, the Polytechnic of Požega adapted its studies and professional study plans to the Bologna Process and submitted six (6) undergraduate professional studies and two (2) specialist graduate studies to the National Council for Higher Education in the Republic of Croatia for evaluation.
In the process, the Polytechnic of Požega was issued provisional accreditation for performance of the following academic programmes as of academic year 2005/2006:
- PROFESSIONAL STUDY OF ACCOUNTING
- PROFESSIONAL STUDY OF COMMERCE
- PROFESSIONAL STUDY OF ADMINISTRATION
- PROFESSIONAL STUDY OF VITICULTURE-OENOLOGY-POMOLOGY
and additionally as of academic year 2007/2008:
- PROFESSIONAL STUDY OF FOOD TECHNOLOGY
Considering the fact that the Polytechnic of Požega intensively and continuously develops its own teaching staff within its development policy framework since year 2005, as well as hired substantial teaching staff through tender procedures and elections to professional grades, the Polytechnic of Požega was granted a PERMANENT ACCREDITATION for all the aforementioned studies by the Ministry of Science, Education and Sport in 2008.
On 7 February 2006, the Polytechnic of Požega concluded an Agreement on use of real estate in Vukovarska Street 17 in Požega with the city of Požega. On the basis of the Agreement, the Polytechnic uses and manages real estate owned by the city of Požega encompassing an area of 7658 m2, in Požega cadastral municipality, land registry item nr. 7056, cadastral plot nr. 1518/1, where the most of teaching activities associated with the professional studies takes place.
The Agreement is based on provisions of Article 1 of the Real-Estate Donation Contract made between the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Croatia as the donator and the city of Požega as the beneficiary of the donation. The Contract transferred ownership of the real estate from the Ministry of Defence to the city of Požega, for the purpose of permanent use of the Polytechnic of Požega. Commencement of use and management of the building (and ancillary structures) created prerequisites needed to move the dean's office and Polytechnic administration from the Gymnasium building, as well as accounting services, a library, an IT and two other classrooms from the Sokol building in October 2008.
Oenological laboratory and wine cellar of the Polytechnic of Požega, as well as mini-vinification plant were situated at the Agricultural School premises in Požega, until they were moved to the Vineyard Cottage and Wine Storage in Vetovo and the Polytechnic building in Požega.
Further development policy required, considering a proposed establishment, performance and organisation of studies, introduction of a new level of education: a two-year long specialist graduate study. The initiative was the result of continuous monitoring of labour market needs, and an analysis and research of effects of education on economic development, primarily in the regional framework of Požega-Slavonia County. An obvious need to invigorate self-employment opportunities and develop small and medium trading enterprises was detected by the analysis. Commerce management deficiencies, as well as a lack of skills and competences in terms of commerce management, were observed in Požega-Slavonia County. Thus the curriculum of the proposed specialist professional graduate study of "Commerce” was directed to enable the students to run their own enterprises and to perform commercial managerial jobs within other commercial entities. An accreditation to perform the Specialist professional graduate study of "Commerce” was issued by Minister Radovan Fuchs, Ph.D. on 19 February 2010.
In 2009, the Polytechnic of Požega was included in the reaccreditation procedure. Following a positive opinion issued by the Expert Committee of the National Council for Higher Education the Polytechnic was issued a letter of expectations. Once the requested changes were implemented in 2010, it was issued accreditations for performance of all the existing studies.